Tobacco.org

Relief on way for tobacco growers  

Ontario tobacco growers caught with lingering financing problems in the collapse of buyers for their 2010 harvest contracts now can get some relief, allowing them to plant a crop this year.

Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett has written to Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin about the problems experienced by 66 growers in his riding who suffered from the financial problems of Tillsonburg- based True Blend.

The company had contracted to buy all their 2010 harvest but could not pay after the first loads were delivered, and the contracts fell into default. Most of the affected growers are in Norfolk County.

There also were problems with a surety bond that was supposed to back the product that year. "These farmers were assured that True Blend was a stable company and that a surety bond was in place and would be immediately payable if the company could not fulfill its end of the contract," Barrett wrote.

Consequently, the growers became vulnerable to penalty in attempts to get backing from Agricorp to grow future crops, and assistance in the AgriStability program.

Jump to full article »

RAHMAN: Fighting Big Tobacco in Malaysia — Fifa Rahman 

In a country where 46 per cent of males smoke, and where the government spends RM20 billion a year treating tobacco-related illnesses, it is imperative that we as a society demand greater health protection, and stronger tobacco laws.

However, in the enactment of tobacco laws to protect public health, and also in the execution of anti-tobacco/pro-health advocacy, there has been a long history of tobacco industry interference which undermines and very often, blocks efforts from materialising altogether. As someone who has had exposure to tobacco policies and regulation, I am fearful that tobacco industry interference is the most significant obstacle that policymakers and anti-tobacco advocates face today. . . .

In addition to the use of biased studies, over the years, the tobacco industry has also been very smart in recruiting influential persons or persons with previous government links to fill positions in their companies. A quick Google search of the Board of Directors of any large tobacco company will reveal names of highly influential persons, recognizable names that make tobacco lobbying just that much stronger.

The WHO provides measures to effectively deal with the tobacco epidemic; these are called the MPOWER measures -- all of which have in the past and currently face tobacco industry interference. These effective measures are: Monitoring of tobacco use; Protection from tobacco smoke; Offer help to cease smoking (cessation techniques); Warning of harms of tobacco use; Enforce advertising bans; and Raise taxes. . . .

In the campaign for smoke-free areas, the tobacco industry employs front-groups such as restaurant owners associations and tourism groups, stating that restaurant business would reduce and tourism would reduce. I could be wrong, but logically persons frequent restaurants for food and touristic areas for scenery and recreational activities -- not to smoke. Furthermore, evidence has proven that in New York, which banned smoking in restaurants, business was not adversely affected. In fact, the New York Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Union President supported smoking bans in restaurants for public health reasons.

The above anecdotes and worldwide experiences show that tobacco industry influence is rife and extremely powerful. As someone who has had tobacco control experience, I can verify as to interference that is alive and well, and that if we don't stand up, we won't just have 45 per cent of male smokers. That figure will increase unless something is done. Political will and the voice of the people will be imperative in defeating tobacco industry lobbying, and ensuring that Malaysians' health is better protected.

Jump to full article »

ALEC and the Tobacco Industry  

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is an influential, under-the-radar organization that facilitates collaboration between many of the most powerful corporations in America and state-level legislative representatives. Elected officials then introduce legislation approved by corporations in state houses across the U.S., without disclosing that the bills were pre-approved by corporations on ALEC task forces.

ALEC has had a long relationship with the tobacco industry. . . .

ALEC's relationship with the tobacco industry started after 1979, when ALEC Executive Director, Kathleen Teague, first wrote the Tobacco Institute seeking financial support. Shortly after, Institute members started participating in ALEC events. The industry's relationship with ALEC showed its worth quickly after ALEC provided Tobacco Institute members with face-to-face access to highest-level federal elected officials. In 1981, Tobacco Institute President Samuel Chilcote accepted an invitation to attend an ALEC "Exclusive White House and Cabinet Briefing" meeting with none other than the president of the United States, Ronald Reagan and his cabinet. . . .

ALEC has taken the cigarette makers' side in virtually every debate between the industry and public health. A 1987-89 R.J. Reynolds strategic plan describes ALEC as an ally who could help "create an atmosphere of tolerance and fairness in the public's attitude toward smoking and smokers." RJR considered ALEC a friendly group of elected officials who would be willing "to tell our story in such a manner that it becomes their [other legislators'] position."

Jump to full article »

• Court to rule on tobacco reward scheme  

THE HIGH Court has been asked to decide whether a prosecution under the Tobacco Acts was correctly dismissed against tobacco manufacturer PJ Carroll for giving vouchers to shop staff as a reward for promoting its tobacco products.

President of the High Court Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns has reserved judgment on legal issues which arose in the District Court prosecution.

The company had denied charges by the Health Service Executive of giving, or causing to give, "financial assistance" to Spar in Dublin City University and one of its shop assistants, on a date unknown between July 1st and September 31st, 2009, in consideration of the promotion of a tobacco product.

The case arose after all advertising of tobacco products was banned in shops in Ireland in July 2009, with tobacco products now stored in closed contained units.

In District Court proceedings against PJ Carroll Ltd, the HSE alleged that, under the company's Pocket a Packet scheme, shop staff and owners were motivated to promote Pall Mall cigarettes under a "mystery shopper" scheme.

Jump to full article »

• The price paid: Manipulation of otolaryngologists by the tobacco industry to obfuscate the emerging truth that smoking causes cancer [FREE FULL TEXT] 

INTRODUCTION

In the mid-20th century the tobacco industry faced a dilemma. The emergence of ever more convincing data showing a link between smoking and cancer was threatening to undermine their market. These worrisome scientific findings were reported to the public via a steadily increasing stream of newspaper and magazine articles. The industry realized that mere advertising would not be effective against the weight of scientific authority. To plan their opposition, the industry engaged the era's most sophisticated public relations experts. Their strategy was to enlist prominent scientists and redirect their research to manufacture doubt about the emerging scientific facts and thereby to fabricate a climate of scientific controversy. Supported by generous payments, some of the U.S.'s foremost physicians, scientists, statisticians, and journal editors were recruited to participate in a decades-long effort to obfuscate the emerging truth that tobacco causes cancer.

Our purpose was to describe how the tobacco industry used the prestige and authority of leading head and neck surgeons to undermine scientific evidence about the role of smoking in cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. Through consulting arrangements and research grants, a virtual Who's Who of leading head and neck surgeons from among the nation's foremost universities and cancer hospitals became involved, often unwittingly, in the industry's scheme. . . .

It is difficult to evaluate the impact that the collaboration of otolaryngologists and their organizations had on the growth in the consumption of tobacco products throughout this era. What is abundantly clear, however, as evidenced by the enormous rise in smoking over the years, is that the tobacco industry's campaign to obscure the health consequences of smoking was hugely successful. It could be speculated that forceful opposition of tobacco use by otolaryngologists may have improved public awareness of the dangers of smoking and perhaps even swayed government policy. The fact that organized medicine, lulled into complacency by lucrative industry support, largely stood by the wayside meant that many consumers were deprived of the opportunity to make better informed personal choices. Fortunately, once the preponderance of evidence became overwhelming, the pendulum swung, and by the late 1960s the otolaryngology community became forceful advocates for smoking cessation. . . .

CONCLUSIONS

The unfortunate history of physician collaboration with the marketing arms of tobacco companies has relevance to medicine in the 21st century. Future advances in medicine are strongly dependent on robust and mutually beneficial interactions between doctors and industry. Ethically, a physician must always act on behalf of the well-being of the patient. Responsible industries seek collaborations that balance the need to maximize profits with a commitment to optimize the health of their consumers. The lesson of the highly successful campaign by the tobacco industry to manipulate medical opinion is that physicians need to adhere to the highest standards of scientific validity and remain vigilant in their advocacy for their patient's interests.

Jump to full article »

• No Smoke and Mirrors: PMFTC president Chris Nelson and the company's commitment to the Philippines  

Running a business that faces a lot of challenges might lead some corporations to crumble, but for PMFTC Inc. (PMFTC) president Chris Nelson, this only makes his resolve to do his best stronger. PMFTC is the corporation formed on February 25, 2010, when select assets of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. (PMPMI) and Fortune Tobacco Corp. (FTC) were combined in said new company. Being the largest tobacco company in the country, it has experienced a lot of challenges that have made it into the company that it is today.

"I consider the combination of our domestic operations with FTC as one of Phillip Morris' highlights as a company," Nelson shares.

Through the asset combination, a lot of opportunities opened up for both companies that resulted in the continued growth of the business. But how do you define growth? . . .

"The survey showed that 94 percent of our employees are proud to be working for Philip Morris," shares Nelson.

PMFTC president Chris Nelson with PMFTC employees help paint a 103-year-old school building at the Francisco Benitez Memorial School in Pagsanjan, Laguna.

Nelson equates this to the company's efforts to keep everybody informed and aware of the management's decisions. . . .

Through the years, Philip Morris has surpassed quite a number of challenges; one of which was the passage of the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which prohibits the advertising of cigarette brands in media. It was a challenge the company faced head on without flinching.

The challenge was to keep selling the product and to keep the growth of the company consistent. While a lot of people severely criticize the tobacco industry, one should also understand the gains it contributed to the country. . . .

Philip Morris has been there for the country when storms Ondoy, Pedring, Falcon, and Juaning wrecked havoc on our shores. Recently, the company donated eight million pesos to the victims of tropical storm Sendong in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro City; this coming from a company that is always hit by certain sectors of the society and the media.

"Our disaster relief operations are always going to be there. As much as you do not want them to be," Nelson assures.

Jump to full article »

Ybor cigars headed to troops overseas 

Some groups collect cookies, clothes and toiletries for U.S. soldiers.

In Ybor City, they collect cigars.

"The guys overseas got to know that they are appreciated by the people back home," said Robert Alorda, a founder of the Ybor City Cigars for Soldiers program.

"They need something to remind them of home," Alorda said.

Tuesday night, a group of volunteers met at the Ybor City Development Corp. office, 2015 E. 7th Ave., and packed around 2,000 donated cigars.

Volunteers placed three cigars and a note about the program in a clear plastic bag. The cigars will be shipped to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, Alorda said.

Jump to full article »

NTA gives P5.4 M to Abra tobacco farmers  

The National Tobacco Administration (NTA) has given a total of P5.4 million to tobacco farmers of Abra this cropping season.

The loan package is part of the production assistance given to farmers under the Tobacco Contract Growing System of the NTA to sustain the tobacco industry.

NTA administrator Edgardo D. Zaragoza, in a recent visit to Bangued, Abra, said he is happy to see local officials, led by Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin, utilizing their share from the tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171 for the benefit of the tobacco-growers.

NTA-Abra branch manager Esmeralda G. Valera, in a report, said a total of 261 tobacco farmers had already availed of the production loan assistance.

Jump to full article »

Timothy's Fine Tobaccos to host annual Cigars for Soldiers fundraiser 

Timothy's Fine Tobaccos will have its annual Cigars for Soldiers fundraiser on Feb. 9.

The event at the cigar shop, 115 Center Ave., will be from 6-9 p.m. and feature 50/50 drawings; raffles and special sales. Ten percent of store proceeds will go to the fundraiser.

A representative from Miami Cigars will be on hand and will donate a cigar to the troops for every three sold, said Emily Socier, daughter of shop owner Tim Socier.

Customers will also receive a free cigar for every three bought, Emily Socier said.

Jump to full article »

• Teens lobby Asheville to ban tobacco sponsorship from Bele Chere 

A group of local teens wants the city to put its Bele Chere-designated money where its tobacco-free mouth is this summer for the region's biggest festival.

Two Asheville High students representing several area Teens Against Tobacco Use chapters addressed the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department board Monday, lobbying the group to eliminate any tobacco company sponsorships from this year's Bele Chere festival.

"Continuing to accept tobacco sponsorships at Bele Chere is not standing by the healthy living that Asheville is known for," said Nyrobi Tyson, a junior at Asheville High. "Asheville is sending a message to all the youth who attend Bele Chere that smoking is OK, acceptable and commonplace."

Bele Chere has been host to a booth promoting Camel tobacco products since 2009, brought to the festival by mobile marketing group BFG Communications. The agency is responsible for a year-to-year sponsorship which is worth about $15,000 a year.

But Asheville Parks director Roderick Simmons said BFG Communications represents a number of big brand companies and chooses which brands to promote through booths and tents at Bele Chere. Other BFG clients include Coke, Pepperidge Farms, Miller and Quiznos Subs.

Jump to full article »

Orange Bowl Scraps Cigar Deal 

MIAMI -- Orange Bowl officials said that they have scrapped a planned sponsorship deal with Camacho Cigars, reported the Associated Press. Orange Bowl spokesperson Larry Wahl told the news agency that after mutual review, it was determined that it would not be appropriate to go forward with the sponsorship.

Earlier this month, Pinellas Park, Fla.-based Davidoff of Geneva and the Orange Bowl Committee announced a new three-year agreement that would have made Camacho Cigars a corporate sponsor of the Orange Bowl Festival, which included the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Discover Orange Bowls and 2013 Discover BCS National Championship.

The sponsorship included a large presence at several game-day events at Sun Life Stadium leading up to the 2012-2014 Discover Orange Bowls and 2013 Discover BCS National Championship. Football fans, VIPs and Committee members would have had access to onsite Camacho lounges where premium cigars could be enjoyed throughout the day. At the Orange Bowl Game Day Fan Zone, the Orange Bowl's largest pregame event, guests could relax before kickoff in the Camacho Club Lounge. There would also have been two cigar lounges located in the designated smoking areas of the stadium on the Club Level for attendees of the Orange Bowl VIP pregame party.

Jump to full article »

• GALUSZKA: Bringing tobacco to the Tea Party 

Just before Christmas, and right in time for the 2012 election year, Altria trotted out a new Web site called "Citizens for Tobacco Rights" that seems designed to tap some of the anti-government, anti-regulation fervor of the Tea Party movement to boost its top line. . . .

Yet what makes this Web site peculiar is that it goes against the low profile that Philip Morris has generally been keeping since it was one of four cigarette makers dunned for $206 billion by 46 states in 1998 because of health risks. . . .

One can only speculate as to why Altria is trying this gambit at this particular moment. An obvious possibility is that the firm's propagandists want to tap Tea Party sentiment to boost sales . . .

Its impact is especially strong in Richmond, where it operates its last large cigarette manufacturing plant in the country and funds everything from chairs at Virginia Commonwealth University to the Richmond Symphony.

Don't think that the largesse doesn't come without strings, though. When an artist wanted 400,000 cigarettes for a piece of artwork that was to be displayed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Philip Morris said no even though it is a major sponsor of the museum. VMFA public relations people were careful to play down the issue.

The new Web site underlines, once again, the hypocrisy and contradictions of Philip Morris USA and Altria. Its ploy to encourage people to stand up for their rights while warning them its products kill go beyond routine cynicism. And as it has since 1609, Virginia plays along.

Jump to full article »

• The tobacco business helped build a school 

William C. Macdonald's upbringing didn't include much in the way of formal schooling, which might explain his later devotion to education. And his ambivalence about the way he'd made his fortune contributed at least in part to his generosity. "I am not proud of my business," he once said, "and that feeling, perhaps, has been the reason for my donations."

Macdonald's business was tobacco, and he did very well at it even though he considered smoking or chewing the stuff a "filthy habit." In the 19th century, Montreal was a major manufacturer of tobacco products and Macdonald was one of the industry's leading lights, and a very wealthy man.

His plant on Water St. employed more than 500 people, most of them women and adolescents, in the curing and processing of tobacco for pipes, cigars and chewing plugs. Much of the company's success seems to have been based on its recipe for chewing tobacco. It included molasses and was a favourite of farmers, fishermen, miners, lumberjacks and railway men - and maybe even baseball players.

Jump to full article »

• New Public Health Media Campaign Describes Serious Health Risks from Smoking Even One Cigarette A Day 

As part of the Bloomberg Administration's ongoing effort to improve the health of New Yorkers, the New York City Health Department next week will launch a new TV campaign underscoring the health consequences of "light" smoking. This is the Department's first campaign specifically targeting light smokers - those who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes per day - with information on the dangerous health effects of even light or casual smoking. The campaign, called "One Cigarette is One Too Many," contrasts people defending their light smoking with the grim realities of the well-documented health effects from light smoking. One ad shows a woman under the quote, "I only smoke when I take breaks at work…" followed by the warning, "She could still have a heart attack."

"Even if you don't think of yourself as a smoker, when you smoke even one cigarette a day, you are putting yourself at risk for many serious and potentially fatal health problems," said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley. "Quitting smoking for good can decrease your risk for heart disease and cancer and give you the best shot at living a long, healthy life. Help is available. Call 311 or go on-line to get free gum or patches today."

The 30-second TV ad will run in English and Spanish on all broadcast and cable channels from Dec. 27, 2011 through Jan. 15, 2012. To coincide with the campaign, the Health Department will offer nicotine gum to eligible smokers who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes per day to help them quit through 311 and online (search nycquits on nyc.gov). Light smokers make up 34% of all New York City's daily smokers. Heavier smokers who are interested in nicotine replacement therapy can still call 311 or 1-866-NYQUITS year round for help with quitting.

Jump to full article »

• Big tobacco “pull out all stops” for a landmark example: The Burswood Casino case. 

Background

With the aid of internal tobacco industry documents, this paper provides a chronology of events documenting the role of the Philip Morris tobacco company in the 1993 litigation case against the Burswood International Resort Casino (BIRC). The paper also examines the implications of this case for the regulation of second hand smoke exposure. . . .

Conclusion

Philip Morris’ investment in the BIRC defence demonstrated the industry’s recognition of the potential significance of the case beyond Western Australia. Involvement in the BIRC case assisted the wider tobacco industry by helping to prolong smoking at casinos and other Australian hospitality venues. The findings contribute to our understanding of the history of tobacco industry strategies implemented in Western Australia and internationally to slow tobacco control progress, and the preparedness of the tobacco industry to exploit favourable developments originating anywhere in the world.

Jump to full article »