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• Judicial Review On Tobacco Law - Indonesia's Nahdlatul Ulama 

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia has filed a judicial review in the Constitutional Court of Indonesia, on a piece of legislation which has caused serious concerns for the republic's tobacco farmers.

NU wants the court to review Section 113 of the Health Law which states that tobacco is a commodity which contains an addictive substance.

According to a leader from the organisation, the statement indirectly places tobacco in the same category as ganja.

The law has raised fears among a group of tobacco farmers who are now wary to cultivate the crop as the law clearly bans ganja.

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Islamic banks never invest in pork, alcohol and tobacco 

Russia's Finance Ministry is working on legal acts to sign an unusual investment agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Mutual investments will avoid taxation, whereas the Arabs will not have their profit taxed. However, the documents encourage only state-run corporations and funds.

The agreement between the government of the Russian Federation and the UAE "About taxation of the income from the investments of the contracting states and their financial and investment institutions" was signed in Abu-Dhabi on December 7, 2011. However, the information about the document has become available only recently. . . .

The norms of the Islamic banking do not allow any investments in the companies that deal with the production and sales of pork, alcohol and tobacco.

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Scientists find first proof of potent tobacco use among ancient Mayan people  

Capital Region researchers confirmed that one of our bad habits is as old as the ancient Mayan civilization.

Jennifer Loughmiller-Newman of the University at Albany and Dmitri Zagorevski of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute studied scrapings from more than 50 Mayan vessels and found evidence of a potent tobacco in one tiny, 1,300-year-old container.

The discovery represents the oldest physical evidence of tobacco use.

"In a lot of ways it's similar to the consumption of alcohol," Loughmiller-Newman said. "Humans have indulged in stimulants and depressants for many, many centuries. That's a phenomenal continuation of human behavior. We enjoy these little treats in their numerous forms and have for a very long time."

For ancient Mayans, tobacco was a godlike plant that had a soul and wielded the force of lightning and thunder, said Kevin Groark, an anthropologist and Mayan expert. It provided spiritual protection and healing properties, and Mayan shamans used tobacco enemas to invoke powerful visions.

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Indonesia Seeks Ulema Help to Cut Smoking 

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has approached the country’s largest Muslim organization seeking its help to curb smoking in a new campaign against the deadly habit in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

“Basically, we explained what this regulation is about, how dangerous tobacco addiction is, and that we need help to successfully implement it because it would be impossible without the help of every stakeholder, including NU,” Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the director general of disease control and environmental health at the Ministry of Health, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday, January 8.

The initiative was launched last Friday when Aditama, along with Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, met with Islamic leaders in Nahdlatul Ulama to explain the dangers of smoking.

Seeking their help, the health officials explained how the new suggested regulations, which form a part of the 2009 Health Law, would be implemented. . . .

Approaching the Islamic organization, health officials were concerned that NU’s followers, who are also tobacco farmers, would oppose any regulations that would affect their livelihoods.

“But we have explained again and again that this regulation does not prohibit people from smoking, it is just trying to protect children and pregnant women from the health risk from being exposed to tobacco,” Aditama said.

Moreover, numerous NU clerics were heavy smokers themselves, the organization’s deputy chairman, Slamet Effendy Yusuf, told the Jakarta Globe.

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Help Wanted: Must Be Smoke Free 

But Cox Health isn't the only one with smoke free standards, if you plan to light up before you clock in, a growing number of employees across the nation won't hire you at all.

"Screening out employees for smoking is really indicative of health care costs increasing," says Adviant Human Resources Principal, Jonathan Scales. "Inflation has increased, maybe, by single digits over the past couple of years. Health care costs have increased in the double digit range. Employers are looking for ways to control and contain their health care costs and smoking is one way."

"Because of the expense it adds to healthcare costs and to our plan we have doubled our discount for tobacco free status," says Hursh. "Any smoker is going to pay 500 dollars a year more for their habit. If they are a family it will cost a thousand dollar a year."

Across town on the campus of Evangel University smoking is prohibited for employees and for students. But they say it's not so much a matter of health care costs as it is a matter of faith.

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• Govt Seeks NU Help on Smoking Rules  

The Ministry of Health wants the support of the country’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, in implementing tobacco regulations.

Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the director general of disease control and environmental health at the ministry, said on Friday that he, along with Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, met with Islamic leaders to explain how the regulations, which form a part of the of the 2009 Health Law, would be implemented.

“Basically, we explained what this regulation is about, how dangerous tobacco addiction is, and that we need help to successfully implement it because it would be impossible without the help of every stakeholder, including NU,” he said.

Tjandra said support from NU was crucial because it has more than 30 million followers. “NU has explained their stance about tobacco and the leaders have promised they will bring this issue to their national meeting, and now we’ll just have to wait for their decision,” he said.

Tjandra said he acknowledged there was some concern from NU’s followers who are also tobacco farmers . . .

“But we have explained again and again that this regulation does not prohibit people from smoking, it is just trying to protect children and pregnant women from the health risk from being exposed to tobacco,”

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Scripture to help quit smoking  

Scripture offers supernatural help to change believers' lives. If you're ready to quit smoking, turning to the Word of God can provide guidance and strength. It's not a magic bullet and it doesn't mean it will be easy. While smoking is a physical habit, the habit also has chemical and spiritual factors. . . .

Write scripture out on Post-It notes and place them in places where you would normally turn to a cigarette. Put one on your steering wheel. Stick one to your coffee cup before bed so when you are ready to pour a cup in the morning, it is there to remind you. Place one on your computer monitor or other places where you would normally smoke. Email Scripture to yourself as a reminder. Use the following Scripture to get you started:

* Jeremiah 33:3: "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (NASB).

* Psalm 16:11: "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (NASB)

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Faith Forum: How does the issue of faith relate to the debate on smoking?  

• Local tobacco shop contributes to toy drive  

Northern Pines Community Church has been working closely with Jayz Tobacco Outlet in Iron Mountain on a toy drive.

On Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Santa will be handing out toys at Jayz. Even with all the negative attention smoke shops have been getting lately in Iron Mountain, Jayz wants to give back to the community.

"It's interesting because we carry tobacco related products," Jeff Nason, owner of Jayz Tobacco, said.

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• California couple enlists churchmember to beat their teen for smoking: police  

A California couple enlisted a brutish local enforcer to dish out a beating on their teenage son because they suspected the boy was smoking, authorities say.

Paul Kim, 39, of Chino Hills, is facing felony child cruelty charges after cops say he hammered the unidentified high schooler about a dozen times with an inch-thick pipe at the boy's parents request.

The parents, also not identified, drove the boy over to Kim's suburban punishment pad last weekend after they found a lighter on him and suspected he was lying about smoking, San Bernardino County police said.

Kim and the boy's parents attend the same Lutheran church in La Habra, and authorities believe he has doled out beatings for other parents.

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Baseball's new anti-tobacco policy is 'progress'  

Baseball's new labor agreement does not include the prohibition on smokeless tobacco they wanted, but its new policy still marks an important step, said Southern Baptist ethicist Richard Land and other advocates of a ban. . . .

"While not a complete victory, this is tremendous progress in the right direction," said Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). "I want to express my appreciation to all of those who contacted [the MLBPA] and urged them to take this very positive step, which will help to protect the health not only of major league players but the millions of young men who idolize them, as major league players have always been idolized by young men in America."

The Knock Tobacco Out of the Park Coalition -- which includes medical and public health groups, as well as religious leaders -- said it, like Land, continues to back "a complete prohibition on tobacco use at games and on camera."

"Still, this is significant progress.... This agreement marks the first time that the league and the players have recognized it is time to break this unhealthy addiction," the coalition said in a written release.

"We urge individual players to go further than the agreement, and completely eliminate their use of smokeless tobacco at games."

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Editorial: A Victory in the Long War Against Tobacco  

The war against tobacco in Indonesia took a decisive turn this weekend. Muhammadiyah, the country’s second-largest Islamic organization, has thrown its full weight behind efforts to rid the nation of its deadly smoking habits.

After issuing a fatwa in March 2010 — telling its estimated 28 million followers that lighting up is not an acceptable practice in Islam — Muhammadiyah is now set to declare its public institutions as smoke-free zones.

This is a major victory and sends out a strong message to the rest of the country that smoking is not only deadly but also sinful. With the new decree, the organization’s 500 health centers, including hospitals and clinics, about 15,000 schools from kindergarten to high school and nearly 200 higher education institutions, will be smoke-free.

The decision is in line with the changing norms and concerns of Indonesians. . . .

This is therefore an opportune time for the government to adopt an even stronger stance against cigarette advertising, which is by far the most relaxed in the region. It is time to ban the cigarette advertising on billboards and other public areas. Tobacco companies should not be allowed to sponsor sports and entertainment events where young Indonesians gather.

Indonesia remains one of only a handful of countries that have yet to sign the landmark World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. With more than 200,000 Indonesians dying each year from tobacco-related illnesses, we cannot delay acting against this killer. It is high time for the government to tackle this problem.

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• Muhammadiyah Bans Smoking 

The country’s second-largest Islamic group has thrown its full weight behind efforts to rid Indonesia of its heavy smoking habit.

After issuing a fatwa in March 2010 to tell its tens of millions of followers that it was religiously unacceptable to light up, Muhammadiyah is now set to declare all of its health and education institutions smoke-free zones.

Muhammadiyah operates some 500 health institutions such as hospitals and clinics, about 15,000 schools from the level of kindergarten to high school and nearly 200 higher education institutions. It also operates 350 orphanages across the country.

“On Monday [today], we are going to launch our nationwide program that, starting now, Muhammadiyah’s offices, enterprises and forums are officially smoke-free areas,” Syafiq A. Mughni, Muhammadiyah’s chairman for health issues, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday. The campaign will kick off at the Muhammadiyah headquarters in Jakarta.

“This is also meant to protect the young generation from cigarette smoke exposure and to create a healthy living environment,” Syafiq said.

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Students speak out on proposed tobacco ban 

Warren Queton fought for his religious rights Thursday at a meeting to gather input about a proposed campuswide tobacco ban.

The anthropology graduate student and other OU community members voiced their opinions to the Advisory Committee on Tobacco Policy during a forum in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Beaird Lounge.

Issues raised included a desire for designated smoking areas, a petition for the university to provide tools to help smokers quit and infringements on personal liberties.

But smoking tobacco isn’t just a personal liberty to Queton — he said it’s something spiritual.

As a member of the Kiowa, Seminole and Cherokee tribes, Queton smokes ceremonial tobacco almost every day as part of his culture.

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Fatwa allows fasting men to use nicotine patches 

A special fatwa issued by a religious body here has permitted smokers to use of nicotine patches during the month of Ramadan to deal with withdrawal symptoms, saying it does not violate the observance of fasting. The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) here issues list of fatwas daily to help Muslims observe their fast in the right manner during Ramadan.

"Nicotine patches, which can help smokers to deal with their withdrawal symptoms during the day, are permitted," the fatwa said.

"It is allowed to use these patches as they are not nutritious and the substances in it are absorbed through the skin and blood and not passed through the abdomen."

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