Tobacco.org

EDITORIAL: TIMES VIEW: The ban is justified  

Cigarettes are sublime, they say. Well, not quite, says the health ministry - and rightly so. Its public spiritedness has finally taken the form of a nationwide clampdown on smoking in workplaces, restaurants, bars, bus stops and other designated public places. Questions are being raised about the viability of the ban. And most of the cynicism is emanating from those who think of smoking as some sort of individual entitlement. Their argument is hollow.

Going by continuing research on exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, smoking kills smokers and non-smokers. . . .

A few more stats for those already writing obituaries of the ban in place: according to a recent survey, over 90 per cent of Indians back the ban. As for implementability, health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has astutely said it depends more on compliance than enforcement. In any mature democracy, that's how it should be. The irrefutable fact is, from Kenya to Kazakhstan, from Slovenia to Singapore, from US to Uganda, more and more people want smoke-free environments - for themselves, for their families, for future generations. Hiccups in execution cannot stop this tide. So the sooner the smoke lobby stubs it out, the better.

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EDITORIAL: World's biggest public smoking ban to come into effect  

This year, can truly be called momentous. Not just because we celebrated the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Nor because Eid too was celebrated that day. Amid the traditional gaiety and fervour, the day, in fact, stood out for the world’s biggest public smoking ban to come into effect — arguably one of the most important social and health legislations to kick off in India.

Of course, the opposition to the ban is fierce and the onus of adherence and compliance completely rests on the people and the authorities. But the fact that a bold step has been taken to stub out a deep-rooted health hazard may at least make people think about stopping smoking. . . .

Chronic cough and phlegm are also more frequent among children of parents who smoke. In the workplace, chronic exposure to tobacco smoke reduces airway function to the same degree as smoking 1-10 cigarettes a day.

Indeed, all smoke and much fire. The only good news, however, is that once you quit the habit, you can reduce your chances of getting cancer, heart attack and other diseases.

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An Essential Industry Profile of the Tobacco Market in Australia, With Five Year Forecasts, Leading Company Profiles and a Detailed Market Overview  

Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/52b7a9/tobacco_in_austral) has announced the addition of the "Tobacco in Australia" report to their offering.

Our Tobacco in Australia industry profile is an essential resource for top-level data and analysis covering the tobacco industry. It includes detailed data on market size and segmentation, plus textual and graphical analysis of the key trends and competitive landscape, leading companies and demographic information.

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Companies and Markets: Indian Food, Beverages and Tobacco Market Forecast to 2011 Market Report Available Now  

Companies and Markets announces the addition of "Indian Food, Beverages and Tobacco Market Forecast to 2011" market research report to its portfolio

( http://www.companiesandmarkets.com/link.asp?id=E1LQAFNAU46785)

The "Indian Food, Beverages and Tobacco Market Forecast till 2011" report provides extensive research and rational analysis on the food, beverage and tobacco market in India.

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Extremely Detailed Report Examines The World Market for Tobacco  

Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/a65a99/the_world_market_f) has announced the addition of the "The World Market for Tobacco" report to their offering.

The World Market for Tobacco market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at an international level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.

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Bloomberg targets smoke shops on Poospatuck reservation 

After banning smoking in bars and restaurants, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now targeting eight Mastic smoke shops, filing a lawsuit yesterday against the retailers on the Poospatuck Indian reservation, claiming they are unlawfully selling untaxed cigarettes.

The shops can sell the cigarettes tax-free to reservation residents but not to others, New York City officials said. The illegal untaxed cigarettes sold at the shops means at least $525 million lost in state tax revenue each year, while the city loses $195 million from city residents making purchases there, officials said. Bootleggers reselling the tax-free cigarettes from reservations statewide costs taxpayers more than $1 billion annually, city officials said.

A city investigation shows that the eight smoke shops sold nearly 24 million tax-free cigarettes since 2004.

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• MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CORPORATION COUNSEL CARDOZO SUE TO STOP ILLEGAL CIGARETTE SALES AT EIGHT LONG ISLAND INDIAN SMOKE SHOPS  

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo announced today that the City of New York filed a complaint in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York against eight Long Island businesses located on the Poospatuck Indian reservation in Mastic, Long Island, for illegally selling massive quantities of cigarettes on which State and City taxes have not been paid, in violation of the Federal Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act and State law. . . .

The 18 defendants are located on the Poospatuck Indian Reservation ( also called the Unkechauge Indian Reservation ) are:

• Golden Feather Smoke Shop, Inc., Mastic, NY and Brooklyn, NY

• Kimo Smoke Shop, Inc., Mastic, NY and Lake Ronkonkoma, NY

• Smoke and Rolls, Inc Mastic, NY

• Shawn Morrison Owner/operator of Golden Feather, Smoke & Rolls and Kimo

• Kiana Morrison Owner/operator of Golden Feather, Smoke & Rolls and Kimo

• Monique’s Smoke Shop Mastic, NY

• Jessey Watkins Owner/operator of Monique’s Smoke Shop

• Ernestine Watkins Owner/operator of Monique’s Smoke Shop

• Wayne Harris Owner/operator of Monique’s Smoke Shop

• Peace Pipe Smoke Shop Mastic, NY

• Rodney Morrison, Sr. Owner/Operator of Peace Pipe

• Charlotte Morrison Owner/Operator of Peace Pipe

• Red Dot & Feather Smoke Shop, Inc. Mastic, NY

• Raymond Hart Owner/Operator of Red Dot

• Smoking Arrow Smoke Shop Mastic, NY

• Denise Paschall Owner/Operator of Smoking Arrow

• Tony D. Phillips Operator of Smoking Arrow

• TDM, Inc. Mastic, NY

• Thomasina Mack Owner/Operator of TDM

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Smoking Kills: Horrific Pictures Will Be Printed On Cigarette Packets 

Pictures of a diseased lung, rotting teeth and the effects of throat cancer are to appear on cigarette packets from October 1.

Pictures will appear on cigarette packets to warn about the dangers of smoking.

Written warnings on packs have been a huge success, according to figures from the Department of Health.

Since their introduction in 2003, thousands of smokers have been motivated by the warnings to call the NHS Smoking Helpline - and it is hoped the visual wake up calls will be even more effective.

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Mayor's Report Shows New York by the Numbers  

In the midst of it all, what might be Mr. Bloomberg's proudest accomplishment was the decline in the number of smokers since he signed a bill raising cigarette taxes by $1.50 in 2002 and, a year later, banned smoking in the workplace, including restaurants and bars.

In the 2007 calendar year, 16.9 percent of the city's adult population smoked, down from 21.5 percent in 2002. (Smoking, unlike most of the measures tracked in the report, is tracked by calendar year rather than fiscal year.)

The sharpest reduction happened on Staten Island, where the mayor was heckled once during a parade after the price of a pack of cigarettes reached the $7 mark. There, smokers made up 20.4 percent of the adult population in 2007, down from 27.2 percent in 2006.

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• State's adult smoking rates hit a new low  

The state Department of Health said Wednesday that 16.5 percent of adult residents smoked in 2007, below the national rate of 19.8 percent and sixth lowest among all states. In 2006, the state ranked fifth-lowest in the nation with a 17 percent smoking rate.

But smoking rates among the poorest and least educated residents haven't budged significantly in years. Almost a third of adults with less than $25,000 in household incomes are smokers, for instance.

Equally worrisome is the fact that 20 percent of 12th graders in Washington smoke. Public-health officials know that if they can keep a person off tobacco before age 18, chances are slim that the person will ever light up.

The state's overall smoking rate has fallen by 26 percent since 1999. In 2000, Washington beefed up its tobacco-prevention efforts

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78 percent of Bedford restaurants listed as smoke-free 

With 78 percent of restaurants in the city of Bedford classified as non-smoking, the small community leads the Central Virginia Health District for smoke-free options in restaurant dining.

Although that's far short of Craig County's 100 percent -- it has only three restaurants -- the city of Bedford is among localities at the top of the percentage list on Virginia Department of Health's new addition to it's Restaurant Inspection Web page.

The VDH announced it's new "non-smoking" addition Monday.

About 67 percent of the restaurants statewide don't allow smoking anywhere in the restaurant.

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• Tobacco, alcohol, drug use a problem for Guam  

Smoking among Guam's high school students has dropped by almost 50 percent in the last 10 years, thanks to preventive measures, according to Dr. Annette David, who's in charge of Guam's State Epidemiological Workgroup.

However, smoking among Guam's adults has remained the same. . . .

Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use and prevention were the topics discussed at Guam's third annual PEACE Conference yesterday at the Guam Westin Resort's Somnak Room. At the conference, participants presented the work they've accomplished in addressing alcohol and/or tobacco use prevention and early intervention.

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• Anti-smoking campaign targets low-income residents 

After helping young people and pregnant women to quit smoking, the state is now targeting its toughest group yet -- low-income residents.

Smoking rates in North Central Washington now vary widely, partly because the state's anti-smoking campaign has worked in areas with higher incomes and education levels, state officials say.

Adult smoking rates released by the state on Wednesday show the disparity.

In Chelan County, only about one in seven adults -- or 14.4 percent -- smoke. In Okanogan County, nearly one in four adults -- or 24.4 percent -- smoke. It's the third highest rate in the state, behind only Asotin and Stevens counties.

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Adult Smoking Drops Slightly, Rate Hits New Low  

A new state survey shows the adult smoking rate in Washington is continuing to go down, yet the decline is slowing. When the Department of Health began its comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in 2000, the adult smoking rate was 22.4 percent. The most recent survey shows the smoking rate has decreased slightly from 17 percent in 2006 to a new low of 16.5 percent in 2007. At the same time, rates remain higher among people with low income and low education.

Washington's 25 percent drop in adult smoking since 2000 translates to 240,000 fewer people smoking and an estimated savings of $2.1 billion in future healthcare costs. The state remains well below the national smoking rate of 19.8 percent.

"Our state's commitment to tobacco prevention is making a big difference. People are quitting smoking and Washington is healthier because of it," said Governor Chris Gregoire. "The numbers also show we have some big challenges. We must find ways to reach those who are not getting the message that help is available."

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Research and Markets: SWOT Analysis of Altria Group, Inc. Who Enjoyed a $9.786 Million Net Profit in FY 2007 

The Altria Group, Inc. - SWOT Analysis company profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. The report examines the company’s key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy.

Altria Group (Altria) is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton and Philip Morris Capital Corporation.

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