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• Law fails to deter Albanian smokers 

Albanians are mostly ignoring a ban on smoking in public places because penalties are not being enforced, according to the organisation Smoke Free Albania.

The law, which took effect in May, prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants, government offices and other public locations. In theory, Albania's anti-smoking legislation is among the strictest in Europe, but activists say implementation has been far from adequate.

"People are fined, but the fines are not collected; there is no equality in the application of this law," said Xhovani Shyti of Smoke Free Albania."Some bars ban smoking, while others do not."

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President Bush Vetoes SCHIP Reauthorization and Expansion Legislation  

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said he is "absolutely confident" the House will be able to sustain Bush's veto (Lengell, Washington Times, 10/3).

White House spokesperson Dana Perino chided bill supporters for using a regressive tobacco tax increase "to pay for a middle-class entitlement" (Silva, Chicago Tribune, 10/3). Perino noted that smokers tend to come from the lowest income levels and added, "It's just completely irresponsible. Stop the madness on Capitol Hill" (AP/Houston Chronicle, 10/2).

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• Albania to ban smoking in public spaces 

Government of Albania approved recently a draft-law to bank smoking in public areas like bars and restaurants, Prime Minister's office announced. The law is intended to lower the number of smokers in a country that is known for one of the highest rate of smokers in Europe.

Current legislation forbids smoking in public offices, schools and hospitals but not in bars or restaurants. . . .

The former government had "forgotten" this draft-law for several years, while last year anti-tobacco NGO's had accused the tobaccos industry for corrupting the government.

Former Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, was known for his smoking habits. Meanwhile, the new Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, proclaiming himself a penitent smoker has approved an even harder draft-law to ban smoking.

Meanwhile, on a separate legislation last week, Albanian Parliament approved a hike of the excise duty for tobacco and coffee.

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Stricter Tobacco and Smoking Legislation Submitted to the Parliament 

The Government of Albanian submitted a new, much stricter draft-Law on Tobacco and Smoking for Parliamentary review and debate. The draft will completely outlaw sale of cigarettes to children and minors younger than 18, and will present stricter rules for tobacco industry, regarding sale and advertising of tobacco products.

This new draft is a part of the World Health Organization project intended to reduce the tobacco consumption in the general population.

In terms of tobacco industry, the new law proposes a total ban of billboard advertising, as well as forms of direct marketing in the street, including free samples of new brands to attract smokers. The law introduces penalties for producers and retail and whole-sale sellers that fail to comply to the provisions.

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40% of Cigarettes in Macedonia Smuggled 

t. Smuggled cigarettes occupy 25% to 80% share from the markets of Southeastern European states, and 40% of the cigarettes at the Macedonian market had been imported illegally, a publication in today’s Romanian Gandul newspaper reads. According to the edition, Albania ranks first in smuggled cigarettes with a share of 80%, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina with 47%, Macedonia – 40%, Bulgaria – 38%, Serbia and Montenegro – 37%, and Romania and Croatia – 24%.

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Cigarette smuggling and contraband brought about the arrest of a successful businessman in Durres 

      Tirana, September 10 2005 – One of Durres' most successful businessmen, (the main port of the country) was arrested this last Friday under charges of being part of an international organized crime for tobacco’s smuggling in the country.

“Leonard Koka was arrested based on testimonies which proved he was head of an organized tobacco contraband smuggling from Montenegro to Albania”, chief prosecutor of Tirana Penal Court said. This arrest has been consideredThis was one of the most famous arrest even in Albania.

Koka, age 39, is also the brother of the mayor of Durrës, Mr. Lefter Koka, and considered by many a close friend of the ex-Prime Minister Fatos Nano.

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Cavan publican fined over smoking ban breach 

A Co Cavan publican has been fined the maximum amount of €3,000 for allowing people to smoke on his premises.

Gerard Lovett, who owns the Copper Kettle Pub in Kilnaleck, was also ordered to pay costs of just over €1,000 at Ballyjamesduff District Court.

Barry Coady, an Environmental Health Officer, told the court he visited the premises on 26 September and found four people smoking. They were using empty bottles and glasses as ashtrays.

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Smoking: A Major Health Issue in Albania 

Albanians spend about 212m euros annually on tobacco, and the country has one of the highest percentages of smokers in Europe. Albanian Minister of Health Leonard Solis presented these figures at the UN's "World No Tobacco Day" on 31 May.

Solis said smoking is on the rise, especially among females ages 13 to 15. "During the past years we have noticed a general increment of smokers among our population. In the 1990s, the level of tobacco consumption was only 20 per cent, while at the moment, Albania is listed as the second country among other European states in terms of the high level of smokers," Solis said.

He urged better legislation to help reduce tobacco consumption and its impact on people's health. Officials with the Albanian Public Health Institute are waiting for the government to pass a bill, to restrict smoking in public places.

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Stick to pledged tobacco prices Tama 

Tobacco sales for the non-sponsored leaf start in Lilongwe Monday with industry captains pleading for fair prices.

“Buyers promised us good prices. They should stick to their pledge,” said Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) president Albert Kamulaga.

Kamulaga warned that the industry would suffer if growers are offered low prices because this would discourage the farmers from growing more tobacco.

“The prices offered over the past two years have been disappointing. Our patience is running out,” he said.

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Heaviest smokers in Europe urged to quit [Source: Independent, The; London (UK)] 

ALBANIA: The home to the heaviest smokers in Europe is undertaking efforts to cut down consumption. A campaign to reduce smoking, particularly among teenagers, will include anti-smoking ads in the media, to be partly financed by hefty increases in cigarette prices.

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Albania parliament closes duty-free shops at border crossings 

Albanian lawmakers have voted to close duty-free shops at border crossings to crack down on smuggling and corruption and qualify for international financial aid.

Parliament voted 86-7 on Thursday, with 23 abstentions, to shut down the shops as requested by the International Monetary Fund . At stake was US$36 million in IMF assistance over the next three years.

Albania's government concedes that duty-free shops have been used to smuggle cigarettes and alcohol into the country without paying custom tariffs, significantly depriving the cash-strapped state of millions of dollars in revenue.

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• Philip Morris Liable for Smoker's Cancer, Los Angeles Jury Says 

Philip Morris was ordered to pay $850,000 to compensate Betty Bullock for her illness. Jurors will now begin hearing evidence on how much money Philip Morris should have to pay as punishment. That phase of the trial is expected to last about two days.

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Tobacco Smoking Habits, Beliefs, and Attitudes among Medical Students in Tirana, Albania  

Results. In the first and fifth years of medical school, 149 (68.5% women) and 185 (55% women) students, respectively, completed the questionnaire, with overall response rates of 82 and 92%. Tobacco smoking prevailed among males. The smoking rates among first-year medical students were 34% among men and 5% among women. Among fifth-year students, 55% of the men and 34% of the women smoked. The percentages of occasional smokers were 29 and 49%, respectively, among the first- and fifth-year students who smoked. Most medical students reported knowing the health hazards of tobacco. Most students in both groups believed that smoking should be restricted in hospitals. Slightly more than half of the students stated that they will regularly advise smokers against smoking in their future jobs.

Conclusion. Tobacco smoking is common among medical students in Albania. Targeted antismoking training should be mandatory for medical students in Albania.

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Rendez-vous with . . . Sara Bogdani, Youth Advocate with For a Tobacco-Free Albania 

I am 17 years old and I study at "Harry Fultz" high technical school. I have had many different jobs in my short life. The last one was promoting cigarettes for Philip Morris. But I gave it up and I work now with the Association For a Tobacco-Free Albania. . . One of them was smoking a cigarette, so I offered him one of Marlboro cigarettes, as I started the presentation. The two men were listening to me very carefully, and at the end of my pitch the non-smoker told me about his job. He was Roland Shuperka, the WHO anti-tobacco counterpart and the president of the Association "For a tobacco-free Albania". He tried to convince me about giving up this kind of job and starting the collaboration with him. He gave me his phone number. I promised to call him. Nevertheless some time passed by until October , when he came to my school, on the occasion of the "Week of Resistance to Tobacco Transnationals" to show the film "Making a killing". I was still working for Philip Morris. I was really shocked by what I saw. . . I told my story as the sisters Pupa had told how tobacco had terrible consequences on their family: Nevila and Arlinda's mother died in October because of smoking and their Dad has lost his voice after a laryngectomy. Nevila and Arlinda are my age. We work together. We want to pass a tobacco control act and reduce the percentage of young smokers. We are organizing for World No Tobacco Day and supporting a local hospital that is going smokefree.

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No-Tobacco Groups Pressure For Law 

A recent survey made Albanians the seventh most heavy smokers in the planet, while high-school students and a non-governmental organization protested against absence of legislation on smoking bans in public buildings for the World No-Tobacco Day on Wednesday.

The protests and demonstrations in the capital were the most integrated efforts so far against smoking and the tobacco industry.

Cigarette smoking is now the rule in the country and the Health Ministry has failed to impose a smoking ban in public buildings, or constrictions to cigarette advertising, newsagency ATA said.

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