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Campaign against Chronic Diseases Set for the Caribbean 

A major new campaign to fight chronic disease in the Caribbean is getting underway in an effort to stem "the worst epidemic of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease in the Americas," with the participation of heads of government.

Government leaders want to work together to reduce risk factors such as obesity, unhealthy food choices, physical inactivity, high cholesterol and tobacco use, which contribute to making chronic diseases the leading causes of death in Caribbean countries, according to the Pan American Health Organization's Dr. James Hospedales.

PAHO and the Caribbean Community organized a historic summit, "Stemming the Tide of Non-communicable Diseases in the Caribbean, hosted by the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, the Hon. Patrick Manning, to launch the watershed regional campaign against chronic diseases. . . .

"That we are meeting as Heads of Government on this matter indicates the priority that CARICOM has placed on the topic," Prime Minister Manning said, noting that tobacco taxes were a good initial step but that a comprehensive public education program on lifestyle management, in partnership with the media, is also needed.

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Higher taxes for alcohol and tobacco  

Caribbean governments say they will increase taxes on tobacco and alcohol to cut the cost on their health budgets to treat diseases triggered by those products.

They also agreed at to limit or eliminate smoking in public places, ban the sale, advertising and promotion of tobacco products to children and insist on manufacturers putting effective warning labels on their products.

It's just one of the commitments given by regional leaders who attended the first Summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases which took place in Trinidad on Saturday September 15th.

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• World No-Tobacco Day in LAC: RIACT Launched 

Brazil's Health Minister, José Gomes Temporão, today announced the launch of the Ibero-American Tobacco Control Network (RIACT - Rede Ibero-Americana de Controle do Tabagismo in Portuguese, Red Ibero-Americana de Control del Tabaquismo in Spanish) to bring together the tobacco control authorities of (Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking) Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with those of Spain and Portugal to cooperate, coordinate and collaborate in the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

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• Investigators say cigarette butt likely caused fatal cruise ship fire 

A discarded cigarette butt was the likely cause of a fatal fire on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, accident investigators say.

Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch said in a report that the March 23 fire aboard the Star Princess was probably sparked by a cigarette that ignited combustible materials on a cabin balcony.

The blaze spread to almost 300 cabins on the Bermuda-registered ship, which was sailing from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, Jamaica. One American passenger died and 13 other passengers were treated for smoke inhalation. The investigators' report found that the balconies' polycarbonate partitions, polyurethane deck tiles and plastic furniture were highly combustible and produced large quantities of thick black smoke when burned. The report said international sea safety regulations would be tightened in the wake of the fire.

The investigation branch said the ship's owner, Carnival Corp, was taking steps to improve safety and that the International Maritime Organisation would consider proposed amendments to an agreement governing ships at sea in December.

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• Anti-smoking advocates calling for smoking ban at cricket World Cup 

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados A Barbadian health group is proposing that smoking be banned at all 12 venues for next year's cricket World Cup.

National Committee for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency director Victor Roach said he's been lobbying tournament officials for more than a year for a complete smoking ban.

"It is clearly spelt out in the terms and conditions of that there will be designated smoking areas," Roach said Thursday. "(But) we are calling for the event to be totally smoke-free."

Advocates are also urging governments to enact legislation to prohibit smoking at the tournament. . . .

Nine countries -- Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana --will host the March 13-April 18 event.

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New report calls for smoke-free environment 

?There is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke.?

This excerpt from a recent report from the Surgeon General of the United States has added to arguments put forward by the National Committee for the prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, for smoke-free public places in Barbados. . . .

President of the local association, Pastor Victor Roach has stated that it is more imperative than ever that ?Barbadian and Caribbean leaders & need to be reminded that second-hand smoke is a health hazard for all people?.

?We now understand that breathing second-hand smoke for even a short time can damage cells and set *the cancer process in motion, not to mention trigger an asthma attack,? said Roach. . . .

This, Roach stated, is a clear support of his association?s call for a smoke-free environment for next year?s International Cricket Council?s (ICC) Cricket World Cup. ?Some persons advocate smoking and non-smoking sections,? said Roach, ?obviously this needs to be revised.?

Saying that that is more important than having ratified the framework Convention on Tobacco Control, he opined that Caribbean countries need to adopt legislation to ban smoking in public places and workplaces. Roach also called for those Caribbean countries that have not ratified the framework convention to ?get on board?.

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Sandals, Beaches kick butts, ban smoking on May 1  

Sandals and Beaches Resorts go smoke-free May 1 in all enclosed areas, including nightclubs, bars, restaurants, lobbies, conference facilities and retail shops.   Smoking will be permitted outdoors and in designated rooms in each of the resorts.

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Woman Survives Deadly Cruise Ship Fire. 

This is the amazing of Mary Jo Dean of Kahoka Missouri and how she survived that deadly day.

24 hours before the fire Mary Jo says she shared one of her fears with her cousin.

" I said you know it'd be something if somebody would be smoking on this and maybe flip a cigarette, thinking it could go right in the ocean but of course you decks went out drop down , went out drop down. That worried me, the cigarettes worried me. I worried about that.

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Deconstructing a conglomerate 

Last week's sale of Sans Souci Hotel by Carreras Group represents a major but not the final stage in the de-conglomeration of the cigarette-led group that once spanned tobacco and coffee farming, financial services, printing, agro-processing, manufacturing, retailing and funds management. That final stage will come before year-end when the Carreras Group will totally cease cigarette manufacturing in Jamaica, having already transferred the bulk of that operation to Trinidad and Tobago.

By year-end therefore, the once revered conglomerate will become a distributor of cigarettes in Jamaica, and a manager of the billions of dollars in cash it now holds mainly in government paper.

"We (Carreras) are almost there," says managing director Michael Bernard, without any apparent sense of regret. "By the end of November we will have transformed the company into a distribution and marketing company."

Michael Bernard. by the end of November we will have transformed Carreras into a distribution and marketing company . . .

Trinidad and Tobago, emerged the favourite location around which British America Tobacco (BAT) - Carreras' parent-decided a decided a decade ago to consolidate its regional operation, because of its geography, and technology.

It was therefore no surprise when earlier this year, Carreras announced that it would, on a phased basis, altogether discontinue cigarette manufacture in Jamaica, and would transfer that side of its business to T&T where BAT had already consolidated its regional production, and where the cigarettes would benefit from economies of scale, and modern production facilities.

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NCPADD stepping with smoke free campaign 

THE National Commit-tee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (NCPADD) is continuing its campaign for a smoke free Cricket World Cup in 2007 and is taking the message across the region.

According to president of NCPADD, Mr. Victor Roach, such support presents not only a platform on which they can continue to campaign for a smoke free event, but it also conveys to the regional community and the international constituency that it is not just one country or organisation that is interested in the notion.

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Journalistic competition to highlight tobacco control 

Journalists, publicists and other media professionals of Latin America and the Caribbean are invited to participate in the Inter-American Journalism Contest on Tobacco Control.

The contest will honor the best journalism and advertising related to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which is aimed at reducing tobacco use worldwide. The contest also covers related topics such as bans on tobacco ads, protective measures to avoid tobacco smoke, and the control of tobacco smuggling, among others.

The Inter-American Heart Foundation, the Pan-American Health Organization and the Alliance for the Framework Convention are among the organizers. Entry deadline: November 4.

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'Express' man recognised for tobacco control journalism 

DECEASED Express journalist David Brewster has been given special recognition for "Exceptional Tobacco Control Journalism" by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

PAHO recognised health professionals and journalists as award winners in its annual World No Tobacco Day awards.

A minister of health, medical organisations and tobacco control networks were among the winners of this year's PAHO awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to tobacco control in the Americas.

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PAHO urges countries to sign tobacco treaty prior to deadline 

With just one day left before the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) closes for signature, the director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Mirta Roses, today urged PAHO's Member States to take advantage of the small window of opportunity remaining to sign the treaty.

Most Latin American countries have signed the FCTC, which was adopted unanimously by the World Health Assembly in May of 2003. However, just over half of the Caribbean PAHO Member States have done so or are scheduled to sign before the deadline at midnight on Tuesday, June 29.

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• PAHO Director Urges Countries to Sign Tobacco Treaty Prior to June 29th Deadline 

With just one day left before the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) closes for signature, the director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Mirta Roses, today urged PAHO's Member States to take advantage of the small window of opportunity remaining to sign the treaty.

Most Latin American countries have signed the FCTC, which was adopted unanimously by the World Health Assembly in May of 2003. However, just over half of the Caribbean PAHO Member States have done so or are scheduled to sign before the deadline at midnight on Tuesday, June 29.

Current signatories in the Caribbean are Belize, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Antigua and Barbuda and Barbados are scheduled to sign the treaty today at United Nations headquarters in New York, while Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia have indicated their intention to sign by tomorrow's deadline. The only Caribbean countries that have not yet committed to signing the FCTC are the Bahamas, Dominica, and Guyana.

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Cigar Shipments Up for 2003 

The American premium cigar market is looking surprisingly strong. Imports of handmade cigars increased by 4.2 percent in 2003, to 276 million cigars, a performance that came on the heels of five percent growth in 2002. More premium cigars were shipped to the United States than in any year since 2000, when around 290 million cigars were imported...

"The first four months of 2003 were the worst four months that I've ever seen in history," said Manuel Quesada, owner of Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. and S.A.G. Imports Inc., the maker and distributor, respectively, of Fonseca and Cubita cigars, among others. "Weather had a lot to do with it. When weather hits from Chicago to Boston and from New York to Atlanta, that's a big chunk of the market right there. Prohibition started to come in heavily in 2003, so weather and prohibition combined to make the first four months of that year really terrible. The rest of the year," said Quesada, "made up for the first four months."

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