Tobacco.org

Heart risk for obese women's babies 

Unborn babies' hearts can be damaged if their mothers are overweight and smoke, a study has shown.

Scientists studied data on 797 live and stillborn babies and aborted foetuses with congenital heart problems. They were compared with 322 babies and foetuses having chromosomal abnormalities but no heart defects.

Birth abnormalities affecting the heart were much more common among children, and foetuses, whose mothers both smoked and were overweight. Women with both risk factors were more than twice as likely to give birth to a baby with a congenital heart defect as those with just one.

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Nation to mark World No Tobacco Day Monday 

Ethiopia will mark World No Tobacco Day on the 31st May 2010, under the theme: "Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women", Ethiopian Drug Administration and Control Authority (DACA) announced.

The event is believed to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco marketing towards women and girls.

In Africa recent surveys have shown that tobacco use among girls has reached levels comparable to boys.

Standard and license deputy director with DACA, Mengisteab Woldearegay, said at a press conference here on Sunday that tobacco is the main cause for intestinal and bone cancer.

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Eastern Tobacco studies growing tobacco in Ethiopia 

Eastern Tobacco (EAST) sent a release to EGX stating that the company is conducting studies in cooperation with some international tobacco producing companies in order to establish a project of growing tobacco in Ethiopia in order to cover part of company’s demand for raw materials of tobacco.

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Eastern Co to grow tobacco in Ethiopia -paper 

Egypt's cigarette monopoly Eastern Company (EAST.CA) is negotiating with the Ethiopian government to buy 10-20 hectares of land for growing tobacco, the daily al-Mal quoted its chairman as saying.

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous state, has been looking to expand its agricultural investments in east Africa. Last month the prime minister sent a committee to investigate growing wheat in Uganda.

Eastern Company will buy the land and seek the expertise of international companies to cultivate the crop.

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• Tobacco enterprise to punish illegal traders 

The National Tobacco Enterprise (NTE) has announced that it will take severe measure against illegal cigarette distributors and traders in the near future.

When the operation starts it will shut superstores, including small shops who sell illegal products.

The announcement disclosed that currently the enterprise is preparing for the clamp down in collaboration with stakeholders, like customs, police authorities and regional administrations.

The enterprise, which has the exclusive right to produce, import and distribute tobacco in the country said that the illegal trade is affecting its income.

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Journalists’ role said vital to prevent harm of tobacco 

The Ethiopian Health Association underlined that journalists should play crucial role in educating the public about the dangers of tobacco smoking.

Speaking at a training organized for journalists in Bishoftu town, Association Director, Dr. Biniyam Ayele said despite the efforts the country is making to alleviate the problem, a lot remains to be done due to the magnitude of the problem Journalists should contribute in educating the public as tackling the peoblem requires concerted efforts of all sections of the society.

Some 3.1 percent of males and 0.3 percent of females are active smokers in Ethiopia, the director said, adding that all concerned bodies should make efforts to brind down the ever increasing number of tobbaco smokers in Ethiopia.

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• National Tobacco Engages in Expansion Project 

The National Tobacco Company is undertaking expansion projects which will enable it to increase its productive capacity by 60%. It has also bought two modernized and computerized machines at a cost of 54 mln birr that will produce 10,000 pieces of cigarettes a minute and 7.5 mln a day. Formerly it had produced over 3 mln cigarettes a day.

In addition to the above machines, it has bought cigarette transfer machines at a cost of 6 mln birr and a filtering machine worth 7.8 mln birr.

At a press conference held on Thursday, W/ro Tiruwork Woldehanna, marketing and sales manager, said that currently the demand for tobacco is 4.4 bln pieces and from this National Tobacco has a capability of covering 2.6 bln cigarettes or 53%. 4.6% is imported and 42% enters the country through contraband means. This means contraband trade covered the greatest amount next to those produced legally. As a result, the enterprise has introduced a new brand, "delight" cigarette, that will help to reduce contraband ones.

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Customs, British American Tobacco to Fight Contraband Cigarettes 

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Ethiopian Customs Authority (ECA) and British American Tobacco (BAT) to enhance cooperation in the fight against illicit trade and contraband in cigarette products.

The signing ceremony held at Sheraton Addis on Friday is a major step in the fight against illicit trade in cigarettes through which the government losses in millions of dollars annually, it was stated. Cigarette is the 2nd most smuggled product next to second hand clothes, according to ECA.

According to Custom British American Tobacco will provide training to customs authority officials in countering illicit cigarette trade. Speaking at the signing ceremony Mr.Weatherburn Head of Customs Excise Tobacco operations of the BAT said: "We are proud to support the Ethiopian authorities in this positive example of working together with the industry on mutual issues."

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PAULOS: Malt And Tobacco Leaf Imports Are Up By 344 And 275 Percentages 

If agricultural products such as tobacco leaf, barley or malt, cotton, wheat and oil seeds which are inputs to the locally existing cigarette factory, beer factories, cotton textile mills, flour mills and to the edible oil plants respectively are not encouraged to be locally produced, the Agriculture Development Led Industrialization strategy (ADLI) becomes meaningless.

In the last five years, Ethiopia has spent birr 185 million in foreign exchange for the two commodities.

Therefore, Ethiopia should discourage the importation of malt and tobacco leaf because the country's external balance of trade is really in an alarming situation as it is indicated here below.

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Five Public Enterprises have become Private Share Companies with the Ministry of Finance 

The Ministry of Trade and Industry announced that four governmental alcohol factories, Meta Abo Brewery, Harar Brewery, Bedele Brewery and Awash Wine Factory, and National Tobacco Enterprise have become private share companies with the Ministry of Finance (Ethiopia).

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PAULOS: Killing The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg 

Private business enterprises are not allowed and should not be allowed to acquire monopolistic positions. . . A local newspaper carried the news that the Ethiopian Tobacco Monopoly, which was established in 1934 Ethiopian calendar by proclamation is being sold to a foreign private capitalist with 51% shares and perhaps with its monopolistic characteristics. . . The Ethiopian Tobacco Monopoly was a highly profitable venture and it might still continue to be so. If the government earns high profits from tobacco, the profits will be used for health care which is not the case with a foreign private capitalist.

Then why kill the goose that lays the golden egg every year, for many years to come, just for one sumptuous feast?

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The Ethiopian Privatization Agency Opening Up 

The most prominent privatization transactions are listed as follows:

. . . 3. National Tobacco Factory Shaher Trading Company. USD 35.7 million

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Akaki River Said Toxic 

Despite its high toxicity, the Akaki river is still used for various purposes including irrigation and animal drink, according to an industrial pollution report. . . The major pollutant industries Dr. Mulat pointed out in his report included tanneries, breweries, wineries, distilleries, soft drink, chemical and metal work industries, the Addis Ababa Abattoir Enterprise and the National Tobacco Factory.

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