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• No more hookah parlours in city 

It is finally official. City restaurants, cafes, and eateries will now longer be allowed to serve hookah’s at their premises. As per a ruling by the Bombay High Court on Thursday that upheld Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s decision to close down such parlours in the city, the court observed, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but when tobacco smells like an apple it can be injurious to health.”

The division bench of justice S B Mhase and jusitce Ashutosh Kumbhkoni made the observation after the BMC counsel opened an apple-flavoured tobacco container.

The BMC will now be allowed to close down all hookah parlours across the city.

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An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but when tobacco smells like an apple it can be injurious to health.
Bombay High Court, which on Thursday upheld Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s decision to close down all hookah parlours in Mumbai.

Japanese firm tests FDI policy in tobacco 

The issue of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the tobacco industry may be rekindled with Japan Tobacco International Ltd (JTIL), the world's third largest tobacco company, applying to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to raise its stake in its Indian venture from 50 to 74 per cent. The remaining equity of the company is with Indian domestic investors.

The company, which launched its Winston brand of cigarettes in Bangalore, Kerala and Mumbai last year, plans to invest $100 million to expand its presence in one of the world's fastest growing markets. The Rs 17,000-crore branded cigarette market is growing at 8 to 10 per cent. The company also owns the famous Camel brand.

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Japan Tobacco plans revamp, fund infusion to improve JV health 

JAPAN Tobacco, the third largest tobacco company in the world, has sought permission from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to hike foreign equity in its Indian joint venture to infuse funds and revamp the loss-making business. Owned 66% by the government of Japan, the company’s portfolio includes major brands like Camel, Mild Seven, Winston, Gold Coast and Salem.

The Indian business of the Japanese major has accumulated losses of Rs 127.74 crore and the parent company now wants to bring the business to black through restructuring.

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World No-Tobacco Day seminar: 38pc of Punjab population smokes  

Vice Chancellor of University of Health Sciences (UHS), Prof Malik Hussain Mubbashar has said that smoking is a behaviour related disorder and there is a need to establish a multi-dimensional task force to evolve strategies for tacking this menace.

According to a press release, he was addressing at a seminar on Implementation of Prohibitation of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002, here at UHS held in connection with the World No Tobacco Day 2008 on Monday.

The seminar was organised by the Centre for Health Environment Studies of UHS in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, Punjab Health Department and a non-governmental organisation, Green Future.

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• Cigarette kiosks throng Mumbai's smoke-free zones 

There are more than 5 million child smokers in India of whom 55,000 children use tobacco daily and the reason are cigarette vending shops which are flourishing right outside schools and colleges, blatantly flouting law.

A student, Ashish (name changed to conceal identity) says, "Outside our college there is a cigarette shop which tempts us to smoke."

However, law prohibits sale of tobacco within 100 yards of educational institutions. It also prohiits advertisements of tobacco products as is clear under the Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act 2003.

A survey by Mumbai's Cancer Patients Aid Association claims that among children smokers, 60 per cent are boys and 47 per cent girls. For most of these children, the habbit started at the age of 14 years.

College authorities in Mumbai meanwhile, lay the blame the BMC's apathy towards implementing the law.

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Goa HC issues notice to Amitabh Bachchan 

The Goa Bench of Mumbai High Court on Monday, issued notice to megastar Amitabh Bachchan and others for allegedly violating the Anti-Tobacco Act.

Goa-based anti-tobacco organisation, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), had filed the case against Bachchan and others after billboards showing the megastar smoking a cigar were raised on the Goa highway.

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Drastic decline in smoking in Goa  

Beedi smoking is down by more than 50% in the state, reveals a new report published by the Union ministry of health and family welfare.

The report �?~Beedi smoking and public health', prepared in March 2008 reveals that the consumption of beedis in rural Goa has come down from 34.84% in 1993-94 to 16.55% in 1999-2000, while consumption of cigarettes has dipped from 4.54% to 3.78% during the same period. In urban Goa cigarette consumption has fallen from 4.21% to 1.78% and beedi consumption has reduced from 31.01% to 14.14%. . . .

Doctors agree that tobacco consumption has declined in the state. "The Goan literate population is aware that smoking can lead to cancer, lung and heart diseases," said Dr Wiseman Pinto, head, department of pathology, GMC.

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Big B issued notice on violation of Anti-Tobacco Act 

The Goa Bench of Mumbai High Court on Monday issued notice to megastar Amitabh Bachchan and others for allegedly violating the Anti-Tobacco Act.

Goa-based anti-tobacco organisation, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), had filed the case against Bachchan and others after billboards showing the megastar smoking a cigar were raised on the Goa highway.

The court, which heard the case on Monday, issued notice to Bachchan, Anchor Electric appliances, Keshu Ramsay and others which are returnable by July 28.

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5.4 million cancer deaths in India 

Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), Aparajita, which has been advocating on tobacco issues in the state to strengthen the implementation of Cigarette and other Tobacco products Act, 2003 and to prevent the families from health and economic burden due to tobacco consumption, made a brief presentation on the overview of tobacco control activities here recently.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shisir Ranjan Dash, project manager of VHAI-Aparajita, said: “After the national family health survey by the government of India in 1989-99 which says Orissa has the second highest rate in females chewing tobacco i.e. 34.9 per cent, after Mizoram (60.7 per cent), no further surveys have been made. We are dreading that the figure might have reached above 60 per cent.”

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Goa to withdraw textbook with smoking general's photo 

After a weeklong campaign by anti-tobacco activists, the Goa government Thursday said it would withdraw a social sciences textbook which has a photograph of a late French general smoking a cigarette.

The National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), a Goa-based non-profit organisation, had written to the National Council for Education Research and Technology (NCERT), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Goa government last week, demanding withdrawal of the controversial photograph from the class 10 textbook.

On page 44 of the book, as part of a chapter on 'The Communist Movement and Vietnamese Nationalism', is printed the photograph of late French general Henry Navare is shown smoking a cigarette.

'We were informed by the Goa education department that the book is going to be withdrawn from the market and the controversial photo will be removed from it,' NOTE general secretary Shekhar Salkar told IANS.

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AP farmers reap tobacco bonanza 

A senior manager of a wealthy corporate house, who drove up in an Indica car for an important meeting with tobacco farmers in Rajahmundry town last week, arrived a bit late at the venue only to find himself in for a big surprise.

Most of the cars parked outside the venue premises were Ford ikons and Honda Citys. And virtually every single vehicle at the lot outranked his Indica.

Tobacco farmers of Andhra Pradesh have apparently had good income following record prices at auctions and most of them seem to have upgraded from the entry level Maruti 800s to bigger, swankier cars.

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Furore over puffing French general's photo in book 

A photograph of a late French general smoking cigarette published in a social science book of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has caused the anti-tobacco activists to up their ante.

The National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), a Goa based non-profit organisation, has written to the NCERT, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Goa government demanding withdrawal of the controversial photograph from the class 10 textbook.

On page 44 on the chapter 'The Communist Movement and Vietnamese Nationalism', the late French general Henry Navare is shown smoking a cigarette.

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Long-term plan needed for tobacco alternative farming 

Rajahmundry: Tobacco farmers, industrialists, scientists and officials from the Tobacco Board, Tobacco Institute of India (TII) and Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) have opined that long-term plan is needed for alternative farming of tobacco. While the TII has denied the higher side of taxation on cigarettes the Tobacco Board and CTRI have come forward to give best price and new varieties to farmers for production of qualitative tobacco on the whole.

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UPDATE1-India tobacco exports may rise to record $600 mln  

India is likely to export a record $600 million of tobacco in 2008/09, as a shortfall in global output boosted demand and pushed up prices to new highs, a senior official said.

"Prices have risen about 70 percent from last year and importers are buying at these levels also. At this price, exports will touch $ 600 million (in 2008/09)," J Suresh Babu, chairman of the Tobacco Board, told Reuters on Thursday.

In the year ending March 2008, tobacco exports rose 32 percent to $503 million, he said.

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Quit smoking, stop heart problems: Cardiologists  

Stay away from smoking and fast food, advocate eminent cardiologsits to youths as the number of young people suffering from heart problems are on the increase.

The number young people coming with heart ailments for treatment was gradually increasing but no statistics are available," they said.

It was important to have a national statistics to work on proper policies and programmes to make a healthy society, they said citing the example of American Collelge of Cardiologists' programme on diet restriction and compulsory exercises for youth

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