Tobacco.org

• End of the Tobacco Road In Formula One 

But at the recent Bahrain grand prix, where local laws theoretically would have allowed Ferrari to run tobacco branding, the two F2008 cars instead displayed the so-called 'barcode' livery -- reminiscent of the Marlboro signage but using white markings instead of letters and logos.

According to Autoweek magazine, Ferrari has confirmed that Marlboro logos "will no longer appear on its cars".

Reportedly, Philip Morris, owned by Altria Group, decided that the 'barcode' livery should be permanent.

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COPLAND: Smoke Test for Supremes 

Later this year, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Altria Group v. Good in order to look at state lawsuits that claim that tobacco companies engage in deceptive trade practices when they advertise cigarettes as "light" or "low tar and nicotine." The case will "decide whether tobacco companies are vulnerable to state law suits arising from the claims on their labels."

The tobacco companies argue, convincingly, that such claims are preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965. Under that law since 1967, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has regulated cigarette packaging and advertising, including claims about tar and nicotine levels. . . .

Although Judge Weinstein inevitably will continue to attract similar cases before him, Thursday's decision does stand as a major rejection of stretching our federal anti-mob laws into lawyer-driven class actions that target legal businesses. But the state law claims proliferating around the country are based not upon RICO but often ambiguous state consumer fraud statutes. For the fate of those lawsuits, we'll have to wait until the Supreme Court speaks.

--Mr. Copland is the director of the Center for Legal Policy at the Manhattan Institute. He owns shares in Altria.

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State could lose $9 million in cigarette taxes 

The signing, which follows months of debate in the Legislature, gave lawmakers one more chance to praise or condemn the ban.

"I think it's going to make the workplaces of Iowa dramatically safer, protecting people from second-hand smoke," said Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames. . . .

Looking at those other states, Iowa officials expect the ban to reduce cigarette sales by about 4 percent, which would cost retailers $31 million per year, and cost the state roughly $9 million in lost cigarette taxes.

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Iowa smoking ban Q&A 

Does the law ban smoking in beer gardens, or other outdoor areas adjacent to bars?

No. Smoking will be allowed in outdoor areas adjacent to bars.

What about outdoor dining areas at restaurants?

Unlike bars, businesses that are classified as restaurants cannot allow smoking at outdoor dining areas.

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LETTER: 'Post-Smoking Ban, City Gains 10 Million Lbs.'  

E.B. Solomont is to be congratulated on her well-researched and well-presented article on the flip side of the smoking bans which were conceived by Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden and imposed with the force of law by Mayor Bloomberg [New York, "Post-Smoking Ban, City Gains 10 Million Lbs.," March 27, 2008].

Using their highly visible platforms they have leveraged an international stampede to outlaw smoking. Of course smoking cessation often results in overeating and eventual obesity.

The problem is cessation does not always work and can have undesireable consequences. The long history of sumptuary law is dreadful. The fact is law will not work; education perhaps, but not law.

The millions of dollars in tax payers money spent on disgusting TV commercials designed to frighten people would be better spent on good scientific research on obesity.

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Legislation extends ISU's smoking ban 

The current ban on smoking in Iowa State University buildings will be extended to outdoor areas of the campus under new state legislation prohibiting smoking in most public places. University Counsel Paul Tanaka said ISU's policy already bans smoking in university buildings, except in designated smoking areas in private university apartments or labs used in smoking research. Current policy also bans outdoor smoking within 25 feet of buildings and at outdoor events. The new state legislation prohibits smokers from lighting up virtually anywhere on university grounds.

What university areas are affected? The smoking ban applies to the entire university, including any work and study areas, outdoor areas and athletics facilities, such as Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum. Smoking also is prohibited in university vehicles.

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C.C. residents have different reactions to new smoking ban 

Local reaction to Gov. Chet Culver's signing of a strict ban on indoor smoking into law Tuesday was mixed.

"People should be courteous enough to respect others' health concerns and shouldn't smoke around them. This law is a way to make it right," remarked Charles City resident Gary Hedrick -- a smoker himself.

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• New Anti-Smoking Ad Features Ex-Smoker With Leg Amputated  

A former smoker who had parts of her fingers, a leg and part of a foot amputated because of her cigarette habit is the star of a new anti-smoking campaign being launched by the New York City Health Department.

The ad begins Wednesday featuring Marie, a former smoker from the Bronx, who quit, but says "the damage is done." She said smoking caused her to come down with Buerger's disease, which narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow to her limbs.

The health department is also handing out nicotine patches and gum to anyone who calls 311 by May 1.

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New Law Bans Outdoor Smoking  

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio -- A local community is breathing a little easier after a new crackdown on smoking is approved, NewsChannel5 reported.

North Royalton has banned smoking in parks, fields, parking lots and outdoor seating areas or on any city-owned land.

That means there's no smoking at places like the local ballpark, and the new ordinance takes place just in time for little league season.

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Residents voice opposition to smoking ban 

A group of county residents who oppose the countywide smoking ban on Tuesday urged the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners to repeal the ban, approved 5-2 in September. At that time, Republicans Jase Bolger, Marshall, and Greg Moore, Emmett Township, voted against the ban, which went into effect Jan. 1.

The ban requires smokers to be at least 25 feet from any air intake into a building, including their own businesses.

Marshall Township business owner Ray Leonard presented petitions signed by 5,618 people since early January. He hopes the effort will convince commissioners to review the policy, which is complaint-based and enforced by the health department.

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• Smoking, Drinking, Cholesterol May Be Alzheimer's Risk Factors  

WEDNESDAY, April 16 (HealthDay News) -- Heavy drinking, heavy smoking and high cholesterol levels in midlife are associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease in later years, news research shows.

The apparent link between behavior in the 40s and the development of dementia decades later come from two reports presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in Chicago.

A study of 938 people 60 and older diagnosed with possible or probable Alzheimer's found an earlier onset for the disease for heavy drinkers (more than two drinks a day) and heavy smokers (a pack of cigarettes or more a day), said Dr. Ranjan Duara, director of the Mount Sinai Medical Center Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease in Miami Beach, Fla.

"The current thinking is that the pathology of Alzheimer's disease builds up over many years before clinical symptoms are manifest," Duara said. "People who start with a good cognitive reserve, who remain active mentally, are able to compensate for the pathology of the brain for a much longer period of time."

The 20 percent of the people in the study defined as heavy smokers developed Alzheimer's 2.3 years sooner than those who were not heavy smokers. . . .

Both smoking and drinking can have a direct physical effect on the brain, damaging cells and synapses, which are the connections between cells, Duara said. While any amount of smoking is bad -- increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and other medical problems -- there is "a bit of controversy" about heavy drinking and Alzheimer's, he said, specifically, about exactly what "heavy" means.

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Private clubs ask to keep smoking rules 

The only people who showed up at a public forum on whether smoking should be eliminated at private clubs were members of private clubs who thought smoking should not be eliminated.

The forum was held in Town Hall Monday night because of inspections last month in which seven private clubs were found to be violating state smoking laws. The clubs allowed nonmembers to come inside and smoke without signing in, according to Health Director Thomas Purcell. That makes them public clubs, he said.

"What happened happened ... but I think that's kind of harsh," Stephen Soltys of the Polish American Veterans, 30 Ray St., said of the possibility of eliminating smoking because of the violations.

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Quit smoking campaign to kick off; prize of NT$600,000  

The International Quit and Win 2008 campaign will start May 2, with a top prize of NT$600,000 (US$19,750) waiting for smokers who kick the habit, officials of the Bureau of Health Promotion (BHP) said yesterday.

The biennial International Quit and Win competition was initiated in 1994 by the National Public Health Institute of Finland and is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Taiwan first joined the competition in 2002, with each contest receiving a warm response from the public over the years.

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Drinking, smoking and junk food ALL cause Alzheimer's, new research reveals  

Drinking, smoking and eating junk food can all cause Alzheimer's, new research revealed today.

The lifestyle links to the condition, the most common form of dementia, emerged in two studies presented to neurologists in the US.

Research suggests that heavy drinkers and smokers as well as those who indulge in junk food risk succumbing to the disease eight years soon than those with healthier lifestyles.

It also suggested people who enjoy more than two drinks a day develop Alzheimer's disease almost five years earlier than others.

One team looked at 938 people aged 60 and older who were diagnosed with possible or probable Alzheimer's disease. . . .

Men and women who got through at least 20 cigarettes a day developed the disease almost two and a half years sooner than patients who smoked less or were non-smokers.

Smoking and drinking hastened the onset of the disease even further, the American Academy of Neurology's annual conference heard today.

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• Women smoking less than before 

Only 17 per cent of women in Finland are smokers, according to a recent study. The figure is the lowest since the 1980s. Health officials are pleased that the trend is the same among young women as well. Of those aged 15 to 24, 16 per cent smoke, showing a sharp decline that has continued for three years. Until recently, the rate of smoking among women had long been at 20 per cent. However, the decline in smoking among men has stopped. The proportion of smokers among men has slightly increased from the previous years, and is most striking among younger men. One in four Finnish men smoke on a daily basis.

A clear majority of smokers want to quit. "The problem is not how to persuade smokers that they should quit, but rather to help them do what they want to do", emphasises Pekka Puska, director-general of the National Public Health Institute. According to Puska, one solution would be to impose higher punitive taxes

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