Tobacco.org

Streaming and Interactive at 2:30: Title IX Event with Valerie Jarrett, Billie Jean King and More 

Today the White House will be holding a roundtable on the 37th Anniversary of Title IX featuring Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and an all-star line-up of women athletes and scientists. In addition to the roundtable participants, which include Billie Jean King and Dominique Dawes, 30 local high school aged girls will be in the audience along with several professional athletes and well-known Title IX advocates.

Jump to full article »

• Press Conference by the President, 6-23-09 

Q How many cigarettes a day do you now smoke? Do you smoke alone or in the presence of other people? And do you believe the new law would help you to quit? If so, why?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, the new law that was put in place is not about me, it's about the next generation of kids coming up. So I think it's fair, Margaret, to just say that you just think it's neat to ask me about my smoking, as opposed to it being relevant to my new law. (Laughter.) But that's fine, I understand. It's an interesting human -- it's an interesting human interest story.

But I've said before that, as a former smoker, I constantly struggle with it. Have I fallen off the wagon sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No. I don't do it in front of my kids, I don't do it in front of my family, and I would say that I am 95 percent cured, but there are times where -- (laughter) -- there are times where I mess up. And, I mean, I've said this before. I get this question about once every month or so, and I don't know what to tell you, other than the fact that, like folks who go to AA, once you've gone down this path, then it's something you continually struggle with, which is precisely why the legislation we signed was so important, because what we don't want is kids going down that path in the first place. Okay?

Jump to full article »

I don't know what to tell you, other than the fact that, like folks who go to AA, once you've gone down this path, then it's something you continually struggle with, which is precisely why the legislation we signed was so important, because what we don't want is kids going down that path in the first place. Okay?
President Barack Obama, on his smoking.

I would say that I am 95 percent cured.
President Barack Obama, measuring with a cessation yardstick no one's ever heard of.

• Get a whiff: Obama admits occasional cigarette 

It fell to President Barack Obama to confirm the gossip that his aides had spent weeks trying to snuff out: He still sneaks an occasional cigarette. "There are times where I mess up," Obama said at a White House news conference on Tuesday.

But, the president hastened to add, he never smokes in front of his young daughters and not on a daily basis. Oh, and he's "95 percent cured."

It was the first public acknowledgment from the president that he still hasn't completely kicked the habit. In the past, he had alluded to his three-decades-old habit without giving direct answers.

One day after signing the nation's toughest anti-tobacco legislation into law, Obama was asked again Tuesday about his smoking habit and came clean.

"Look, I've said before that as a former smoker I constantly struggle with it. Have I fallen off the wagon sometimes? Yes," Obama said. "Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No."

Jump to full article »

• Altria Group Supports Enactment of Tobacco Industry Regulation  

Today Altria Group called President Obama's signing of legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products an important and historic achievement. The company has supported tough but reasonable federal regulation of tobacco products for more than eight years.

"We have consistently advocated for federal regulation that recognizes the serious harm caused by tobacco products, that helps ensure tobacco companies do not market tobacco products to children and that also acknowledges that tobacco products are and should remain legal products for adults," said Michael E. Szymanczyk, Altria Group's chairman and CEO. "We believe a comprehensive regulatory framework, implemented thoughtfully, can provide significant benefits to adult consumers."

Jump to full article »

KENNEDY PRAISES SIGNING OF BILL TO REGULATE TOBACCO 

"Today is a day for special celebration as President Obama signs into law this long-overdue authority for FDA to regulate tobacco products. Decade after decade, Big Tobacco has seduced millions of teenagers into lifetimes of addiction and premature death. Enactment of this legislation will finally put a stop to that. It is truly a life-saving act, and a welcome demonstration that this Congress is capable of enacting major health reform."

Jump to full article »

Dodd Joins Obama as He Signs Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into Law 

"Connecticut parents work hard to educate their kids about the dangers of smoking. But tobacco companies aren't on their side, and too often, Big Tobacco wins the battle," said Dodd. "Each year, 15,000 Connecticut kids smoke their first cigarette - and 76,000 Connecticut children alive today will eventually die from a smoking related illness. As the father of two young daughters, I find that outrageous. And I'm glad that we've taken this critically important and long overdue step to empower parents and prevent tobacco companies from turning our kids into addicts."

Recent Praise for Senator Dodd's Work on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act:

"Senator Dodd has provided extraordinary leadership in this historic effort to protect our children from tobacco addiction and save lives," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Senator Dodd's leadership is a critical reason why we are about to win this fight to finally regulate tobacco products, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States."

Jump to full article »

• Appeals court upholds KC’s smoking ban  

Kansas City can continue to ban smoking from its bars and restaurants under a ruling issued today by the Missouri Court of Appeals.

The court affirmed Kansas City's comprehensive smoking ban. An appeal had been filed by JC's Sports Bar in Clay County.

Jonathan Sternberg, the attorney representing the bar, had argued that Kansas City is not allowed to regulate smoking in bars, billiard parlors and restaurants that seat fewer than 50 people because state law permits smoking in such places. He said Kansas City's strict smoking restrictions are in conflict with state law and violate the Missouri Constitution. . . .

Sternberg said he was discussing the possibility of an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court with his clients but they have not yet made a decision. He said the Supreme Court takes about 10 percent of the appeal requests it receives.

Jump to full article »

ABOUHALKAH: Victory for nonsmokers: Court upholds KC's law 

Check off another victory for KC's tough smoke-free law.

On Tuesday, the Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the law passed by voters in 2008.

The result: Smoking continues to be banned in bars, restaurants and many other public places in Kansas City.

That's wonderful news for tens off thousands of Kansas Citians who don't want to be exposed in public places to harmful cigarette and pipe smoke.

The victory was yet another defeat for Jonathan Sternberg, the attorney representing a bar that is challenging the city's law. He has long claimed that state law doesn't allow the city to prohibit smoking in certain public places.

Jump to full article »

美国总统奥巴马签署历史性禁烟法案[组图] 

6月22日，美国总统奥巴马在首都华盛顿白宫玫瑰园签署一项历史性的禁烟法案。该法案给予美国食品和药物管理局在监管烟草业方面前所未有的权力。奥巴马称赞该法案对于阻止年轻人吸烟尤为重要。[组图]

Jump to full article »

美国总统签署烟草监管法案 

新华网华盛顿６月２２日电（记者 杨晴川　王薇）美国总统奥巴马２２日签署一项烟草监管法案，这一法案使美国食品和药物管理局在监管烟草行业方面获得前所未有的权力。

Jump to full article »

国家烟草专卖局：香烟加税不影响零售烟价 

本报今天消息 《扬子晚报》报道：香烟及烟产品税率最高提至56％，市民关心香烟零售价格是否会上涨，记者连线国家烟草专卖局负责人，他说，烟草税率的上调目前只在生产和批发环节征收，不直接作用到零售环节。

Jump to full article »

香港7月1日起全面禁烟 吸烟者估计逾75万人 

新华网香港６月２３日电　香港７月１日起将全面禁烟。特区政府统计处的调查显示，去年香港吸烟者占全港人口１３．２％，估计逾７５万人；３３．４％每日吸烟受访者曾戒烟失败。

Jump to full article »

RALSTON: You smoke? Blame corporate evil 

California public health authorities for years have spent many millions of dollars on television commercials that are supposed to help people quit smoking. Perhaps that is better than spending income from tobacco lawsuit settlements - and taxes intended for that purpose - on completely unrelated government programs, as is the case in many states. The curious thing about almost all of these commercials is that they provide no guidance whatsoever about how to stop smoking. Smokers watching these commercials would not know if anyone involved with public health in California cares if they live or die.

These commercials use actors as stock villains to present a different message: The only reason that anyone smokes is because tobacco companies are evil - as are, by implication, all corporations. No one is responsible for his own smoking. The cause is corporate conspiracy. No one simply smokes because it provides mental or physical stimulation or because they like the taste. . . .

The lesson here is, if you want to stop smoking, don't curse the tobacco companies or even the government. Just stop smoking.

It is unfortunate that you will not get any help from government ads. Politicians will continue eagerly to take your tobacco tax dollars and spend them elsewhere to best serve their political careers.

A political approach to public health inevitably places politics ahead of health. Instead we need an environment that allows the best science to inform the decisions of each of us as physicians and patients. We need to look after our own health and defend our right to conduct our individual lives.

Jump to full article »

Kirkwood close to voting on smoking ban 

The city's voters for a second time could decide whether to ban smoking in indoor public places.

Promoters of an initiative on Monday announced they are close to obtaining enough signatures to force the start of that process. If their petitions are valid, they hope for an election in November, but a combination of city charter and state election deadlines could put off the election until February.

With very few exceptions, the measure would allow smoking only in private homes, private vehicles and outdoors. Among exceptions are 20 percent of hotel and motel rooms designated smoking rooms, private clubs established before March 1 and retail tobacco stores.

The measure is a revised version of an initiative that voters defeated in November, 2006. Then 54.6 percent of about 14,300 voters rejected it.

Jump to full article »

New law shows waning of big tobacco  

Among those at the White House on Monday was Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a Democrat from Wilson, where auctioneers used to rattle off leaf prices after harvest each fall. He represents one of the heaviest tobacco-farming districts in the nation.

"This has been a very difficult issue for me," Butterfield said. "But when I take a step back and look at it objectively, there's no question we need to reduce smoking. ... We need to be realistic about the issue."

In a sign of tobacco's waning power in Washington, the legislation passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, even as a new Gallup Poll released Monday suggests a slight majority of Americans disapprove of the restrictions. . . .

Burr, whose hometown Winston-Salem is the headquarters for Reynolds America tobacco company, stretched debate on the Senate floor to nearly two weeks in an effort to slow down the bill. He argued that the FDA was ill-equipped to handle new regulatory duties.

Hagan, whose hometown Greensboro is home to Lorillard Tobacco Co., was the only Democrat in the Senate voting against the bill. She argued the bill would cost manufacturing jobs and hurt tobacco farmers.

Jump to full article »