Tobacco.org

• Queensland Car Smoking Ban 

Queensland has banned smoking in cars carrying children under the age of 16.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Paul Lucas said the new laws would start from January next year and apply on all public roads.

"These new laws are about reducing the exposure children have to tobacco smoke," Mr Lucas said in a statement on Thursday.

The legislation was passed in Queensland parliament yesterday as part of measures contained in the Health and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2009.

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22nd Century Continuing Development of its Smoking Cessation Aid; Independent Review of Clinical Trials Involving Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes is Encouraging  

22nd Century Limited, LLC ("22nd Century") is pleased to announce that it is continuing development of a very low nicotine cigarette for use in smoking cessation. Clinical trial results demonstrate that these cigarettes, also referred to as 'nicotine-free' and 'denicotinized,' may be more effective for quitting than FDA-approved therapies.

22nd Century's vice-president of research and development, Michael R. Moynihan, Ph.D. recently presented an overview of clinical investigations using very low nicotine (VLN) cigarettes in promoting smoking cessation in a presentation entitled, "Smoking with Reduced Reward as an Aid to Cessation" at the Visiongain 3rd Annual Smoking Cessation Conference in Philadelphia.

Separately, an independent review of using reduced-nicotine cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid will appear in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research. "Further investigation of RNCs as a cessation aid is warranted," concludes the authors, Drs. Natalie Walker and Chris Bullen of the Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland and Dr. Hayden McRobbie, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London.

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Research and Markets: The 2009 Import and Export Market for Cigars, Cheroots, Cigarillos, and Cigarettes Made with Tobacco Substitutes in Thailand  

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/749c8d/the_2009_import_an) has announced the addition of the "The 2009 Import and Export Market for Cigars, Cheroots, Cigarillos, and Cigarettes Made with Tobacco Substitutes in Thailand" report to their offering.

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Metabolix Completes Field Trial of Bioplastic-Producing Tobacco Crop  

Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX), a bioscience company focused on developing sustainable solutions for plastics, chemicals and energy, announced today that it has completed a field trial of tobacco, genetically engineered to express polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biobased polymers. Metabolix obtained the necessary permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to perform an open air field trial in March of 2009 and field trial experiments were completed in early October. The trial was performed on 0.8 acres of land and provided valuable data and information relating to polymer production, with the best plants producing 3-5% PHA. This furthers development of Metabolix crop technologies for the co-production of biobased plastics in non-food bioenergy crops.

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• Ethical Corporation: Nestle, British American Tobacco, Shell and AWE to join 100+ other multinationals to discuss their CR and sustainability reporting and communications in London in November  

The CR Reporting and Communications Summit (http://www.ethicalcorp.com/reporting) is the largest gathering in Europe on this topic. For two days in late November, many of the world's biggest companies will gather in London to debate and discuss the future of corporate responsibility reporting.

The Marriott hotel in Swiss Cottage will play host to 18 individual workshops, where over 30 of Europe's leading companies will present their own CR/sustainability reporting and communications strategies.

Julia King, Vice-President of CR at GlaxosmithKline will demonstrate how the pharmaceutical giant embeds sustainability reporting throughout the company's many offices in the second plenary session of the first day.

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Our View: Flavored Cigarette Ban Baffles Old Consumers  

As of last week, the clove cigarette and many of its other flavored brethren like vanilla and chocolate are now contraband. If you want some cloves now, you may want to try to find shifty-looking guys in trench coats standing outside tobacconist’s shops.

Now that the regulation of tobacco products has fallen under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration, the types of cigarettes that are seen as “enticing children to smoke” are now being taken away.

We understand the logic behind this move, as many people who start smoking often begin their habit with flavored cigarettes. . . .

But, we can’t help but think that a kid who wants to smoke is still going to find a way to smoke, even if a flavored alternative is not available.

Part of growing up and becoming an adult is learning the decisions you make have consequences on your life.

If we allow the government to continue to ban products for the “safety of our children,” how long will it be before we see a ban on grape Kool-Aid, since it is well known to be the main ingredient of the dreaded “purple drank”?

In today’s day and age, anyone who doesn’t know that cigarettes will kill you is obviously somehow deficient and shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions.

For the rest of us, the choice is, and should continue to be, ours to make.

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EDITORIAL: Contraband cigarettes are a menace to our kids 

The unchecked proliferation of contraband cigarettes in Canada is undermining government efforts to curb smoking, especially among youngsters.

A study made public this month said contraband cigarettes are gaining rapidly in popularity, at the expense of regular taxed cigarettes, among high-school students.

No wonder. The illicit ones are cheaper, and there's no pesky enforcement of age limits. . . .

High taxes do not automatically lead to a jump in contraband tobacco use, according to Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. The western provinces had the highest provincial tobacco taxes in 2008, and the lowest percentage of contraband cigarettes. That's because Western Canada has less access than Ontario and Quebec do to sources of cheap contraband smokes. Quebec and Ontario tobacco taxes were far lower, but contraband took up a far bigger slice of the pie.

The solution is the same as it has always been: enforcement. All that's missing is political will.

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Quebec law to butt out illegal cigarettes 

The Quebec government has tabled legislation to clamp down on illegal cigarette smuggling and sales that cost the province an estimated $300 million annually in lost tax revenue.

Quebec Revenue Minister Robert Dutil says the proposed bill, tabled at the national assembly on Wednesday, includes 15 measures targeting producers, distributors and consumers.

"Fines will increase" for illegal sales and distribution, from an average of $3,000 to $10,000, he told CBC News.

"The work of police will be facilitated by the new law. We will have more teeth in our law, to permit us to stop smuggling."

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• Operation ‘Samhna’ : Potentially the largest seizure of cigarettes ever 

A multi agency operation, code named ‘Samhna’, headed up by Revenue’s Customs Service, is currently underway in Greenore Port, Co Louth, and surrounding area.

The operation, targeting the suspected criminal activities of an organised crime group operating both north and south of the border, involved the surveillance of a general cargo vessel M/V Anne Scan, which sailed from the Philippines on 15/09/2009 for Greenore Port, arriving at approximately 0600 hours on Monday, 26/10/2009, carrying a cargo declared as ‘animal feed’. Officers kept the vessel under surveillance, as they suspected that a large consignment of contraband cigarettes was concealed within the cargo.

Following the discharge of part of the cargo from the vessel earlier this morning onto awaiting trucks, which were allowed onwards to the importer’s premises, the multi agency task force, involving Officers of Revenues Customs Service and An Garda Siochana, moved in and raided several premises in the Co. Louth area, in addition to mounting an operation on the vessel itself. A large consignment of contraband cigarettes has been confirmed, estimated to be in excess of 120m cigarettes with a retail value of about €50m and a potential revenue at risk of approximately €40m. Several persons have been arrested at various locations by the Gardai for questioning.

The operation in the Republic of Ireland involved Officers of Revenue’s Customs Service, An Garda Siochana, The Criminal Assets Bureau, the Irish Naval Service and Air Corps and in Northern Ireland, Officers of HM Revenue & Customs and the PSNI. In addition the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which was also involved, will co-ordinate the international enquiries which will form part of the follow-up investigations. It is estimated that in excess of 150 Officers from the various Agencies participated in the field in today’s operation.

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Bars not stubbing out cigarettes: Survey  

The hype surrounding ban on smoking at public places seems to have vanished into thin air. A recent survey shows that the ban has not been effectively implemented since it came into effect in October last year. The nationwide survey conducted by Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) with 11 partner organisations found that over 60% of the bars and restaurants flouted anti-smoking rules.

At least 211 public places were surveyed of which 127 flouted the law. "Our teams spent close to an hour at these bars and restaurants and measured the air quality using a small device. It highlights the fact that there are places where smoking in closed space is allowed. It is the non-smokers who are at a risk. There is an urgent need to take stringent action against clubs, bars, restaurants etc which flout the law,'' said Bhavna Mukhopadhyay, executive director, VHAI.

What's worrisome is the fact that the level of fine particles at these places was 32 times higher than the permissible limit. "

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Two cigarette makers boosting pack prices 

The nation's two top cigarette-makers are boosting per-pack prices by 6 to 8 cents a pack.

Though the companies won't say why, analysts believe it is to cover new user fees charged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to pay for the costs of its new assignment to regulate tobacco.

The increase on what Altria's Philip Morris USA and Reynolds American's RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. charge wholesalers seems unlikely to have a big effect on smoking, as this spring's 61.66 cent-a-pack hike in federal excise taxes did.

Last week, Altria Group Inc. chairman and chief executive Michael E. Szymanczyk told analysts the effect of that tax hike accounted for about two-thirds of the 16 percent drop in the number of cigarettes it sold in the third quarter. The rest came from wholesalers' inventory reductions.

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Who's Serving Up Smoking Results? 

As global excise taxes on tobacco products continue to rise, the cigarette producers have their work cut out for them in protecting profits in spite of declining volume. Smaller producers such as Vector Group (NYSE: VGR) could be particularly at risk as consumers decide how much they're willing to pay for a cigarette break.

Domestically, Altria hasn't fared much better, with declining sales and volume owing in part to rising excise taxes, while Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) also reported an 11% volume drop. On the other hand, Lorillard (NYSE: LO) served up a better-than-average 6.1% volume decrease even as it showed a 2.6% increase in operating income. British American Tobacco holds a 42% stake in Reynolds American.

While the tobacco market isn't growing in the U.S. now, consumers here aren't completely scared off by increased excise taxes. Similarly, global tax increases are just beginning to unfold. And while those taxes are not likely to kill the industry, global consumers are increasingly turning to gray- or black-market smokes as a result of increased excise taxes, leaving growth prospects for premium products like Marlboro in some jeopardy.

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Southwest Virginia projects receive more than $30 million in tobacco money  

WYTHEVILLE, Va.--About 20 Southwest Virginia projects received more than $30 million in awards today from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission.

The lion's share--$25 million - was awarded to the proposed King College medical school.

"We see this as a game changer," commission Executive Director Neal Noyes said when presenting the plan to the Southwest Virginia Economic Development Committee.

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Attorney O'Quinn killed in car wreck  

Prominent Houston attorney John O'Quinn was one of two men who died this morning when their speeding SUV slammed into a tree on Allen Parkway after the driver apparently lost control, police said.

"I'm stunned. The community lost one of its biggest assets," said Rick Laminack, who worked with O'Quinn from 1987 until 2006. "He was a great lawyer who shared a lot of his wealth with people who needed help."

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Profile: John O'Quinn  

This story originally ran Jan. 11, 1998

. . .

Texas' lawsuit against the major tobacco companies, in which O'Quinn is serving as lead attorney, went on hold for several months, then added another major player, South Carolina tobacco specialist Ron Motley, with whom O'Quinn would have to share the stage. . . .

The great cases and big victories will return, one expects, assuming he does not lose his license. The tobacco case reportedly is on the verge of settling, leaving the plaintiff lawyers with $1 billion or more to split up. But the weight of the accusations and the headlines they've generated has been great.

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