Tobacco.org

Tobacco marketing firm fined NT$5.2 million for giveaways  

The Kaohsiung City Government has upheld a ruling to fine a tobacco product marketing company NT$5.2 million for using colorful cards to promote sales. The fine was first meted out by the City's Health Department following a complaint filed by the anti-smoking organization John Tung Foundation in July.

The foundation charged that the supplier of tobacco products had violated the regulations by attaching well-designed and colorfully printed cards to three brands of cigarette packs as giveaways to attract buyers.

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Health tax on cigarettes may rise subject to 5%  

The health surcharge of NT$20 imposed on every pack of cigarettes sold will be subject to a 5 percent business tax (or value-added tax), according to revisions to the Business Tax Law that passed the first reading by the finance committee of the Legislative Yuan yesterday.

Based on the revisions, if one pack of cigarette sells for NT$50, including the NT$20 health surcharge, then the five percent business tax will be imposed on the base of NT$50, instead of the existing NT$30.

At the moment, the annual health surcharge income from sales of cigarettes amounts to around NT$30 billion, and the 5% business tax on the surcharge, if put into practice, will bring the state an additional annual income of NT$1 billion.

After the 5% percent business tax is imposed on cigarettes, consumers will inevitably pay more to buy cigarettes. Whether this will undermine their willingness to buy tobacco products remains to be seen.

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Adolescents' Perceptions of Cigarette Brand Image: Does Plain Packaging Make a Difference? 

Conclusions

Removing as much brand information from cigarette packs as possible is likely to reduce positive cigarette brand image associations among adolescents. By additionally increasing the size of pictorial health warnings, positive pack perceptions of those who are at greater risk of becoming regular addicted adult smokers are most likely to be reduced.

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If you puff in public, fine is imminent now  

BHUBANESWAR, 10 NOV: If you love to smoke and do not hesitate to puff in public places with a contemptuous look despite the fact that the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA)-2003 has been implemented banning smoking in public places since 2 October, then be aware.

Next time, you try to light up a cigarette in a public place, it is highly probable that a policeman may appear and impose a fine of up to Rs 200.

With the state government deciding to ensure the stringent implementation of Copta-2003 onwards, it has come up with an ambitious plan to make Bhubaneswar a smoke-free city within next six months.

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Campaign against ills of tobacco  

The ministry of health and family welfare today launched a nationwide televised campaign against tobacco chewing.

The campaign has been launched by the tobacco control wing of the ministry, along with World Lung Foundation and Bloomberg Initiative to reduce use of tobacco.

The campaign called Surgeon and will be telecast in more than 25 national and regional television channels in 12 regional languages.

The national family health survey 2005-06 said around 38 per cent men and 10 per cent women across the country consume smokeless tobacco that include pan, gutka, pan masala and a number of other forms.

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Smoking cessation toolbox for allergists  

Objectives: To review nicotine addiction, to examine how tobacco use has a direct negative impact on common disorders seen in allergy practice, and to provide a summary of the national guidelines for treating tobacco use and dependence. . . .

Conclusions: Allergists know the significant impact that smoking has and will make on the lives and health of patients. It is important for these specialists to make an impact on the chronic disease of tobacco addiction because it directly affects the care rendered. By using the standardized tobacco use treatment concept of the 5 A's (ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange), allergists can make a positive impact on reducing US smoking rates and improve patient health. Screening, providing brief counseling, and prescribing first-line smoking cessation medications will help the United States get closer to achieving the national goal laid out in Healthy People 2010 of smoking rates of 12% or less.

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• New smokeless tobacco products in test markets  

In a Louisville, Ky., Holiday Inn, Brown and Williamson researchers brainstormed novel ways to sell tobacco.

It was 1992, and the goal was to find "socially acceptable" ways to use it, according to one of the company's internal research and development documents. It needed to be smokeless, spitless, and not produce an odor. It needed to be fire safe, readily available and not subject to federal regulations.

Their ideas ran the gamut: tobacco pills and lotion, beverages and toothpicks. They even considered a tobacco-derived salted snack and perfume or aftershave.

Nearly two decades later, the tobacco industry's answers are showing up in test markets around the country. Utah health officials say they expect to see them rolled out across the country, and in the state, before long.

That's why they are warning consumers now: The new products look like candy and come packaged in slick, colorful containers. And they may be especially appealing to children.

"You don't look at that (the packaging) and think 'evil,'" said David Neville, a spokesman for the Utah Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. "You look at it and think, 'That's cute.' "

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the manufacturer of Camel and 10 other brands, says it is only gathering input from consumers in its lead markets: Columbus, Ohio; Portland, Ore. and Indianapolis, Ind. It's unsure when -- or even if -- these new kinds of smokeless tobacco will take root as products, said spokesman David Howard. . . .

Camel's Orb -- small, brown-colored pellets -- could be easily mistaken for a Tic Tac. A 1-year-old who weighs about 23 pounds could suffer from severe toxicity or death if he or she ate as few as 10.

"It doesn't look quite as shiny or appealing," said Ellie Brownstein, a University Hospital pediatrician, "but how many kids go rifling through their mom's purse for a mint?"

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Public hearing held on proposed smoking ordinance  

A proposed amendment to Prattville’s current smoking ordinance was discussed Monday night in a public hearing held at City Hall. If the amendment passes, it would make it illegal for anyone under 19 years old to enter or work in a smoking establishment.

Jose Perez, owner of Jose’s Mexican restaurant, spoke in opposition of the amendment.

“I will lose all of my customers to Millbrook because they do not have the smoking ordinance,” Perez said at the podium. “I also would lose six employees who are under 19.”

Blue Iguana General Manager, Chris Zinn, also opposes the amendment to the ordinance.

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Prattville considers new smoking ordinance 

Restaurant owners and residents addressed the Prattville City Council on Monday night concerning a proposed change to the city's smoking ordinance.

Councilmen Dean Argo and Tom Miller are backing the proposal, which would ban customers and employees younger than 19 from restaurants that allow smoking.

Jose Perez, owner of Jose's Cantina, told that council that the proposed change would hurt his business.

Perez operates the only restaurant in town that allows both smoking and non-smoking. By city code, the two areas must be separated by a physical barrier, and each side must be served by its own air-conditioning unit.

"About 40 percent of my business comes from that side," Perez said of the smoking side of his restaurant. "The economy is slow. If you do this, that business will go to Millbrook, and Prattville won't get the revenue."

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上海世博园区有望全面禁烟 国展局秘书长在沪演讲 

国际展览局秘书长洛塞泰斯昨天在复旦大学演讲表示，上海世博园区有望成为世博会历史上首个无烟园区。这是洛塞泰斯首次在中国高校发表演讲，复旦大学师生近400人聆听演讲。

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VIDEO: Smoking rule change fires up businessman  

To comply with the mandate passed in 2003, Jose's Cantina owner Jose Perez spent $50,000 to have it both ways; one side for smokers, the other side for non-smokers, both sections separated by a wall, complete with their own ventilation systems and bathrooms.

"It's not fair,' said Perez.

'Not fair' what the Prattville City Council might do. Change the current ordinance that would bar customers and employees younger than 19 years old from smoking in restaurants. Perez says he would have to immediately lay off 7 of his 19 workers if the proposal passes and that's not all. Perez estimates he'll lose about 40% of his business as well.

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Smoking and Tobacco Use :: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS): Countries: Thailand: Fact Sheet: 2009: Highlights  

Tobacco Use

* 45.6% of men, 3.1% of women, and 23.7% overall (12.5 million adults) currently smoke tobacco.

* 29.6% of men, 1.1% of women, and 15.0% overall (7.9 million adults) currently smoke manufactured cigarettes.

* 27.0% of men, 1.8% of women, and 14.1% overall (7.4 million adults) currently smoke hand-rolled cigarettes.

* 46.4% of men, 9.1% of women, and 27.2% overall (14.3 million adults) are current tobacco users (smoked and/or smokeless).

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Statement Regarding First Release of Global Adult Tobacco Survey Result by Thailand 

Today Thailand became the first of fourteen countries to release final results from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Many countries conduct surveys to monitor adult tobacco use, but until recently, no one standard global survey for adults has consistently tracked tobacco use, exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, and tobacco control measures. . . .

Thirteen countries besides Thailand participated in the first round of GATS: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam. Results from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey will help Thailand, and the other participating countries that will soon be releasing results, translate its data into action through improved policies and programs.

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Men's smoking rate in Japan at record-low 36.8% 

The smoking rate among men in Japan has fallen to a record-low 36.8% since the survey of its kind was launched in 1986, while the rate among women stood at 9.1%, dropping below 10% for the first time since 2001, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Monday. The rate among the men and women in total was 21.8% in the survey conducted a year ago, down 5.9 percentage points in five years.

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• HEALTH: Tobacco Companies Have a Field Day in Indonesia 

When it comes to smoking, Indonesia remains the last paradise for a puff in Southeast Asia. Those addicted to cigarettes can openly light up in public places without worrying about tough anti-tobacco penalties found in the rest of the region.

This reality has been shaped by the power of local and multinational tobacco companies on the archipelago of some 224 million people.

At the finals for the recent ‘Mild Live Wanted 2009' countrywide talent contest, in the former colonial city of Bandung, competing musicians belted out their songs from around 3 p.m till midnight.

For Indonesia's small, yet vocal, anti-tobacco activists, these concerts - billed to promote local talent - offered more than music to fill their ears. They were the latest in a string of publicity drives of the powerful multinational tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI) in the country. . . .

The prospect of more deaths from this ”smoking epidemic” has still to move Jakarta, which is still to sign the world's first public health treaty - the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which has been in force since early 2005.

By contrast, this treaty has been signed by Indonesia's nine neighbours in the region, which include Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. . . .

But in other forms of entertainment, the publicity for tobacco companies are more direct, revealed Kania during a telephone interview from Jakarta. ”There was a film for teenagers last year where one of the actresses, who is still in junior high school, was smoking in scenes.”

Such an effort to glamorise smoking goes to extremes, at times. ”There are so many scenes of people smoking in Indonesian movies where the camera even zooms in to show the cigarette brand,” adds Kania. ”There is no regulation like in other countries.”

It is little wonder why a regional anti-tobacco lobby has described Southeast Asia's largest country as a ”cash cow” for the tobacco industry.

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