Tobacco.org

From 'Medicinal' To Dangerous: Cigarettes Through The Years 

Many of the cigarette ads from the last century make claims that seem laughable today.

In bold colors and vintage fonts, they boast that cigarettes can help us stay thin, cure a cough and digest our food. They won't irritate our throats, make our voices raspy or affect our athletic performance.

Today, most of us are well-versed in the dangers of smoking. But vintage cigarette ads can show a timeline of America's changing perceptions of smoking -- and how tobacco companies adapted their ads in reaction to ever-increasing knowledge. An exhibit at the Stanford School of Medicine takes a look at the evolution of these ads through the years.

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AUDIO: 'Third-Hand' Smoke Is A Danger Too, Studies Indicate  

Talk of the Nation's Science Friday explored the topic last week:

And today, the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences released a study on the subject with findings that "raise concerns about exposures."

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• Concern over 'third-hand smoke' 

Third-hand smoke is “as dangerous as cigarette fumes” according to The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper says that the third-hand smoke that lingers on things like clothes and furnishings can be as dangerous to babies and children as the exposure to second-hand smoke.

The complex research behind these reports is a laboratory study that has demonstrated that new carcinogenic substances develop when a natural substance (cellulose) is first exposed to nicotine and then to nitrous acid in the air. Although the identified compounds could potentially be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin, the study did not measure how much of the substances the body absorbs or their direct effects on a person’s health. The results of these experiments will undoubtedly lead to further research into the health effects of smoke residue.

While it is plausible but unproven that smoke residue could damage health, the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke are well established. . . .

The Daily Telegraph and The Independent have covered this research. Although the newspapers correctly highlighted that the study’s findings are of concern, it is important to note that the extent of any health risks from these compounds has not been assessed by this laboratory research. . . .

Conclusion

This is important laboratory research that has demonstrated that new carcinogenic substances develop when a natural substance (cellulose) is exposed to nicotine, and then later exposed to a nitrous air mixture.

Although the compounds identified in this study could potentially be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested, this preliminary research did not aim to answer important questions over how much residue a person would absorb in a real-life situation or the direct health effects of absorbing these substances. Nevertheless, this research justifies further study into the toxicity and cancer-causing properties of the main substances identified and an investigation into the way they are absorbed by humans. The researchers would also need to directly examine the levels of these toxic compounds found on exposed skin, hair, clothes, furnishings and other materials.

While it is not yet known how much danger might be posed by third-hand smoke, the dangers of being a smoker and secondhand smoke are well established. The best advice that can be given to smokers at this time is to be considerate of the health of others and smoke away from other people, outside or in a specially designated room. These types of measures are particularly relevant in the family home, where steps should be taken to ensure that babies or children are not exposed to cigarette smoke or its by-products.

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Celanese Counts On Cigarette Smoking, Soda Drinking To Raise Earnings 

Celanese Corp. (CE), a Dallas chemical company, is counting on a rebound in cigarette smoking and soda-pop drinking to drive its earnings higher in 2011 and 2012.

As part of its consumer specialty segment, Celanese manufactures a sweetener for soft drinks and a product that is used for cigarettes filters. Its customers include Altria Group Inc. (MO), its Philip Morris International (PM) spin-off, and PepsiCo Corp. (PEP).

"These tend to go into decline later in the cycle. We think that demand has bottomed out," Dave Weidman, chief executive and chairman of Celanese said in an interview Tuesday. But he was cautious about seeing any improvement for 2010, instead forecasting increases in the next two to three years.

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VIDEO: Eugene Council Approves Revised Smoking Ban 

Action on a smoking ban amendment was on the agenda for city councilors Monday night. The council voted to change the current ordinance.

Instead of 25-feet away from any walkway, window or vent to a public building, the smoking ban now includes the space all the way to the curb.

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City Council bans smoking in front of library. Are city parks next?  

The Eugene City Council unanimously approved a plan to ban smoking outside the Eugen Public Library and other city buildings that serve children.

The ban takes effect in 30 days.

The ban "makes it more pleasant for a lot of people using the library," Mayor Kitty Piercy said, "and certainly healthier."

Piercy said she would eventually like to take the ban a step further and outlaw smoking in public parks. However, she said such a proposal will require extensive study.

Library staff initiated the drive to ban smoking outside the building in an effort to clear the air for patrons.

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Bars Push For Smoking Ban Exemption  

HONOLULU -- A group of bar owners is asking for an exemption from the state's three-year-old workplace smoking ban.

They want state lawmakers to allow bars to pay an annual fee starting at $1,000 to allow smoking in their establishments.

Only stand-alone bars -- not restaurants -- would be able to apply for the exemption.

Proposals to create exemptions from the state's workplace smoking ban have been introduced in each of the past three years since the ban took effect, but all of them died in the Legislature.

The man who co-owns O'Toole's Irish Pub and two other bars wants legislators to allow some bars to pay to exempt themselves from the state's no-smoking law that went into effect at restaurants and bars in November 2006.

"People in bars, they want to smoke. So if they want to have a cigar, we'd like to let them have a cigar," bar owner Bill Comerford said.

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Cigarette-tobacco processor Alliance One upbeat despite lower profit  

Profit at global cigarette-tobacco processor Alliance One International Inc. (NYSE:AOI) of dropped nearly 37 percent for the firm's nine-month reporting period ended Dec. 31, but the Morrisville-based company reports a stable crop and "solid" order book for early 2010.

Net income for the nine -month period was $60.3 million, or 68 cents per basic share, compared to net income of $95.1 million, or $1.08 per basic share, for the same period of the prior fiscal year, the company says.

Cutting into profits, the firm says, was a one-time $40 million pretax debt retirement expense - $23.5 million of it in cash - paid out during the period because of a July-August 2009 debt refinancing.

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Alliance One Announces Arrangements for Fiscal Year 2010 3rd Quarter Financial Results Investor Call  

Alliance One International, Inc. (NYSE: AOI) today announced that it will hold a conference call to report financial results for its fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2009, on February 9, 2010 at 8:00 A.M. ET. Those seeking to listen to the call may access a live broadcast on the Alliance One website. Please visit www.aointl.com fifteen minutes in advance to register.

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Alliance One International Reports Improved Nine Month Operating Income 

For the nine months ended December 31, 2009, Operating Income increased $16.3 million to $179.3 million driven by stable revenues and reduced direct cost compared to the prior year. For the third quarter ended December 31, 2009, the Company reported net income of $47.3 million, or $0.53 per basic share, compared to net income of $59.5 million, or $0.67 per basic share last year. Additionally, for the nine months ended December 31, 2009, the Company reported net income of $60.3 million, or $0.68 per basic share, compared to net income of $95.1 million or $1.08 per basic share for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The year to date results were achieved despite incurring a one time $40.4 million pre-tax debt retirement expense, of which $23.5 million was cash cost during the period, resulting from the July-August 2009 debt refinancing, versus $1.0 million last year.

Robert E. Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Volumes and sales were in line with our expectations, and year to date operating margin remained strong despite some third quarter slippage, driven by our global operations, which have done a good job of controlling costs. Additionally, the global debt markets have improved further, which should help short term borrowing costs for the remainder of this year and next, while US dollar volatility versus many currencies that impact our costs, remains challenging.

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Drew Estate: A Cigar Company's Take on Corporate Social Responsibility 

While I was walking the Drew Estate factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, though, I began to hear the cues that signal an effort to be a valuable member of the community. The company - which produces the Acid and Java cigar lines, along with newer products such as the T9 and T52 - pays twice the region's prevailing wage for its positions. There are healthcare facilities on the premises. . . .

Jonathan Drew, one of the company's owners, spoke with me at length about Drew Estate's commitment to the surrounding community . . .

The efforts of Drew Estate may not reach the heights of those at Whole Foods or Starbucks, but they do stand out in the cigar industry. Every time you cut and light a T52, you're making the world a better place.

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• Cutler Bay man smuggles cigarettes through the Port of Miami and goes to prison 

So this is what a decade of international conspiracy with European underworld kingpins gets you? An empty bank account, a blue-collar ranch house in Cutler Bay with two unpaid mortgages, and a date with a federal judge.

For Roman Vidal, a 58-year-old with a thick mane of gray hair and a white mustache, that about sums it up. To that meager list, Vidal also can add 24 months in federal prison, three years' probation, and a $1.5 million fine -- the sentence U.S. District Judge Alan Gold handed down last week.

All in all, it's an inglorious finish for a man who led the largest cigarette-smuggling ring busted in the Magic City, a scheme that funneled more than 20 million black-market smokes through the Port of Miami, with some of the proceeds perhaps funding deadly Irish terrorists. . . .

Vidal's European contacts were helping to finance the Real IRA, a splinter terror group in Northern Ireland. A few weeks after Vidal's arrest, the group massacred two soldiers and shot two pizza delivery men outside a British base near Belfast.

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Chief: Cigarette Started Fire That Killed Elderly Woman 

An elderly woman who died in an apartment fire early Tuesday morning could have been inside the structure for at least an hour before someone noticed the flames and called 911, fire officials said.

Katherine Harris, 82, was already dead by the time firefighters broke out the apartment's windows . . .

Douglas said the fire was started by a cigarette left unattended.

Neighbors said Harris had been diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago.

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VIDEO: Update: Greensboro Woman Killed In Fire Started By Cigarette 

Fire investigators say a cigarette started an early morning fire that killed a woman.

Greensboro Fire Department was called to Cumberland Court Apartments around 1:10 Tuesday morning. That's off Regan Street.

David Douglas with Greensboro Fire says Katherine Harris, 82, was smoking in bed when the fire started.

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Four Long Island Men Charged With Tax Fraud In Connection With Trafficking Of Cigarettes In Franklin County 

New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward today announced the arrest of four Long Island men for their role in trafficking 1,500 cartons of untaxed cigarettes. The four were arrested in the town of Duane in Franklin County.

The individuals were arrested on February 4 by State Tax Department investigators following a traffic stop by U.S. Border Patrol Agents. During a search of one of the two vehicles the suspects were travelling in, agents found the untaxed cigarettes, which represented an estimated $47,000 in unpaid taxes to the state.

"These arrests should serve as a warning to others who engage in trafficking in untaxed cigarettes," Acting Commissioner Woodward said. "The Tax Department will continue to work with our state and federal law enforcement partners to hold bootleggers accountable."

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