Tobacco.org

Kansas bans smoking 

Kansas on Thursday moved toward banning smoking in restaurants, bars, offices and other public places, after a bill imposing restrictions on lighting up cleared the state Legislature, according to the Associated Press.

The House approved the bill 68-54. It earlier had been passed in the Senate and next will go to Gov. Mark Parkinson, who already endorsed the bill and signaled he would sign it, the AP said.

Jump to full article »

House passes state-wide smoking ban bill 

“People are dying every day,” said Kathy Bruner, coordinator for Clean Air Lawrence. “It’s been a long five years, but we’re awfully proud of Lawrence for being on the forefront.”

Don Sayler, president of the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association, said that because many of its members were already non-smoking, the association took a neutral stance on the bill.

Jump to full article »

Questor share tip: Buy BAT - times are still too tough to think of giving up smoking  

Tobacco companies are the ultimate defensive stock. A recession rarely comes between a smoker and his or her cigarettes and Thursday's strong trading figures showed British American Tobacco (BAT) is no exception to that rule.

Jump to full article »

BAT profits a timely reminder of 'recession proof' tobacco companies 

British American Tobacco, reminded us yesterday of Tobacco companies' defensive strengths after it posted a ten percent increase in profits at constant exchange rates.

This allowed for a 3 pct drop in volume sales, easily made up by 8 pct 'recession-type' increase of prices.

Not many companies would be able to do this, however, 'a smoker and his cigarettes are rarely parted' enabling tobacco companies to actually increase profits without any losses by blaming the recession driving up their prices.

Such an example can be seen in British American Tobacco clearly, where an 8 pct increase in prices, generated a 10 pct increase in profits without any large losses in sales.

Other tobacco companies, such as Japan Tobacco (yet to report), Imperial Tobacco (trading in line with expecations so far 2010), and Altria Group (21.7 pct net revenue increase) also remain strong despite the struggling times and increasing unemployment.

Jump to full article »

How legislators voted on smoking ban 

The Kansas House approved a bill banning smoking in restaurants, bars, offices and other public places by a 68-54 vote Thursday.

The measure now goes to Gov. Mark Parkinson because the Senate approved it last year.

The ban will override Wichita's partial smoking ban.

Of the 76 Republicans, 24 voted "yes," 50 voted "no" and two did note vote.

Of the 49 Democrats, 44 voted "yes," four voted "no" and one abstained because he works for a tobacco company.

Jump to full article »

British American Tobacco: 50% tax will scare off foreign execs 

Chairman Richard Burrows reported that returns to shareholders in the past five years were 175%, compared with 35% for the FTSE 100.

But the impending 50% income tax for salaries of above £150,000 could hurt those results by keeping some of the best people away.

Director Michael Prideaux said: "As an international company we like to bring people in from big markets such as Brazil to work here for a spell. They have to pay a lot more tax if they are here and they don't like it."

BAT does not pay much tax in the UK. Most of its earnings are made overseas.

Jump to full article »

Statewide smoking ban goes to Kansas governor 

About half of the patrons at The Place bar in Wathena, Kan., smoke, including Lon Hoffman, who is not thrilled about standing outside to light up.

Patrons of bars and restaurants across Kansas may have to put out their cigarettes indoors and walk outside to light up.

On Thursday, the Kansas House passed, by a vote of 68 to 54, a statewide public smoking ban, sending it to Gov. Mark Parkinson’s desk. The Kansas Senate passed a statewide smoking ban last year. If Mr. Parkinson signs the new legislation — and he is expected to — Kansas will be among 40 states that have restrictions on where people can smoke.

The proposed ban would prohibit smoking in bars, restaurants, workplaces, taxi cabs and 80 percent of hotel rooms. Casino floors, tobacco shops, private bars and clubs, and designated smoking rooms in hotels would be exempt.

Jump to full article »

BAT boosts profits despite recession  

The tobacco industry has proved resilient to the recession, with a wide range of brands that appeal to smokers in developing countries. Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

British American Tobacco boosted profits last year despite cigarette smoking declining and the recession forcing people to trade down to cheaper brands or rely on smuggled or counterfeit products.

The multinational, which is the world's second-largest tobacco firm after Philip Morris, is rewarding shareholders with a bumper dividend, up nearly 20%, after last year's numbers were lifted by acquisitions and a weaker pound – allowing it to make more money overseas.

Richard Burrows, who took over as chairman from Jan du Plessis at the end of 2009, said there were signs that the global economy was beginning to improve but warned that unemployment may continue to rise in developed markets.

Jump to full article »

BAT attacks ban on vending machines  

British American Tobacco has launched a scathing attack on the Government's plans to ban vending machines in pubs and displaying cigarettes in shops, as it toasted a jump in profits and revenues.

Last year, MPs supported the Health Bill, now going through the House of Lords, which would outlaw cigarette vending machines in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from October next year.

Michael Prideaux, a director at the maker of Dunhill, Kent and Pall Mall cigarettes, said: "I think it is a completely disproportionate reaction. Vending machines are mostly in places where entry is restricted by age."

In February, rival Imperial Tobacco's cigarette vending machine subsidiary, Sinclair Collis, launched legal action, and said it was seeking a "judicial review" of the relevant sections of the Health Act 2009.

Jump to full article »

• Indiana House approves smoking ban  

A statewide smoking ban is on the table again at the Indiana Statehouse.

The House of Representatives voted 54-44 Thursday to impose a statewide smoking ban with just two exceptions: casinos and pari-mutuel horse racing venues or racinos.

"This is something we should have done three years ago, ladies and gentlemen. I don't think we can wait another year as has been quoted by the president Pro Tem of the Indiana Senate. That is why I want to send it back over there," said Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary).

Brown says secondhand smoke is not good for Indiana. It's certainly not good for Rep. John Bartlett, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2002.

"It's a bad feeling. They have affairs for legislators and if I go in and they are smoking, I don't stay. I don't want cancer again and I hope no one in this House ever has to hear the doctor say you have cancer," he said.

Some lawmakers could not support the measure.

Jump to full article »

BAT benefits from increased cigarette prices 

Raising prices in spite of the recession buoyed profits at British American Tobacco, which makes Dunhill, Kent and Lucky Strike cigarettes.

Revenue for the year to December 31 rose 17 per cent to £14.2bn, boosted by acquisitions and favourable foreign exchange movements as well as higher cigarette prices. Pre-tax profit rose almost 11 per cent to £4.08bn.

Jump to full article »

City smoking ban trumps state's 

A smoking ban bill approved by the Kansas House of Representatives wouldn't allow for smoking in Topeka private clubs and might help snuff out cigarette use in the city's "Hot Pockets" retail outlet, officials say.

The House voted 68-54 on Thursday to approve the smoking ban bill, which Gov. Mark Parkinson is expected to sign.

The measure includes exceptions that would include allowing smoking in class A or class B clubs that held a license before Jan. 1, 2009, and that notify the state secretary of health and environment in writing, no later than 90 days after the effective date of the new law, that they wish to continue to allow smoking on the premises.

But the stricter smoking ban imposed by the city of Topeka would trump the state's rules if Parkinson signs the bill, said Sandra Jacquot, legal counsel for the League of Kansas Municipalities.

She said cities in Kansas may enforce clean air ordinances that are more restrictive than the bill, but not less restrictive.

Jump to full article »

DeBONIS: D.C. Cigarette Tax Hike Fail  

Allow LL to follow up on the new city revenue projections for a second. In his letter to the mayor and D.C. Council, Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi informed them that a $.50 per-pack cigarette tax hike implemented last October has not gone as planned.

Because the increase, to $2.50, catapulted the District's rate over Maryland's $2-per-pack rate, Gandhi explains, many Maryland smokers who'd bought their tobacco in the District switched back to buying in Maryland. Add that to all the D.C. smokers who started buying cheap-as-dirt Virginia smokes, and you get the picture---instead of $45.4 million in revenue, Gandhi says the District will only bank $30 million.

But the legislative screw-up is more profound than that: The projections are now that this year's estimated cigarette tax revenues will fall below the pre-hike FY2009 levels ($37.6 million)---in other words, the tax hike got the city less revenue, not more. . . .

The good news: Maryland's currently considering another cig-tax hike, to $3.

Jump to full article »

VIDEO: Parkinson says he'll sign smoking ban 

The Kansas House passed a bill that will ban smoking is public places. Governor Parkinson says he will sign the bill. When he does it will become law on July 1.

Jump to full article »

• Washington cigarette tax hike results in decreased revenues as smokers buy outside city limits 

The District of Columbia’s Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi learned a hard lesson this week after assessing the fiscal forecast for 2010: D.C. smokers weren’t happy with the city council after it upped the cost of cigarettes, and responded by depriving the District of millions in tax revenue.

Any nicotine fiend who’s dodged puddles of upchuck in Adams Morgan on a Friday night or maintained a distance of 30 feet from downtown office buildings on a weekday could have predicted that smokers would flee to Maryland and Virginia. And according to a report released Wednesday by Gandhi, that’s exactly what happened after the D.C. Council raised taxes on cigarettes from $2.00 to $2.50 a pack in mid 2009.

In a report addressed to D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray and Mayor Adrian Fenty, Gandhi wrote, “The 50-cent increase in the cigarette tax rate was projected to increase revenue but also decrease volume. Collections year-to-date point to a more severe drop in volume than projected.”

How severe?

“The estimate for cigarette tax revenue is revised downwards by $15.4 million in [fiscal year] 2010 and $15.2 million in [fiscal year] 2011.”

Jump to full article »