Tobacco.org

AUDIO: Cigarette vending machines: Ash and Forest argue over ban in Wales 

A ban on cigarette vending machine sales has come into force in Wales.

It prompted a lively debate chaired by Felicity Evans on Good Morning Wales involving Carole Morgan-Jones, of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) in Wales, and Simon Clark, director of the smoking group Forest.

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FDA Likely to Stymie Nicotine Replacement Products for Smokers  

The Food and Drug Administration [FDA] is likely to follow a government-mandated report just issued by the Institute of Medicine [IOM] which recommends that nicotine products designed to substitute for cigarette smoking -- because they are allegedly far less hazardous -- be subjected to such comprehensive and expensive testing that all but the largest tobacco or drug companies may not be able to afford to put them on the market, says the public interest law professor behind the ban on cigarette commercials, on smoking in many public places, and who helped get the FDA jurisdiction over tobacco.

Under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the statute which gave the FDA jurisdiction over cigarettes and other nicotine products, a "modified risk tobacco product" [MRTP]-- which is a tobacco product less hazardous than cigarettes -- can legally be sold only if it is certified by the FDA.

The FDA can certify such a product only if it will "benefit the health of the population as a whole, taking into account both users of tobacco products and persons who do not currently use tobacco products." These MRTPs, also known as smokefree tobacco alternatives, include a variety of products containing nicotine such as gums, patches, chewable tobacco, snus, dissolvable products, etc. . . .

Such studies can be very expensive to carry out to meet the rigorous standards recommended by the IOM, especially since the Institute would require that the studies be carried out only by independent third parties, rather than by the companies themselves, as is often true for many drugs.

This recommendation is based upon a long history by the tobacco industry of denying the very addictiveness of nicotine, and other deceptive practices. "Having trusted third parties oversee the conduct of research could help re-engage scientists and enable generation of credible research data on the health effects of these products," the IOM report concludes.

Public interest law professor John Banzhaf, who pioneered in banning cigarette commercials and smoking in public places, and who also played a significant role in the FDA's current jurisdiction over tobacco products, notes that there are philosophical as well as medical issues involved in these controversies. . . .

So, says Banzhaf, there remains a major dispute as to how much evidence on each of these issues should be required, with those favoring the products suggesting that the requirements for extensive studies presents too high a hurtle, and others arguing that -- having already made a major mistake permitting cigarettes to be marketed despite their huge health risk -- we should not permit new products with known health risks to be marketed without significantly more independent studies.

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AUDIO: Plain packaging on cigarette packs - Anne Jones (ASH)  

The Standing Committee on Health and Ageing has released its report on the Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill and concluded that in combination with other preventative health measures that plain packaging will further reduce the smoking rate in Australia.

Leading health groups suh as the Heart Foundation and ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Australia have welcomed the unamimous endorsement of this inquiry and urged the Parliament to end the delay over passing the bills.Anne Jones heads Action on Smoking and Health and is talking here with Anthony Frangi.

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• Cigarette-Warning Law Suit Ignores History and Psychology  

"Cigarette companies claiming that it's unconstitutional to require them to advise the public with graphic health warnings about the dangers of smoking seem to forget that this is exactly what happened more than 40 years ago when I obtained an order requiring one antismoking message for every three cigarette commercials, many of which were more graphic, and certainly more effective, that what's now being attacked in their law suit," says public interest law professor John Banzhaf.

Having popular stars like Yul Brenner and William Talman (the prosecutor who lost to Perry Mason) speak from the grave in televised messages explaining how smoking led to their deaths, or teen star Brooke Shields convincing kids that "people who smoke are real losers" and that smoking makes teens unpopular, were so graphically effective - because of the power of televised images - that they slashed the rate of smoking for the first time in modern history, something even the U.S. Surgeon General's report about smoking and cancer several years earlier could not do.

Moreover, notes Banzhaf, the U.S. Court of Appeals unanimously rejected arguments that the arrangement, which the tobacco companies repeatedly claimed forced them to subsidize messages which demeaned their products and cut into their sales, violated the First Amendment or were otherwise constitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to even consider the case. Banzhaf v. F.C.C., 405 F.2d 1082 (DC Cir. 1968).

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SECRET OF A LONGER LIFE 

BRITONS can add up to 15 years to their lives by following a simple four-step plan, a breakthrough study revealed yesterday.

Not smoking, regular exercise, not being overweight and eating a Mediterranean-style diet could “substantially reduce” the risk of early death.

This is the first time scientists have been able to calculate exactly how many years this lifestyle could add to the average life.

Women in particular stand to gain. They could live for up to 15 more years. . . .

Amanda Sandford, of the anti-smoking campaign ASH, said: “It is no secret that if you smoke you have a one in two chance of not living to retirement age. It is encouraging to see what steps an individual can take to ensure the best possible quality of life and life expectancy.”

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ASH says lawsuit proof plain packaging will work 

A New Zealand anti-smoking group says legal action by a tobacco giant against the Australian government is proof that plain packaging on cigarettes will reduce smoking.

The federal government is introducing legislation to remove branding from cigarette packets as part of a public heath initiative.

Cigarettes would be sold without any company logos and with all the brand names written in the same bland font. . . .

A spokesperson for ASH, Ben Youden, says the Philip Morris would not be investing so much money into fighting the legislation if it did not think it would reduce smoking - which proves the legislation is a good idea.

Mr Youden say the tobacco industry has not made such a fuss about legislation since governments around the world banned cigarettes in workplaces and bars.

He says if the company's lawsuit fails, plain packaged cigarettes could easily be brought to New Zealand under trade deals with Australia.

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Scotland needs to move to being Beyond Smoke-free  

Members of the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance (STCA) will gather together for their Annual Meeting today to discuss the way forward for a new national tobacco strategy for Scotland. Giving a presentation to delegates, ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said:

“I am delighted that our campaign for Scotland to have a new tobacco control strategy resulted in cross party support during the election. The SNP’s manifesto commitment was very clear on the need to tackle smoking which remains Scotland’s biggest preventable cause of death. . . .

“The STCA Annual Meeting is a perfect opportunity to look ahead to the future for tobacco control in Scotland. Experts from the field are gathered together and can work together to help shape and formulate that strategy and take Scotland forward.

“In this time of cuts and reduced resources, working together to pool our shared knowledge and resources will be the best way of ensuring a new tobacco control strategy is practical and effective. By building on existing, and forming new, partnerships and alliances through the STCA we can also ensure that a new strategy is one that front line services are ready and willing to deliver.

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Nicotine treatment 'could control obesity' 

Amanda Sandford, research manager for ASH, Action on Smoking and Health, said it was already known that pure nicotine could be safely used to wean smokers off their tobacco habit.

"If nicotine could also be used to tackle obesity then it could be a valuable tool in tackling two of the most critical public health problems that we face today," she said.

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Tobacco industry efforts to weaken global health treaty must be stopped. 

A legally binding treaty [1] to curb the devastating global tobacco epidemic has had amazing successes since its implementation six years ago, yet but more could be achieved if lobbying activity by the tobacco industry to undermine the treaty was curtailed, said ASH to mark World No Tobacco Day 2011. . . .

However, the developed world in not immune from industry attacks. One of the key treaty obligations is that Parties are required to protect their public health policies from the tobacco industry. The UK Government is committed to this obligation. But to get round the treaty the tobacco industry has funded groups such as the Tobacco Retailers Alliance and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents to front campaigns against government tobacco policies, without making clear to Parliament or to the Government that these organisations are backed by the tobacco industry.

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of ASH said:

"Tobacco companies are responsible for spreading cancer and heart disease just as malaria is spread by mosquitoes. But they also engage others to do their dirty work for them. Businesses should wake up to the fact that they are being manipulated by the industry and see for themselves that they have nothing to fear from robust measures to protect children from tobacco industry marketing."

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Ash calls for child cigarette sales crackdown 

Anti-smoking charity Ash Scotland has claimed public backing for a crackdown on under-age tobacco sales.

It has published an opinion poll indicating that 87% of people in Scotland believe retailers should lose the right to sell cigarettes if they have repeatedly served under-18s.

The measure was part of Scottish legislation passed in 2010.

The same poll found that 67% of respondents backed a registration scheme for shops selling tobacco.

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Shop tobacco ban 'has wide support' 

Almost nine in 10 people support a ban on retailers selling tobacco if they repeatedly allow children to buy cigarettes, according to a poll commissioned by anti-smoking campaigners.

Shop owners who sell tobacco to children can be fined or banned under legislation passed last year.

Anti-tobacco charity ASH Scotland said its survey showed that the public supports the measures being brought into force under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010.

Sheila Duffy, the charity's chief executive, said: "An impressive 87% of respondents support the policy of suspending the right to sell tobacco if businesses sell to under-18s, with only 4% opposing.

"Some 67% of the public also support a registration scheme for retailers who sell tobacco, a policy which is needed to help local authorities with their advice, support and enforcement initiatives."

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Ash calls for child cigarette sales crackdown 

Anti-smoking charity Ash Scotland has claimed public backing for a crackdown on under-age tobacco sales.

It has published an opinion poll indicating that 87% of people in Scotland believe retailers should lose the right to sell cigarettes if they have repeatedly served under-18s.

The measure was part of Scottish legislation passed in 2010.

The same poll found that 67% of respondents backed a registration scheme for shops selling tobacco.

The poll, conducted by YouGov, asked 1,021 adults for their opinions on suspending the right to sell tobacco for businesses found to have sold or supplied tobacco to under-18s more than once.

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SULLUM: Is Smoking a Choice or an Addiction? Why Can't It Be Both? 

* May 20, 2011

Michael Siegel notes a puzzling juxtaposition: Two days ago John Banzhaf, founder of Action on Smoking and Health, declared in a press release that smoking "is a choice rather than an addiction"; the following day, Altria CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk conceded in a presentation to shareholders that "tobacco use is addictive and it can be very difficult to quit." As Siegel notes, you'd expect the anti-smoking activist to emphasize the habit's addictiveness, since that is a basic premise of litigation that blames tobacco companies for smoking-related diseases—litigation that Banzhaf, a professor of law at George Washington University, has long promoted. And you'd expect the head of the nation's leading cigarette manufacturer to deny that smoking is addictive, which is precisely the position the tobacco companies took for decades while fending off lawsuits and regulations. What gives? . . .

Fortuitously, the same week a top tobacco executive and a prominent anti-smoking activist are disagreeing about whether smoking is a choice or an addiction, a leading addiction expert, Stanton Peele, is on the front page of The Fix, explaining that "addiction is not caused by substances" and that "most people recover naturally from addiction."

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Massive support to stop Scottish youth smoking 

Polling for ASH Scotland shows that a massive majority of people think it is socially unacceptable for anyone under 18 to smoke and that there is major support for the new measure that means it is now an offence for an adult to buy cigarettes for a child. Publishing the new data today, Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of anti-tobacco charity ASH Scotland said:

“Our polling shows that Scots support measures that aim to stop youngsters smoking. I am pleased that 83% of respondents to the ASH Scotland YouGov poll think it is socially unacceptable for an under 18 to smoke.

“I believe that people understand the damage that smoking can cause and know it’s when people are young that they are most likely to start smoking and to become addicted to tobacco.

“Prevention is the key to reducing young people smoking, and we need to communicate to young people just how deadly this product is, and how manipulative and destructive tobacco companies are. The vast majority of smokers wish they had never started, and I hope smokers will join us in helping tell young people that this is an addiction not worth starting.

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• 91% back teen anti-smoking measures  

Most Scots think it is unacceptable for anyone under 18 to smoke, according to a survey.

Out of 1,021 adults in Scotland questioned, 91% also said they supported moves to make it an offence for an adult to buy cigarettes on behalf of a child.

The YouGov poll for anti-tobacco charity ASH Scotland was carried out online between March 3 and March 8.

In total, 83% said they thought it was not "socially acceptable" for children under 18 to smoke.

People have to be 18 to legally buy cigarettes in Scotland after the age was raised from 16 in 2007.

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