http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/guam.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120201/NEWS01/202010341 http://tobacco.org/news/332953.html The Department of Public Health and Social Services is hoping to help young tobacco users quit. Starting today, the Tobacco Free Guam Quitline will offer free and confidential services to youths aged 11 to 17, according to a flier. The hotline has been serving adults on Guam since 2007, according to Cerina Mariano, program coordinator with Public Health. The telephone-based Quitline System provides adults with counseling, information, educational and support materials, and follow-up support for callers who are ready to quit or are contemplating quitting smoking, according to the Bureau of Professional Support Services website. The bureau is part of Public Health. Pacific Daily News News/rmcruz@guampdn.com ( Written by Meryl Dillman Pacific Daily News) Guam Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.kuam.com/story/16473692/ag-investigating-counterfeit-cigarettes http://tobacco.org/news/331849.html It's been about eight months now and the Attorney General's Office continues to investigate businesses who are selling illegal cigarettes that are either imported or counterfeit cigarettes baring popular name brands. For example, those that clearly state "Made in the Philippines, for Domestic Sale Only and Not for Export". Last April KUAM News found these cheaper cigarettes being sold in stores in Harmon, sparking concerns as to whether taxes were being paid on their sale. KUAM nick@kuam.com (Nick Delgado) Guam Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20111114/NEWS01/111114007 http://tobacco.org/news/328982.html As part of this year's Great American Smokeout awareness activities, the American Cancer Society is hosting a workshop tomorrow for school teachers, counselors, nurses, youth group leaders and other adults who work with youths to share tobacco-free resources and information that can be utilized in the classroom or at youth events. Pacific Daily News Guam Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20111115/OPINION01/111150317 http://tobacco.org/news/328791.html Thursday is the American Cancer Society's 36th Great American Smokeout, and we join the organization in encouraging Guam residents to quit smoking that day, or to use it to make a plan to quit. The first Great American Smokeout was in 1976. Its aim was to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for at least that one day and to hopefully get smokers to make solid plans to give up the habit. "Quitting smoking is an important step towards reducing your cancer risk and celebrating more birthdays," said Elyze Iriarte, the nonprofit's advisory board president. "The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout provides great tips and tools to help you beat the urge to smoke. There has never been a better time to quit -- we can help!" Pacific Daily News News/rmcruz@guampdn.com Guam Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20111112/NEWS01/111112003 http://tobacco.org/news/328726.html As part of this year's activities, "quit kits" - information and resource filled packets to assist in quitting smoking - are available to organizations and individuals interested in participating in the Great American Smokeout. The American Cancer Society can also help arrange a cessation class for interested organizations throughout the month of November, the release states. A workshop will take place on Nov. 15 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the University of Guam, School of Business Building, Room 129. Participation is free, please call the American Cancer Society to register: 477-9451/2 Pacific Daily News news@guampdn.com Guam Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14454:world-no-tobacco-day-tuesday&catid=56:community-events http://tobacco.org/news/320662.html Guam - On Tuesday, May 31, the Department of Public Health and Social Services, in partnership with the Department of Education, the Guam Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition and various community partners are coming together in support of World No Tobacco Day 2011. . . . Approximately 24.1% of adult Guam residents 18 years and older are current smokers (DPHSS, 2009 Guam Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System), which is 34% higher than the US average. From 2003-2007, the leading cause of death on Guam for both Males and Females was Lung & Bronchus cancer, 65.2% and 28.9% respectively (Guam Cancer Facts and Figures 2003-2007). Pacific News Center Guam Mon, 30 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20110512/NEWS01/105120309/Bill-bans-smoking-cars-kids http://tobacco.org/news/319876.html Sen. Dennis Rodriguez Jr., the legislative chairman for the Committee on Health and Human Services, yesterday introduced Bill 188 to ban smoking in vehicles when children are present. The intent of the bill is to set a regulatory standard protecting children under 18 years old from second-hand smoke. Those found in violation will have to pay a fine. Bill 188 states that minors often have no say when exposed to second-hand smoke and banning smoking in a car when children are present will serve as a preemptive measure to keep Guam's young people healthy. The bill also states that when smoking in enclosed places, such as a car, there's more exposure to higher toxic air levels, even when a window is open. "I am concerned with the fact that minors often have no say in circumstances where they are being exposed to second-hand smoke," Rodriguez stated in a press release. Pacific Daily News News/rmcruz@guampdn.com ( Written by Laura Matthews Pacific Daily News ) Guam Thu, 12 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20110410/NEWS01/104100321/Sin-tax-funds-don-t-focus-health?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage http://tobacco.org/news/318194.html Taxes on tobacco and alcoholic beverages are barely making a dent in educating students about the dangers of nicotine and alcohol addiction. "With the Healthy Futures Fund, we don't see much of the money -- at least not on the front line," said Peter J. Cruz, certified tobacco cessation facilitator at Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. "Where it all goes -- well, your guess is as good as mine. I've been (doing) the tobacco cessation for the past eight years, and I'd love to buy a nicotine breathalyzer so that in the program, we can test for nicotine in blood streams, but I don't have the money to do that." In 2003, lawmakers increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco and passed legislation to put half of that money into the then newly created Healthy Futures Fund and the Safe Homes, Safe Streets Fund. Money from those funds was supposed to be spent on prevention and treatment programs dealing with alcohol, tobacco and drugs. . . . What hadn't changed between the 2007 and 2009 data is that more men were smoking in comparison to women in a majority of the states and in the territories, including Guam. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, health-care providers at all levels should encourage and assist their patients in quitting all forms of tobacco use, and comprehensive tobacco control measures that reduce tobacco use should be implemented in all states. However, on Guam and other parts of the nation, funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs have failed to meet that need. According to the American Cancer Society, from 2002 to 2005, states cut funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs by 28 percent, or about $200 million, "and in fiscal year 2009, no state is backing comprehensive tobacco-control programs at CDC-recommended funding levels," the researchers say, with only nine states providing at least half of the recommended amount. Pacific Daily News News/rmcruz@guampdn.com ( Oyaol Ngirairikl Pacific Sunday News) Guam Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20110410/OPINION01/104100311/Redirect-Use-extra-tobacco-tax-revenue-cessation-prevention-programs?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Cimg%7CFrontpage%7Cp http://tobacco.org/news/318193.html Last year, the Legislature decided to increase tobacco taxes in an effort to discourage smoking and other uses of tobacco to ease health costs associated with tobacco and create new revenue to prevent and treat cancer. The bill, which became Public Law 30-80 and was introduced by Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz, cited Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse statistics that showed Guam had the highest rate of smokers in the United States -- 34.5 percent of adults smoked and 30.3 percent of youths smoked. The law raised the tax from $1 per pack of cigarettes, which was one of the lowest in the country, to $3 per pack. The results thus far are promising. . . .. If elected officials want to see the prevalence of smoking on Guam fall even further, they need to revisit the law and ensure that a set portion of tobacco tax revenues are given to Mental Health specifically for prevention and cessation efforts. They should sit down with Peter Cruz and other smoking cessation professionals in Guam to determine how much money should be allocated and how it can best be used to keep more people from smoking and help more smokers kick the habit. Public Law 30-80 was a great start toward reducing smoking and its consequences in Guam, but it's clear that much more still needs to be done. Pacific Daily News News/rmcruz@guampdn.com Guam Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20101108/NEWS01/11080311 http://tobacco.org/news/310399.html People who smoke can this month take a step towards better health. The American Cancer Society, known as the "Official Sponsor of Birthdays," is encouraging smokers to quit smoking through the Great American Smokeout. The Nov. 18 event encourages people to set that date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day, a press release from the American Cancer Society stated. "Smokers who quit can expect to live as many as ten years longer," the release stated, adding that that's 10 more birthdays current smokers could be celebrating. "Quitting smoking is an important step towards staying well and creating a world with more birthdays," said Marisha Artero, community manager for the Health Initiatives of Guam office. Pacific Daily News aalladi@guampdn.com ( Amritha Alladi * Pacific Daily News * ) Guam Mon, 08 Nov 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20100531/NEWS01/5310305/Controlling-the-epidemic-World-No-Tobacco-Day-highlights-need-to-address-growing-rate-of-smoking-among-women http://tobacco.org/news/302422.html The tobacco epidemic among women is especially worrisome on Guam. The rate of smoking among women on Guam is as high as the male smoking rate in the mainland, according to the 2009 data from the Department of Public Health and Social Services. Among our youth, girls are smoking as much as the boys (2007 Guam Public School System data). An increasing number of girls are also using smokeless tobacco, including chewing tobacco with betel nut. As these girls who smoke and chew tobacco enter into their reproductive years, adverse health effects on Guam's future generations will occur. Even non-smoking women are not necessarily spared. Exposure to second-hand smoke, usually from their smoking partners, can also harm them. On Guam, 31 percent of men are smokers. Pacific Daily News enery@guampdn.com (Dr. Annette M. David For Pacific Daily News •) Guam Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.guampdn.com/article/20100510/NEWS01/5100306 http://tobacco.org/news/301239.html For years, Guam residents, and Pacific Islanders in general, have been told their genetic predispositions and heavy diets make them prime candidates for developing Type II, or adult-onset, diabetes. Through exercise and eating healthy, diabetes can be kept at bay. Wellness Works will get to diet in the coming weeks, but on your part, doctors, researchers and health educators say there's one thing you can do immediately to prevent the risk of getting diabetes, and if you already have it, a way to reduce your chances of being hit with the serious complications that ensue from the disease: Quit smoking. According to the International Diabetes Federation, when diabetes is already present, smoking increases the incidence, mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular complications, diabetic foot problems, diabetic eye disease and diabetic kidney disease. . . . The message was clear: "Don't even start to smoke," Reuters quoted Hsin-Chieh Yeh of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine saying. "If you smoke, give it up. That's the right thing to do. But people have to also watch their weight." Pacific Daily News aalladi@guampdn.com (Amritha Alladi * Pacific Daily News) Guam Asia-pacific Mon, 10 May 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4183:stores-imposing-new-cigarette-tax&catid=45:guam-news&Itemid=156 http://tobacco.org/news/299592.html That new cigarette tax finally went into effect today- but some stores, actually many stores had already jacked up there prices. We spoke with one mom and pop store, which said it raised it's prices because distributors have already done so. Others however, have not. Aaron Gandaoli, District Manager for ABC Stores says while many on Guam may not like the increase in the cigarette price, it sure is mild when compared to prices in Hawaii. Pacific News Center Guam Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4060:smokers-gripping-for-cigarette-tax-hike&catid=45:guam-news&Itemid=156 http://tobacco.org/news/299374.html with this new cigarette tax to take effect on April 6th, but still many are reluctant to commit to their earlier vow to quit once this tax is implemented. The law was passed by Senator BJ Cruz who called for the increase to be from 1 dollar to 3 dollars per pack. That's a 200 percent increase and would mean that certain brands could cost as much as 5 dollars. Pacific News Center Guam Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=19516 http://tobacco.org/news/297076.html The Legislature of the U.S. territory on Friday approved a bill to increase the $1 tax on a pack of cigarettes to $3. If signed into law by Gov. Felix Camacho, Guam would tie Connecticut for second place behind Rhode Island's tax of $3.46 a pack. Associated Press Guam Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT