http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/country/malta.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/11/09/t9.html http://tobacco.org/news/274528.html Need a nicotine fix? Say hello to the e-cigarette, the world’s first electronic cigarette that gives the human body a simulation of the chemical effect of tobacco smoking. Except that there is no tobacco or nicotine, and that means no health hazard. But the answer to guilt-free smoking may take some time to appear in Maltese shops. That’s because the product has been classified as a tobacco product by the health authorities. The agent for the UK’s Electronic Cigarette Company says he has full certification and lab analyses that prove the product is tobacco-free, and that he was allowed to import it without paying the excise duty that is levied on other tobacco products. But as freely as it is to import the product, the government still decided to ban e-cigarette smoking in public places, after health authorities wrongly assumed that all of its varieties contain tobacco. The e-cigarette substitutes traditional cigarettes by means of an electronic simulation of tobacco smoking. Containing neither tobacco, nor tar, it is a non-nuisance solution for passive smokers. . . . Whereas three of the patent recipes contain tobacco flavourings, the variety imported to Malta is tobacco-free. . . . MaltaToday contacted the Health Ministry to point out that an e-cigarette recipe downloaded from the web showed that there are tobacco-free varieties, but a government official did not accept our source as reliable. In turn, it was sent the full EU-registered patent of the product, which describes one of the recipes as completely free from tobacco. The spokesperson assured us that the information we sent was being investigated, and that until the EU patent is recognised by the Maltese government, the legal position on e-cigarettes remains unchanged. Malta Today ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt (David Darmanin) Malta Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=76744 http://tobacco.org/news/273713.html "The world in general has experienced an increase in contraband sales," despite enforcement of import and export controls, said Finance Minister Tonio Fenech yesterday. "Smuggling remains a key problem in the cigarette trade and is likely to be the cause for disrupting legitimate sales in the near future," he added. Mr Fenech was speaking at the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) annual meeting on cigarette smuggling, being held until tomorrow in St Julian's. Mr Fenech said Malta's internal market was more prone to illegal activity due to higher prices of tobacco products when compared to prices in a number of foreign countries. He explained that Malta experienced large-scale cigarette smuggling in transiting containers. Often, smuggling focused on well-known international brands, for instant recognition and confidence which resulted in quick sale. Mainland operations by the Customs department have also proved to be significant Malta Independent tmid@independent.com.mt (Annaliza Borg) Malta Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=77318 http://tobacco.org/news/272892.html A total of 341 deaths last year were related to smoking - an average of nearly one a day - and 241 of the people who died were men, Charmaine Gauci, director of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, said yesterday. Addressing a joint press conference on the EU's "Help, For a Life Without Tobacco" campaign, Dr Gauci said it is difficult to gauge the number of deaths directly caused by smoking. . . . Malta was one of the first countries worldwide to adopt the smoking ban in public places, and this has certainly contributed to lower levels of tobacco smoke in the air. However, as Ms Buttigieg pointed out, a lot still has to be done in terms of enforcement. She also stressed the importance of anti-smoking campaigns such as "Help", which raise awareness on the harmful effects of carbon monoxide (CO), a toxic gas produced by smoking any form of tobacco. The "Help" campaign included a study, the "Help-COmets study", which was a survey of 221,650 smokers and non-smokers across the EU. Malta Independent tmid@independent.com.mt (FRANCESCA VELLA) Europe Malta Mon, 27 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081025/local/shisha-smoking-on-the-rise-among-teenagers http://tobacco.org/news/272879.html Shisha is becoming more common among teenagers even though one filling of this Arab water pipe is equivalent to about 70 cigarette drags, a study revealed. Depending on the amount of shisha tobacco mixed with water, the pipe gives off as much toxic carbon monoxide as 15 to 52 cigarettes and as much tar as 27 to 102 cigarettes, Anne Buttigieg, the Health Department's senior occupational therapist and project coordinator, said. She unveiled the local results of the Help-COmets study, conducted among EU member states as part of the Help Campaign aimed at persuading people to quit smoking, or not to start. The study, revealed during a press conference yesterday, required EU citizens to volunteer to have their breath tested in order to measure tobacco-related carbon monoxide exhaled (COex). The aim was to provide an interactive and entertaining method for people to recognise the effects of tobacco smoke on their health. Times of Malta websales@timesofmalta.com (Claudia Calleja) Malta Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msrv/msfullart.asp?an=22688 http://tobacco.org/news/268978.html Four years after smoking was banned from indoor public places, outdoor venues such as open air restaurants and bars, have become the natural smoking zones, and it may be time to consider whether these too should become smoke-free. Joe Gerada, the chief executive officer of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, explained to maltastar.com that the European Commission's proposed new regulations to increase tax on tobacco is a move in the right direction, as studies show that higher prices of tobacco will lead to lower consumption. The Commission says that if the new legislation is introduced, smoking across the EU will decrease by 10% in the next five years. The proposed regulations will see prices of cigarettes in Malta rise by at least 8.1% by 2014. Other countries will see a sharper hike in cigarette prices, as unlike Malta, their current tax rates are much lower than the newly proposed minimum rates. maltastar.com info@maltastar.com Europe Malta Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080610/local/smoking-is-not-cool http://tobacco.org/news/266723.html The World Health Organisation's Health Behaviour in School-age Children shows that smoking in Malta among 15-year-olds is on the increase. A new approach will be taken to warning youngsters away from tobacco as the number of teenage smokers in Malta continues to rise. According to a study by the World Health Organisation, the number of 15-year-old boys who smoke has gone up to 40.2 per cent in 2006 from 37.6 per cent in 2001/2002. . . . A ban on smoking in public places came into force in 2005 and the advertising of cigarettes has been made illegal. Now the department is working on pictorials for cigarette packets, he said. Another initiative of the department is the Quit and Win competition that encourages smokers to stop smoking and win prizes, said Anne Buttigieg, senior occupational therapist at the department. Times of Malta websales@timesofmalta.com Malta Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=70090 http://tobacco.org/news/266392.html In October 2004, smoking was banned in all enclosed public spaces, including public transportation, clubs and restaurants, although smoking areas are allowed. Between October and December 2004, 45 people were charged in court for breaching the smoking regulations. There has since been a steady increase in the number of infringements, as 230 people were charged in 2005, 776 in 2006, going up to 1,275 people who were caught breaching the law in 2007. Between January and April of this year, 560 people have been charged in court. The introduction of the smoking ban had not been easily accepted. Malta Independent tmid@independent.com.mt (Juan Ameen) Malta Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsID=51355&newscategory=34 http://tobacco.org/news/265141.html Anthony Bartolo, 47, of Qormi was arraigned in court and charged with trying to seriously injuring Alexander Taliana at Incognito Bar and Restaurant in Bugibba last Sunday. Mr Taliana asked the accused to stop smoking in the bar or leave but Bartolo started a fight and tried to hit him with a flick knife. di-ve.com Malta Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080423/local/warning-over-dangerous-lighters-issued http://tobacco.org/news/263974.html The Malta Standards Authority has warned that illegal, non-refillable cigarette lighters, called novelty lighters, are available for sale from different retail outlets around the Maltese Islands even though they are dangerous. The European Commission in May 2006 had banned the sale of such lighters because they are unsafe, particularly children. Times of Malta websales@timesofmalta.com Malta Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.di-ve.com/Default.aspx?ID=72&Action=1&NewsID=50982&newscategory=36 http://tobacco.org/news/263900.html The Malta Standards Authority insists that hundreds of cigarette lighters have to be withdrawn from the market over concerns they could appeal to children. A number of illegal, non-refillable cigarette lighters, termed novelty lighters, are available for sale from different retail outlets around the Maltese Islands. di-ve.com Malta Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml?id=288870&pid=1 http://tobacco.org/news/253453.html The EU's Help! For a Life without Tobacco anti-smoking campaign was very busy during the month of September. In order to continue with the awareness and educational campaign, together with the other EU member countries, the EU Help campaign took to the streets of Paceville and joined the youths on Friday night. No sooner was the stand pitched up that youths, adolescents and adults alike came to see what was being offered. Both Maltese and tourists visited the stand. The Health Promotion Department facilitators carried out the CO tests and information and promotional material was given out and as always advise on how to quit. di-ve.com Malta Sat, 06 Oct 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.maltamedia.com/artman2/publish/financial/article_3138.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/251392.html British American Tobacco Malta moved to new premises in Qormi. General Manager Ronnie Abela said "We moved to new modern premises in a central location, following the Central Cigarette factory closure. This is a new beginning for us, however British American Tobacco has been in Malta for a hundred years." The premises were officially opened by the Minister for Investment, Industry and Information Technology Dr. Austin Gatt, on 30th July, in the presence of BAT's Director, Stephan Liechti. MaltaMedia Malta Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=270324 http://tobacco.org/news/250760.html British American Tobacco (BAT) Malta has moved to new premises in Qormi. "We moved to new modern premises in a central location, following the Central Cigarette factory closure," general manager Ronnie Abela said. "This is a new beginning for us, however British American Tobacco has been in Malta for a hundred years." Times of Malta Malta Sun, 05 Aug 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=51959 http://tobacco.org/news/247697.html In a European Union report about attitudes towards tobacco, published in 2007 both positive and negative outcomes resulted. The positive aspect that was reported was that four out of five Europeans believed that passive smoking could cause health problems. The need for the Maltese population to adopt a non-smoking policy within the home and car environment was still high. This was because 23 per cent of non-smokers were exposed to tobacco smoke in the home while 16 per cent of children were exposed to tobacco in a car environment. Malta Independent Malta Sat, 02 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=51506 http://tobacco.org/news/247670.html Malta and Hungary were the only two countries where the number of people who believed that cancer may result from passive smoking had gone down over the past two years, according to a recent Eurobarometer study entitled Attitudes of Europeans towards Tobacco. According to the report, all the countries, apart from Hungary and Malta, recorded that a higher number of people believe that passive smoking may cause cancer. In the UK, the proportion of those who thought that cancer could be a result of passive smoking remained the same. Malta, however, fared better in other aspects of the report, ranking third with 57 per cent of respondents saying they never smoked. Portugal came first, with 64 per cent of people saying they never smoked, followed by Slovakia with 59 per cent. Malta Independent tmid@independent.com.mt (Juan Ameen) Europe Malta Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT