http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/org/blues.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-16-2008/0004850578&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/268840.html Research released today in the American Journal of Public Health found evidence that the tobacco industry has manipulated menthol levels and created new cigarette brands with the intention of gaining market share among young adults and adolescents. The article, Tobacco Industry Control of Menthol Cigarettes and Targeting of Adolescents and Young Adults, compiled data and tobacco industry documents that reveal the tobacco industry's intention to vary strengths of menthol flavors in cigarettes, appealing to young people. The research was conducted by the Division of Public Health Practice at the Harvard School of Public Health and funded in part by the American Legacy Foundation(R). PR Newswire Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jun/16/blue_cross_kansas_enact_tobaccofree_workplace/ http://tobacco.org/news/267000.html The state’s largest health insurer -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas -- is going smoke-free. On July 1, the company, which employs 1,450 people in Topeka and 10 field offices, including one in Lawrence, will ban tobacco at its workplaces. "Implementing a tobacco-free policy sends a strong message that we care about the health and safety of our employees,” said Graham Bailey, vice president of corporate communications and public relations. “We cannot be credible in promoting the importance of health and wellness to our employer groups and members if we are not first willing to tackle the big issues ourselves," Bailey said. Lawrence Journal-World Mon, 16 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-15-2008/0004815107&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/265351.html Jared McNally, a third grader at Anderson Elementary in Sand Springs, Okla., and Magethsi Soria, a fifth grader at Rancho Village Elementary in Oklahoma City, each will produce their own 30-second TV public service announcements (PSAs) about the dangers of tobacco use. McNally and Soria's drawings and narratives were chosen from more than 2,200 entries across the state in the Be Smart-Don't Start! tobacco storyboard contest for students, grades kindergarten through fifth. McNally and Soria, eastern and central/western Oklahoma grand prize winners respectively, will have their PSAs shown on television throughout the summer to teach their peers why they shouldn't smoke. The PSAs will feature animated versions of the children's artwork and their own voices reading their narratives. Winning entries can be viewed online at http://www.bcbsok.com. The program is co-sponsored by the American Lung Association of Central States Serving Oklahoma, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Cox Communications, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma State Department of Health. PR Newswire Thu, 15 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.startribune.com/science/18723969.html http://tobacco.org/news/264976.html Ten years ago this week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota became the first private insurance company to score a legal victory against the tobacco industry. Blue Cross will mark that anniversary by hosting a daylong Prevention Minnesota conference Thursday at the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka. Minneapolis Star Tribune Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-07-2008/0004808039&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/264975.html Ten years ago this week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) became the first private insurance company to score a legal victory against the tobacco industry. On May 8, 1998, Blue Cross and the State of Minnesota agreed to settlement terms with the tobacco industry, ending a four-month trial that had national and even international implications. The benefits of this settlement are clear today, as Minnesota enjoys a lower smoking rate than the national average. The historic lawsuit and trial received worldwide attention for exposing the tobacco industry's long history of deceptive marketing, advertising and research, ultimately forcing the industry to change its business practices. In addition to Blue Cross' monetary award of $469 million and the State's award of $6.1 billion, the settlement required tobacco companies to stop a number of practices in Minnesota. The restrictions, which were quickly adopted by 46 other states . . . Others have said our decision to sue the industry was the greatest act of corporate courage they had ever seen. Courageous or not, it was the right thing to do," said Dr. Mark Banks, CEO, Blue Cross. "The lawsuit paved the way for significant public health achievements and will continue to have a profound impact on the health of our members and all Minnesotans for years to come." Ten years later, the victory over the tobacco industry is still giving back to Minnesotans. Blue Cross continues to commit its settlement money to create lasting change that improves health for all Minnesotans. In 2006, Blue Cross launched Prevention Minnesota, a long-term initiative to reduce heart disease and cancers by tackling their root causes -- tobacco use, secondhand smoke, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating. . . . Blue Cross will mark the tobacco settlement anniversary by hosting a day-long Prevention Minnesota conference at the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka on May 8. For more information on Blue Cross' Prevention Minnesota initiative, visit http://www.bluecrossmn.com/preventionminnesota. PR Newswire Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.startribune.com/business/14424041.html http://tobacco.org/news/258712.html WHERE THE TOBACCO FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota received $469 million in the settlement. This is the company's plan for spending it: • $241 million for Prevention Minnesota, a program to reduce smoking, increase physical activity and promote healthy eating. • $71 million goes back to plan members. . . . ClearWay Minnesota was created by the settlement with a $202 million endowment and a 25-year lifespan. So far, it has spent the money this way: • $31.6 million for education and outreach, including a statewide advertising campaign on ClearWay's cessation program and the dangers of secondhand smoke. Minneapolis Star Tribune Sat, 26 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/12-10-2007/0004720072&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/256553.html The state's largest health plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), recorded that more of its members sought help to quit smoking in October, according to enrollment data reported by Blue Cross' telephone coaching quitline. Stop-smoking quitline enrollments increased from 368 in September 2007 to 525 in October 2007 -- nearly a 43 percent increase. This October's number represents a 28 percent increase from a year ago, when the program enrolled 410 members. PR Newswire Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-14-2007/0004705306&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/256233.html Empire BlueCross BlueShield today published its new State Health Index, a set of measures that incorporates public health data to identify and help address major health issues in New York. Empire has assembled a dedicated team to collaborate with health care providers, local and state officials, as well as community organizations, to better understand the reasons behind prevalent health deficiencies and to, more importantly, develop collaborative solutions aimed at improving overall health in the state. Developed from data collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the State Health Index ranks New York 27th in the nation based on a comprehensive assessment of 23 measures of health status. While addressing all 23 measures, Empire will initially focus on eight of these measures having the greatest impact on New York . . . , New Yorkers rank 43rd in the heart disease death rate (deaths per 100,000 residents caused by coronary heart disease) and 23rd in the cigarette smoking rate (percentage of adults in the state who smoke cigarettes). PR Newswire Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:00:00 GMT http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata/Tobacco_law_goes_up_in_smoke/articleshow/2593350.cms http://tobacco.org/news/256186.html It seems the government's writ doesn't run in its own offices. Walk into any state office and you would find cigarette and pan shops, often on the premises, in blatant violation of a ban enacted by Parliament against sale of tobacco products and pan in any government facility. In fact, pan and bidi shops do brisk business in government offices in West Bengal, with state employees providing a ready market for them. With the government failing to enforce this simple legal provision, it is hardly surprising that the more important law of banning smoking in public places has gone up in smoke. The Times of India India Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT https://register.medianewsgroup.com/reg/login.htm?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/lifestyle/ci_7414005?nclick_check=1 http://tobacco.org/news/255042.html Searching for ways to fund their plan for universal health care, Democrats this week turned to an easy-to-vilify target: tobacco. They proposed a $2-a-pack cigarette tax that would generate nearly $2 billion a year and, supporters say, carry the added benefit of curbing smoking, a worthy goal in the context of health care reform. Problem is, it might be the very thing that dooms health care reform. A new cigarette tax would be tantamount to a declaration of war on Big Tobacco, which last year spent more than $65 million to defeat a $2.60-a-pack tax on the California ballot and just this week easily turned back an attempt in Oregon to raise tobacco taxes. "You can bet they would aggressively fight it, and I don't think they'd be alone," said Sacramento political consultant Frank Schubert, who advised tobacco companies during last year's ballot campaign. . . . "If you have all of the health care community backing reform, I think it can trump the money spent by tobacco," said Kris Deutschman, a political consultant who advised last year's failed campaign to raise the tobacco tax. "Because all they have is money and self-interest." San Jose Mercury-News Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-23-2007/0004687560&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/254198.html Less than one month after the state's new smoke-free law took effect, more than 3,000 scientists and health advocates are converging on Minneapolis to attend the biennial National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) conference October 24-26 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. NCTOH is the nation's largest and longest-lasting gathering of the U.S. tobacco control movement. Through the expertise of approximately 1,200 presenters, more than 100 of them local, the conference aims to improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of tobacco control programs and activities in the United States. Experts will be presenting on topics ranging from the latest evidence on health impacts to new treatments in cessation, from secondhand smoke policy approaches to youth and priority populations advocacy, and much more. Conference organizers selected this location because of its smoke-free status. PR Newswire Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-25-2007/0004669118&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/253960.html Call it Quits -- a newly named collaboration among Minnesota's major health plans and ClearWay Minnesota(SM) -- is launching a new program that makes it easier for physicians and other healthcare providers to help their patients who want to stop smoking. The Minnesota Clinic Fax Referral Program begins October 1, just in time for the start of the statewide smoke-free law which also takes effect that day. This new program will allow clinics across the state to more easily refer a patient to stop-smoking phone coaching support, regardless of the patient's health care coverage. Call it Quits includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), ClearWay Minnesota(SM), HealthPartners, Medica, Metropolitan Health Plan, MMSI, Preferred One, and UCare. The group represents all the tobacco quitlines in the state that offer phone coaching to smokers who are trying to quit. PR Newswire Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-28-2007/0004672183&EDATE= http://tobacco.org/news/252990.html "As the state implements the new smoke-free law on October 1, Minnesotans should know FREE support is available for anyone who wants to quit smoking and that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota stands ready to help its members with the BluePrint for Health(R) stop-smoking program," said Mark W. Banks, M.D., CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross). PR Newswire Fri, 28 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11539231/ http://tobacco.org/news/246089.html There are at least two good reasons to stop smoking. Number one: It may damage your health. Number tw It raises the production costs for bibles, ASSIST News Service reports. The Chinese craving for cigarettes is responsible for rising paper costs in bible printing, according to the business manager of the German Bible Society, Felix Breidenstein. Because of the rising demand for cigarette paper in China the special thin paper used in bible printing is getting more expensive, as Breidenstein told the German news magazine Der Spiegel. The German Bible Society sells approximately 400,000 bibles per year. Crosswalk.com News Channel China Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT http://ap.yankton.net/stories/state/sd/20070427/166105229.shtml http://tobacco.org/news/246084.html A campaign to reduce smoking in South Dakota by sharply increasing the state tax on cigarettes appears to be working. The state tax on a pack of cigarettes went up by $1 a pack Jan. 1, making the tax $1.53, or the 10th highest tobacco tax among all states. The tax increase was the result of a successful petition campaign by anti-smoking forces and a subsequent ballot measure that passed in November. Michael Kenyon, who manages the collection of special taxes for the state Revenue Department, said first-quarter figures indicate 7.2 million packs of cigarettes were sold in South Dakota in that period, raising $14.1 million in revenue. AP Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:00:00 GMT