A new crackdown is set to be launched on the tobacco black market in Hull.
Officials admit they don't know the full extent of illegal tobacco sales in the city.
But they believe Hull far outstrips national estimates that 13 per cent of all cigarettes smoked in the UK are illicit.
The new crackdown follows a decision by the Department of Health to award Hull £200,000 to develop initiatives to reduce smoking.
The city was one of 24 areas across the country to receive funding after being identified as having one of the highest smoking rates per head of population.
The initiative is set to include:
* Increased activity by Revenue and Customers investigators involving raids and seizures.
* More prosecutions for retailers caught selling tobacco to under-age youngsters.
* New educational campaigns aimed at reducing the appeal of smoking among young people.
Trevor Parkin, health policy co-ordinator at Hull City Council, said: "There is a degree of intelligence which has been given to Revenue and Customs and over the next few months there will be more visits and seizures.
"However, there is a lot more going on out there than we actually know about. The intelligence is not as good as it could be."
Mr Parkin said recent evidence-gathering included just over 100 test purchases carried out by trading standards officials investigating the underage sale of tobacco in Hull.
They found that one in three retails sold tobacco without asking for proof of age.
"This is the highest percentage failure rate in Yorkshire and the Humber and almost twice the national average," he added.
Mr Parkin also revealed officials had carried out a survey of discarded cigarette packets at Hull Fair in an attempt to find out the extent counterfeit and smuggled tobacco in the city.
"It was one method of trying to establish a picture of what is going on and more surveys will be carried out," he said.
The crackdown will also see the appointment of the city's first full-time tobacco control officer who will be based in the council's trading standards section.
The new post is expected to be advertised in the next few weeks.
Councillors on the city's health scrutiny commission heard eastern European-owned shops would also be targeted in the new crackdown because some were believed to be a source of cheap , illegally-sourced imported cigarettes
They were also told that educational programmes in schools appeared to be paying off with a recent survey suggesting a significant reduction in the number of young smokers in all age groups since similar research was carried out in 2002.
Councillor Mark Collinson said he believed enforcement would be difficult without greater checks at entry points such as ports.
"I seriously wonder how we are going to stop people bringing back cheap cigarettes from their holidays to sell to their mates."
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понедельник, 18 января 2010 г.
вторник, 29 декабря 2009 г.
Cambodian moms-to-be chew tobacco for nausea
When pregnant Cambodian women suffer morning sickness, they often reach for an unlikely source of relief: a wad of chewing tobacco.
Many become hooked, and the World Health Organization warned Thursday it is a tradition putting the health of both mothers and babies at risk.
The largest tobacco survey ever conducted in Cambodia found that about half of all women older than 48 regularly chew tobacco, and about one in five rural women first took up the habit during pregnancy, to soothe their prenatal nausea.
The survey conducted by WHO and other researchers found that midwives are the country's biggest users of smokeless tobacco, with 68 percent chewing it. About half of traditional female healers use it as well.
"Chewing tobacco appears to be strongly influenced by beliefs passed on by older relatives," lead author, Dr. Pramil N. Singh from Loma Linda University in California, said in a statement. "The behavior is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood. Further research is needed to find out whether village health workers actively promote its medicinal use."
The tobacco leaves are typically mixed with lime and betel nut, a mild natural stimulant that produces a bright red juice and has been used for centuries across the Asia-Pacific. Cambodian women place the concoction inside their mouths for an extended period, increasing their risk of suffering oral cancer.
As with pregnant women who smoke, those who chew tobacco also put their babies at risk for problems such as low birth weight, decreased lung function and stillbirth.
"Some women believe that when they chew tobacco, they look better," said Dr. Mom Kong, director of the nonprofit Cambodia Movement for Health. "And some start chewing tobacco when they get pregnant to cope with morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy. Some crave something sour. But some women get addicted while using it during the pregnancy."
As many as three-quarters of all men in some Southeast Asian countries smoke cigarettes, but fewer than 20 percent of the region's women ever pick up the habit. While about half of older Cambodian women chew tobacco, only about 4 percent of them smoke, compared to nearly half of all men in the country.
The rate of Cambodian women using tobacco increased with age. Similar trends have been observed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Taiwan, India, Palau and China.
Dr. Susan Mercado, WHO's tobacco control adviser for the Western-Pacific region, said it's common for women, men and children across the region to chew tobacco with betel nut, especially in the Pacific islands where cigarettes are sometimes unrolled and chewed. However, she was unaware of pregnant women using tobacco to lessen morning sickness symptoms anywhere but Cambodia.
"It's very, very concerning because the impact is not only on the woman but also on the unborn child, and the risk could be quite severe," she said. "Countries need to have very specific programs that target whatever kind of tobacco use is prevalent. Just because everyone is saying the big problem is second-hand smoke ... the problem may not be second-hand smoke for women, it's actually chewing."
The study, conducted from 2005 to 2006, involved about 14,000 adult Cambodians nationwide. It was published online in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
Many become hooked, and the World Health Organization warned Thursday it is a tradition putting the health of both mothers and babies at risk.
The largest tobacco survey ever conducted in Cambodia found that about half of all women older than 48 regularly chew tobacco, and about one in five rural women first took up the habit during pregnancy, to soothe their prenatal nausea.
The survey conducted by WHO and other researchers found that midwives are the country's biggest users of smokeless tobacco, with 68 percent chewing it. About half of traditional female healers use it as well.
"Chewing tobacco appears to be strongly influenced by beliefs passed on by older relatives," lead author, Dr. Pramil N. Singh from Loma Linda University in California, said in a statement. "The behavior is seen as a rite of passage into womanhood. Further research is needed to find out whether village health workers actively promote its medicinal use."
The tobacco leaves are typically mixed with lime and betel nut, a mild natural stimulant that produces a bright red juice and has been used for centuries across the Asia-Pacific. Cambodian women place the concoction inside their mouths for an extended period, increasing their risk of suffering oral cancer.
As with pregnant women who smoke, those who chew tobacco also put their babies at risk for problems such as low birth weight, decreased lung function and stillbirth.
"Some women believe that when they chew tobacco, they look better," said Dr. Mom Kong, director of the nonprofit Cambodia Movement for Health. "And some start chewing tobacco when they get pregnant to cope with morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy. Some crave something sour. But some women get addicted while using it during the pregnancy."
As many as three-quarters of all men in some Southeast Asian countries smoke cigarettes, but fewer than 20 percent of the region's women ever pick up the habit. While about half of older Cambodian women chew tobacco, only about 4 percent of them smoke, compared to nearly half of all men in the country.
The rate of Cambodian women using tobacco increased with age. Similar trends have been observed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Taiwan, India, Palau and China.
Dr. Susan Mercado, WHO's tobacco control adviser for the Western-Pacific region, said it's common for women, men and children across the region to chew tobacco with betel nut, especially in the Pacific islands where cigarettes are sometimes unrolled and chewed. However, she was unaware of pregnant women using tobacco to lessen morning sickness symptoms anywhere but Cambodia.
"It's very, very concerning because the impact is not only on the woman but also on the unborn child, and the risk could be quite severe," she said. "Countries need to have very specific programs that target whatever kind of tobacco use is prevalent. Just because everyone is saying the big problem is second-hand smoke ... the problem may not be second-hand smoke for women, it's actually chewing."
The study, conducted from 2005 to 2006, involved about 14,000 adult Cambodians nationwide. It was published online in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
вторник, 22 декабря 2009 г.
Tobacco Companies Brace for Tax Increase
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- International tobacco companies have inched lower as they brace for a major tax increase on cigarettes in Japan.Philip Morris International(PM Quote) stock has lost 0.4% at $50.10 and British American Tobacco(BTI Quote) has declined 0.7% at $63.40.
Japan is set to announce its biggest ever tax increase on cigarettes -- in a nation in which 40% of the male population smokes and cigarettes sell for 300 yen or $3.39 a pack -- according the Wall Street Journal. A pack of cigarettes in New York City can cost more than $10.
Smoking rates among the male population in Japan are projected to fall to about 27% if cigarette prices are raised by even 200 yen, according to Japan's Health Ministry -- bad news for cigarette companies with market share in the lucrative, $38 billion Japan tobacco market.
Yet this could also end up being a false scare for tobacco companies. At the beginning of the month, shares of cigarette companies jumped after a news report detailed a smaller-than-expected tax increase on tobacco products in Japan and a hike that was less than the Health Ministry had been pushing for.
Japan rakes in about $11 billion in revenue a year from taxes on tobacco products. Altria(ALG Quote), which owns Philip Morris USA, is up 0.4% at $19.70 and US cigarette manufacturer Lorillard(LO Quote) has added 0.8% at $70.30.
Japan is set to announce its biggest ever tax increase on cigarettes -- in a nation in which 40% of the male population smokes and cigarettes sell for 300 yen or $3.39 a pack -- according the Wall Street Journal. A pack of cigarettes in New York City can cost more than $10.
Smoking rates among the male population in Japan are projected to fall to about 27% if cigarette prices are raised by even 200 yen, according to Japan's Health Ministry -- bad news for cigarette companies with market share in the lucrative, $38 billion Japan tobacco market.
Yet this could also end up being a false scare for tobacco companies. At the beginning of the month, shares of cigarette companies jumped after a news report detailed a smaller-than-expected tax increase on tobacco products in Japan and a hike that was less than the Health Ministry had been pushing for.
Japan rakes in about $11 billion in revenue a year from taxes on tobacco products. Altria(ALG Quote), which owns Philip Morris USA, is up 0.4% at $19.70 and US cigarette manufacturer Lorillard(LO Quote) has added 0.8% at $70.30.
пятница, 18 декабря 2009 г.
'Electronic' cigarettes spark several concerns
Todd Charron began puffing on a battery-powered electronic cigarette as an alternative to his regular cigarettes and also to save a little money.
"I don't want to put a positive or negative spin on it," he said, referring to the e-cigarette, which delivers a preset dose of nicotine, but none of tobacco's tar, through a vapor mist.
"It's definitely not like smoking a cigarette, but it's not terrible," the Palm Bay resident said, describing his experience with the smokelike product during the past several months. "I'm still on the fence, though my wife, Heather, doesn't touch hers anymore."
The market for electronic cigarettes nationwide has grown rapidly, however, so much so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration joined other public health officials earlier this summer in issuing a warning about potential health risks. The federal agency said e-cigarettes lack federal regulation and have been inadequately studied for safety, so consumers have no way of knowing what, besides nicotine, may be inside them.
"Our biggest concern is the lack of safety data," said Siobhan DeLancey, a spokeswoman for FDA. "But we also have issues with how they are marketed" -- often in shopping malls and online -- and in flavors such as bubblegum, chocolate or peppermint, which might make them appealing to children or adolescents.
DeLancey said the agency's position is that electronic cigarettes, which contain cartridges filled with varying levels of nicotine from light to heavy, should be subject to regulation under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as a drug-delivery device.
At least one electronic cigarette distributor is legally challenging that regulatory authority, along with the notion its products are smoking-cessation devices, rather than cigarette alternatives for adults, the company's claim.
"The issue is being fought out in federal court right now," DeLancey said, referring to the lawsuit.
Exactly how many manufacturers make e-cigarettes is hard to determine, but by one estimate, there probably are several hundred of them. And, after a preliminary analysis of two leading e-cigarette brands, the federal agency began halting dozens of shipments of the tobacco-free products from entering the country, a trigger behind the current litigation.E-cigarettes look like conventional cigarettes. But, because they don't have tobacco, they can be used wherever smoking is banned from offices and restaurants to bars, accounting, in part, for their popularity.
The average price tag ranges from $70 to $150 for a starter kit, which typically contains two electronic cigarettes, five to 10 replaceable cartridges of varying nicotine strength and extra batteries.
The cartridges contain the nicotine dose as well as propylene glycol, a liquid that vaporizes and produces the smokelike mist. When a user inhales and takes a puff, a sensor heats the cartridge, initiating the smoking process.
"It actually has a heavier sensation than a cigarette," said Charron, who first heard about e-cigarettes on the radio. "Have you ever breathed directly from a humidifier? It feels a bit like that. Vapor is what you're smoking."
Cheaper than regular cigarettes
Starter kits last as long as the battery and the atomizer work, according to Amy Linert, a spokeswoman and marketer for the Electronic Cigarette Association, a small group of about 15 manufacturers seeking to set national standards for the industry.
The cartridges must be replaced regularly, from "every couple of days to every couple of weeks," she said, depending on an individual's smoking habits.
Still, while the average smoker in Florida pays $5 to $6 for a pack of regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes are cheaper, she said, costing less than half that amount, or the equivalent of $2 a pack.
"This is for smokers who can't or don't want to stop smoking," Linert stressed.
Like the other manufacturers, she said, the association views electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, not as smoking-cessation products, which often fail. The American Cancer Society estimates 440,000 people in the United States die each year from tobacco use, primarily from cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus.
Candylike flavors appeal to children
Although the association is not part of the lawsuit against the FDA, Linert said, the group recently addressed at least two of the agency's concerns and those of several medical organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association.
Revised bylaws, for example, now prohibit members from marketing any candylike flavors in e-cigarettes, to undercut their appeal to children or adolescents.
Also, Linert said, association members do not support the sale of e-cigarettes at kiosks or malls, preferring behind-the-counter sales where the age of customers can be monitored to ensure they are not too young to buy them.
As for the FDA analysis of e-cigarette products, Linert said, it showed only one manufacturer used about a 1 percent solution of diethylene glycol, an antifreeze ingredient toxic to humans, to make the vapor that smokers ultimately expel.
Members of the association use propylene glycol in their e-cigarette products instead, she said. And while propylene glycol also is used in commercial antifreeze, "it's a substance generally considered safe by the government," she said, and also can be found in makeup and food coloring, among other uses.
"I don't want to put a positive or negative spin on it," he said, referring to the e-cigarette, which delivers a preset dose of nicotine, but none of tobacco's tar, through a vapor mist.
"It's definitely not like smoking a cigarette, but it's not terrible," the Palm Bay resident said, describing his experience with the smokelike product during the past several months. "I'm still on the fence, though my wife, Heather, doesn't touch hers anymore."
The market for electronic cigarettes nationwide has grown rapidly, however, so much so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration joined other public health officials earlier this summer in issuing a warning about potential health risks. The federal agency said e-cigarettes lack federal regulation and have been inadequately studied for safety, so consumers have no way of knowing what, besides nicotine, may be inside them.
"Our biggest concern is the lack of safety data," said Siobhan DeLancey, a spokeswoman for FDA. "But we also have issues with how they are marketed" -- often in shopping malls and online -- and in flavors such as bubblegum, chocolate or peppermint, which might make them appealing to children or adolescents.
DeLancey said the agency's position is that electronic cigarettes, which contain cartridges filled with varying levels of nicotine from light to heavy, should be subject to regulation under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as a drug-delivery device.
At least one electronic cigarette distributor is legally challenging that regulatory authority, along with the notion its products are smoking-cessation devices, rather than cigarette alternatives for adults, the company's claim.
"The issue is being fought out in federal court right now," DeLancey said, referring to the lawsuit.
Exactly how many manufacturers make e-cigarettes is hard to determine, but by one estimate, there probably are several hundred of them. And, after a preliminary analysis of two leading e-cigarette brands, the federal agency began halting dozens of shipments of the tobacco-free products from entering the country, a trigger behind the current litigation.E-cigarettes look like conventional cigarettes. But, because they don't have tobacco, they can be used wherever smoking is banned from offices and restaurants to bars, accounting, in part, for their popularity.
The average price tag ranges from $70 to $150 for a starter kit, which typically contains two electronic cigarettes, five to 10 replaceable cartridges of varying nicotine strength and extra batteries.
The cartridges contain the nicotine dose as well as propylene glycol, a liquid that vaporizes and produces the smokelike mist. When a user inhales and takes a puff, a sensor heats the cartridge, initiating the smoking process.
"It actually has a heavier sensation than a cigarette," said Charron, who first heard about e-cigarettes on the radio. "Have you ever breathed directly from a humidifier? It feels a bit like that. Vapor is what you're smoking."
Cheaper than regular cigarettes
Starter kits last as long as the battery and the atomizer work, according to Amy Linert, a spokeswoman and marketer for the Electronic Cigarette Association, a small group of about 15 manufacturers seeking to set national standards for the industry.
The cartridges must be replaced regularly, from "every couple of days to every couple of weeks," she said, depending on an individual's smoking habits.
Still, while the average smoker in Florida pays $5 to $6 for a pack of regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes are cheaper, she said, costing less than half that amount, or the equivalent of $2 a pack.
"This is for smokers who can't or don't want to stop smoking," Linert stressed.
Like the other manufacturers, she said, the association views electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, not as smoking-cessation products, which often fail. The American Cancer Society estimates 440,000 people in the United States die each year from tobacco use, primarily from cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, pharynx and esophagus.
Candylike flavors appeal to children
Although the association is not part of the lawsuit against the FDA, Linert said, the group recently addressed at least two of the agency's concerns and those of several medical organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association.
Revised bylaws, for example, now prohibit members from marketing any candylike flavors in e-cigarettes, to undercut their appeal to children or adolescents.
Also, Linert said, association members do not support the sale of e-cigarettes at kiosks or malls, preferring behind-the-counter sales where the age of customers can be monitored to ensure they are not too young to buy them.
As for the FDA analysis of e-cigarette products, Linert said, it showed only one manufacturer used about a 1 percent solution of diethylene glycol, an antifreeze ingredient toxic to humans, to make the vapor that smokers ultimately expel.
Members of the association use propylene glycol in their e-cigarette products instead, she said. And while propylene glycol also is used in commercial antifreeze, "it's a substance generally considered safe by the government," she said, and also can be found in makeup and food coloring, among other uses.
вторник, 24 ноября 2009 г.
Apple "refuses to repair smokers' Macs"
Apple is reportedly refusing to repair the Macs of smokers because the tobacco residue inside the machines poses a health risk.
Two separate US Apple repair centres have allegedly told customers that they couldn't repair their Macs because their machines had been contaminated by cigarette smoke.
"When I asked for an explanation, she said he's a smoker and it's contaminated with cigarette smoke which they consider a bio-hazard!" claims one of the customers, who was attempting to get her son's Mac repaired, according to the Consumerist website.
"I checked my Applecare warranty and it says nothing about not honouring warranties if the owner is a smoker. The Applecare representative said they defer to the technician and my son's computer cannot be fixed at any Apple Service Centre due to being listed a bio-hazard."
When the customer complained to Steve Jobs' office, she was reportedly told that nicotine was listed as a hazardous substance by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and that the company wouldn't undertake a repair.
Another customer got a similar answer from a repair store in Iowa.
Apple's safety-first approach to dangerous substances might raise eyebrows at Greenpeace. Although Apple is praised for its work in eliminating dangerous chemicals from its products, substances such as Arsenic can still be found in Apple hardware, according to its latest Guide to Greener Electronics (PDF).
Apple was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
Two separate US Apple repair centres have allegedly told customers that they couldn't repair their Macs because their machines had been contaminated by cigarette smoke.
"When I asked for an explanation, she said he's a smoker and it's contaminated with cigarette smoke which they consider a bio-hazard!" claims one of the customers, who was attempting to get her son's Mac repaired, according to the Consumerist website.
"I checked my Applecare warranty and it says nothing about not honouring warranties if the owner is a smoker. The Applecare representative said they defer to the technician and my son's computer cannot be fixed at any Apple Service Centre due to being listed a bio-hazard."
When the customer complained to Steve Jobs' office, she was reportedly told that nicotine was listed as a hazardous substance by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and that the company wouldn't undertake a repair.
Another customer got a similar answer from a repair store in Iowa.
Apple's safety-first approach to dangerous substances might raise eyebrows at Greenpeace. Although Apple is praised for its work in eliminating dangerous chemicals from its products, substances such as Arsenic can still be found in Apple hardware, according to its latest Guide to Greener Electronics (PDF).
Apple was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
понедельник, 2 ноября 2009 г.
Toward Tobacco-Free Campuses
The American College Health Association released new guidelines Monday urging colleges and universities to adopt policies barring all tobacco use indoors and outdoors on their campuses.
The recommendations signal a shift for the association, which in its previous position statement, adopted in 2005, urged campus health officials to ban all smoking indoors but still permit it in “designated smoking spaces” outside.
Jim Turner, president of the ACHA and executive director of the University of Virginia’s student health center, said the guidelines reflect policies that are “from a public health standpoint, what we all aspire to have for our campuses.”He acknowledged the position statement “sets a very, very high bar for some campuses to get to,” but said that the members of the ACHA’s board, executive committee and Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Coalition considered it “an important statement to be made” about tobacco use on campuses. “We may not achieve our total goal across the country but at least we can provoke a debate and get some movement on our campuses.”
Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, called the guidelines “excellent” progress and said she hoped campuses would seriously consider adopting them.
As of October 6, Hallett’s group had identified 365 U.S. colleges and universities with policies requiring that all campus spaces, indoors and outdoors, be smokefree. Another 76 institutions have “100 percent smokefree campuses with minor exemptions for remote outdoor areas.”
All 33 public college and university campuses in the state of Arkansas prohibit smoking inside and outside. Despite complaints and protests coming from employees and students, a law enacted last year in Pennsylvania bars smoking indoors and outdoors at all 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
The ACHA’s recommendations go even further. They ban not just the use of cigarettes, cigars and other smoke-producing products but also the use of snuff, chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products. The eventual goal, as described in the position statement, is “becoming or maintaining tobacco-free living and learning environments that support the achievement of personal and academic goals.”
John Nothdurft, a legislative specialist on tobacco at the Heartland Institute, a nonprofit with libertarian and conservative positions, said he is “not surprised by any means” by the ACHA’s recommendations. “You saw this in Pennsylvania, you’ve seen this in other states,” he said. “This is more of a PR stunt than anything else. It’s more nannying going on by organizations trying to win brownie points from special interest groups.”
Nothdurft expressed concern that institutions would adopt policies “without considering all the unintended consequences and questions it creates.” Students, employees and visitors, he said, “will have to go off campus – maybe to an unsafe area, maybe not – just to use a legal product that they should be able to use outdoors without doing harm to others.”
He also criticized the absence of recommendations on how to enforce tobacco-free policies. “It’s hard to enforce a smoking ban and this document offers no suggestions,” he said. “As I see it, all these activities could keep going on” without penalty on campuses that choose to adopt the ACHA’s recommendations.
Turner said he “heard very little resistance” from within the ACHA on adopting the recommendations. “One concern a member had was that our guidelines not violate state or local law but, from a public health standpoint, we all agreed this was needed.”
Turner said that the University of Virginia, his institution and the flagship university in a state that’s had a dominant tobacco industry for centuries, enacted a ban on smoking outside all its medical facilities and research labs that went into place on October 1, having banned smoking indoors years ago.
“I go over to the medical school for meetings and I no longer see people in their scrub suits smoking outside the back entrance there,” he said. “Anecdotally, in my own little world, it’s really had a profound impact.”
The recommendations signal a shift for the association, which in its previous position statement, adopted in 2005, urged campus health officials to ban all smoking indoors but still permit it in “designated smoking spaces” outside.
Jim Turner, president of the ACHA and executive director of the University of Virginia’s student health center, said the guidelines reflect policies that are “from a public health standpoint, what we all aspire to have for our campuses.”He acknowledged the position statement “sets a very, very high bar for some campuses to get to,” but said that the members of the ACHA’s board, executive committee and Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Coalition considered it “an important statement to be made” about tobacco use on campuses. “We may not achieve our total goal across the country but at least we can provoke a debate and get some movement on our campuses.”
Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, called the guidelines “excellent” progress and said she hoped campuses would seriously consider adopting them.
As of October 6, Hallett’s group had identified 365 U.S. colleges and universities with policies requiring that all campus spaces, indoors and outdoors, be smokefree. Another 76 institutions have “100 percent smokefree campuses with minor exemptions for remote outdoor areas.”
All 33 public college and university campuses in the state of Arkansas prohibit smoking inside and outside. Despite complaints and protests coming from employees and students, a law enacted last year in Pennsylvania bars smoking indoors and outdoors at all 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
The ACHA’s recommendations go even further. They ban not just the use of cigarettes, cigars and other smoke-producing products but also the use of snuff, chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products. The eventual goal, as described in the position statement, is “becoming or maintaining tobacco-free living and learning environments that support the achievement of personal and academic goals.”
John Nothdurft, a legislative specialist on tobacco at the Heartland Institute, a nonprofit with libertarian and conservative positions, said he is “not surprised by any means” by the ACHA’s recommendations. “You saw this in Pennsylvania, you’ve seen this in other states,” he said. “This is more of a PR stunt than anything else. It’s more nannying going on by organizations trying to win brownie points from special interest groups.”
Nothdurft expressed concern that institutions would adopt policies “without considering all the unintended consequences and questions it creates.” Students, employees and visitors, he said, “will have to go off campus – maybe to an unsafe area, maybe not – just to use a legal product that they should be able to use outdoors without doing harm to others.”
He also criticized the absence of recommendations on how to enforce tobacco-free policies. “It’s hard to enforce a smoking ban and this document offers no suggestions,” he said. “As I see it, all these activities could keep going on” without penalty on campuses that choose to adopt the ACHA’s recommendations.
Turner said he “heard very little resistance” from within the ACHA on adopting the recommendations. “One concern a member had was that our guidelines not violate state or local law but, from a public health standpoint, we all agreed this was needed.”
Turner said that the University of Virginia, his institution and the flagship university in a state that’s had a dominant tobacco industry for centuries, enacted a ban on smoking outside all its medical facilities and research labs that went into place on October 1, having banned smoking indoors years ago.
“I go over to the medical school for meetings and I no longer see people in their scrub suits smoking outside the back entrance there,” he said. “Anecdotally, in my own little world, it’s really had a profound impact.”
среда, 28 октября 2009 г.
Nine held over cigarette haul
Gardaí are continuing to question nine men in connection with a seizure of illegal cigarettes last night.
More than 120 million illegal cigarettes, worth an estimated €50 million, were discovered on a ship in Greenore, Co Louth yesterday, the largest seizure in the history of the State.
The men were arrested following a Revenue Customs Service operation which was supported by the Garda.
The nine men include seven Irish nationals aged between 19 and mid-40s, one Lithuanian in his 50s and one Ukrainian in his 40s.
They are being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Garda stations in Cos Louth and Monaghan.
The cigarettes are thought to have been produced in the Philippines. The vessel was kept under surveillance from when it left the Philippines on September 15th until it docked in Greenore early yesterday morning.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan today welcomed the seizure and said smuggling has a serious impact on the State¿s tax revenue. Had these cigarettes not been seized, they could have represented an estimated loss of €40 million of tax revenue to public services,¿ he said. ¿This potential €40 million shortfall equates to the cost of employing over 700 teachers in our education system. Citizens should remember that the purchase of illegal contraband directly affects our public service.A former commander at Scotland Yard today said smugglers may be targeting Ireland because of lenient penalties handed out by courts.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland , John O'Connor said that cigarette smuggling was seen as a less serious crime than smuggling hard drugs, where sentences can be much harsher.
"Ireland has been seen to be a fairly attractive staging post simply because if you look historically at the penalties that have been imposed by Irish courts for people smuggling cigarettes, I think the average is a fine of €500," he said.
"If you look at the profits involved in smuggling drugs, they're probably greater but the consequences of getting caught are much harsher."
He added that there was a certain amount of public apathy towards the issue of tobacco smuggling and called for a coordinated approach to the problem.
"There are a lot of things that can be done in Ireland to tighten up the problem of tobacco smuggling. It's very difficult to get to the source and stop it but It's a global black economy that really needs to be tackled in a coordinated way."
More than 120 million illegal cigarettes, worth an estimated €50 million, were discovered on a ship in Greenore, Co Louth yesterday, the largest seizure in the history of the State.
The men were arrested following a Revenue Customs Service operation which was supported by the Garda.
The nine men include seven Irish nationals aged between 19 and mid-40s, one Lithuanian in his 50s and one Ukrainian in his 40s.
They are being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Garda stations in Cos Louth and Monaghan.
The cigarettes are thought to have been produced in the Philippines. The vessel was kept under surveillance from when it left the Philippines on September 15th until it docked in Greenore early yesterday morning.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan today welcomed the seizure and said smuggling has a serious impact on the State¿s tax revenue. Had these cigarettes not been seized, they could have represented an estimated loss of €40 million of tax revenue to public services,¿ he said. ¿This potential €40 million shortfall equates to the cost of employing over 700 teachers in our education system. Citizens should remember that the purchase of illegal contraband directly affects our public service.A former commander at Scotland Yard today said smugglers may be targeting Ireland because of lenient penalties handed out by courts.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland , John O'Connor said that cigarette smuggling was seen as a less serious crime than smuggling hard drugs, where sentences can be much harsher.
"Ireland has been seen to be a fairly attractive staging post simply because if you look historically at the penalties that have been imposed by Irish courts for people smuggling cigarettes, I think the average is a fine of €500," he said.
"If you look at the profits involved in smuggling drugs, they're probably greater but the consequences of getting caught are much harsher."
He added that there was a certain amount of public apathy towards the issue of tobacco smuggling and called for a coordinated approach to the problem.
"There are a lot of things that can be done in Ireland to tighten up the problem of tobacco smuggling. It's very difficult to get to the source and stop it but It's a global black economy that really needs to be tackled in a coordinated way."
понедельник, 26 октября 2009 г.
Author of tax study says trend is up and particular groups are most popular targets
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — A study shows Tennessee's average 9.4 cent tax on every $1 spent is the highest sales tax rate in America.
Opponents of the sales tax say it's most unfair to those least able to pay but others favor the sales tax over a state income tax.
The author of the tax comparison study, Tax Foundation staff economist Kail (Cale) Padgitt, said an increasing number of states are raising so-called "millionaire taxes" on income of the wealthiest taxpayers and so-called "sin taxes" on cigarettes or beer.
Padgitt told the Chattanooga Times Free Press the foundation is "definitely seeing more movement upward than downward in taxes on the state level, and the most popular seem to be to target particular types of tax groups."
Opponents of the sales tax say it's most unfair to those least able to pay but others favor the sales tax over a state income tax.
The author of the tax comparison study, Tax Foundation staff economist Kail (Cale) Padgitt, said an increasing number of states are raising so-called "millionaire taxes" on income of the wealthiest taxpayers and so-called "sin taxes" on cigarettes or beer.
Padgitt told the Chattanooga Times Free Press the foundation is "definitely seeing more movement upward than downward in taxes on the state level, and the most popular seem to be to target particular types of tax groups."
среда, 7 октября 2009 г.
Cancer Society smoking cessation trainer course
The Cayman Islands Cancer Society is offering a stop smoking “Train the Facilitator” course, in its continued efforts to help tobacco users break the habit.
The seminar will be taught by Dr. Elbert Glover, the developer of the StartSmart™ Stop Smoking programme at the Governors Square boardroom at 9am on Saturday, 24th October.
According to the Cancer Society’s release, the course is suitable for medical practitioners and those in allied professions as well as other individuals who have an interest in helping persons to quit smoking.
The seminar will cost $50 per person and includes all materials. Participants will be asked to make a commitment to assist the Society in offering the StartSmart™ programme to the public on completion of training.
A maximum of 20 people can take part and pre–registration is required. Interested persons can visit or contact the Society at 114 Maple Road between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday, to pay and reserve their space.
The advisory added that research has shown that a combination of behavioural modification and drug therapy intervention results in the most successful quit attempts. The components of the programme include information on developing an individualised assessment plan for each client using a combination of group support sessions and pharmaceutical adjuncts as well as relapse prevention.
While in Cayman, Dr. Glover will also address students in schools and conduct a workshop for medical professionals. The workshop on Friday 23rd October from 6ppm to 9pm at the Hibiscus Conference Room will provide attendees with CME credits. While there is no charge for the workshop, pre–registration is required as refreshments will be served.
In making the announcement of Dr. Glover’s visit, the Society’s Medical Director, Dr. Sook Yin, said: “With the impending introduction of the Tobacco Act, (at the end of October), there has never been a better time for health professionals and others in the community to… help their patients, family, friends and colleagues quit this addictive and often deadly habit.”
The seminar will be taught by Dr. Elbert Glover, the developer of the StartSmart™ Stop Smoking programme at the Governors Square boardroom at 9am on Saturday, 24th October.
According to the Cancer Society’s release, the course is suitable for medical practitioners and those in allied professions as well as other individuals who have an interest in helping persons to quit smoking.
The seminar will cost $50 per person and includes all materials. Participants will be asked to make a commitment to assist the Society in offering the StartSmart™ programme to the public on completion of training.
A maximum of 20 people can take part and pre–registration is required. Interested persons can visit or contact the Society at 114 Maple Road between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday, to pay and reserve their space.
The advisory added that research has shown that a combination of behavioural modification and drug therapy intervention results in the most successful quit attempts. The components of the programme include information on developing an individualised assessment plan for each client using a combination of group support sessions and pharmaceutical adjuncts as well as relapse prevention.
While in Cayman, Dr. Glover will also address students in schools and conduct a workshop for medical professionals. The workshop on Friday 23rd October from 6ppm to 9pm at the Hibiscus Conference Room will provide attendees with CME credits. While there is no charge for the workshop, pre–registration is required as refreshments will be served.
In making the announcement of Dr. Glover’s visit, the Society’s Medical Director, Dr. Sook Yin, said: “With the impending introduction of the Tobacco Act, (at the end of October), there has never been a better time for health professionals and others in the community to… help their patients, family, friends and colleagues quit this addictive and often deadly habit.”
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