Massachusetts are eligible to get up to $700 from legal settlement

At least 15,000 purchasers of chewing tobacco in Massachusetts could be eligible for a piece of a $10.65 million class action settlement with U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., according to a lawyer for plaintiffs who sued the company.

The plaintiffs’ legal team, which had alleged that UST artificially inflated the cost of chewing tobacco through its large market share, has launched a Web site to explain to consumers how they can access their share of the settlement.

Frequent purchasers of chewing tobacco could be eligible to get up to $700 depending on how many UST products – which include the Copenhagen and Skoal brands – they purchased from Jan. 1, 1990, through May 21. Infrequent purchasers could get $25 to $100.

Robert Bonsignore, one of the lawyers who represented the plaintiffs, said he was initially approached by chewing-tobacco users about filing a lawsuit after Conwood, a competitor of UST’s, had made similar claims against the company. The suit was filed in Suffolk Superior Court in 2001, and was one of several similar class action suits across the country, Bonsignore said.

Both sides in the Massachusetts fight eventually reached an agreement. That settlement was approved on May 22 by Suffolk Superior Court Judge Stephen Neel.

“They fought it hard for a lot of years,” Bonsignore said of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, which is now part of Altria Group. “Both sides understood there were great risks (with moving forward with the case, so) we sat down and tried to come to a fair and reasonable settlement.”

A portion of the settlement amount will be used to pay the plaintiffs’ legal costs. Any funds that are left over would be contributed through court-approved donations to charities that haven’t been named yet.

President Obama not perfect: Former smoker admits to occasional cigarette

Maybe President Obama didn't pick the best time to give up smoking.

At least that's how it looks after Obama admitted Tuesday he is only "95% cured" and that "there are times when I mess up."

Experts say cut the guy a break - it's understandable.

"Stress is a big part of why someone smokes, and he has one of the most stressful jobs in the world," said Russell Sciandra, a tobacco policy specialist at the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey.

You want stress? Obama took over the White House facing two wars, the worst recession in 70 years and escalating nuclear threats. And that was after a bruising two-year campaign, which he launched after promising wife Michelle he would kick his butts habit.

"As a former smoker, I constantly struggle with it," Obama said at a White House news conference in between making his pitches for comprehensive health care reform, a new energy policy and a halt to Iranian repression of dissent.

"Have I fallen off the wagon sometimes? Yes," he said. "Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No."

And, after noting the tobacco law he signed Monday was meant to protect children, he insisted he sets a good example for his daughters, Sasha, 8, and Malia, 10.

"I don't do it in front of my kids. I don't do it in front of my family," said Obama. "I would say that I am 95% cured. But there are times ... where I mess up.

Sciandra thought it might actually be harder for a President to keep from lighting up, because the commander in chief - when the First Lady is not around - is surrounded by minions eager to please.

'Most of us don't have someone to buy a pack of cigarettes for us," Sciandra said.

He added that Obama had the right attitude. "He recognizes that this a long-term process, and the only way to get to zero is to keep it to one," Sciandra said.

And he also offered a bit of advice.

"Do not not regard a slip as a failure," he said. "Instead, reflect and ask yourself 'Why did I want that cigarette.'"

Obama might have wanted one after his news conference. Reporters hammered him on Republican complaints that his economic stimulus package was failing and that a government-run health insurance option would put private insurers out of business.

Obama mocked the insurers' complaint, arguing that they should have nothing to fear if they are really doing a good job for American consumers.

"If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best-quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business?" he mocked. "That's not logical."

Stocks and consumption of tobacco leaf

Large stocks of tobacco are common in Turkey. Year-end stocks in 1999 were estimated at over 500 000 tonnes, representing a 12 percent increase from the previous year and a 32 percent increase from 1990. However, their poor quality prevents their use in cigarette production. The government has been attempting to reduce oriental tobacco stocks through production control, stimulating exports by COMPOSITION OF IMPORT.
ISSUES IN THE GLOBAL TOBACCO ECONOMY 81 reducing prices, and stock disposal via burning. Nearly 125 000 tonnes of tobacco were destroyed in the last 10 years, nominally worth US$177 million. According to the supply utilization account for tobacco in unmanufactured dry tobacco equivalents, over the last decade, tobacco consumption in Turkey has decreased by over 20 percent.

Extraterritorial Effect

The injunction prohibits the use of “any express or implied health message or health descriptor for any cigarette brand.”
The government concedes that this prohibition “should not be read to govern overseas activities with no domestic effect.”
But because paragraph four contains no such limiting language, we vacate that provision and remand for the district court to reformulate it so as to exempt foreign activities that have no substantial, direct, and foreseeable domestic effects.

Defendants’ own stipulations and admissions

Defendants question whether the district court clearly found a scheme to defraud, the finding on this question is explicit: “The Government has proven that the Enterprise knowingly and intentionally engaged in a scheme to defraud smokers and potential smokers, for purposes of financial gain, by making false and fraudulent statements, representations, and promises.”
The district court explains, in great detail, the seven components of the scheme to defraud. The court also held that “each of the alleged mailings and wire transmissions was in furtherance of the overarching scheme to defraud.” Thus it follows that any mailing or wire transmission found to have been made was found to have been a mail or wire fraud offense and therefore a racketeering act. Seventy-nine of the alleged acts were established by Defendants’ own stipulations and admissions.
Altogether, the court enumerated 108 racketeering acts in the opinion, as well as six others which it excluded on First Amendment grounds. This total does not include the many other findings which may be tied to other racketeering acts, but for which the district court did not provide a specific list. It is clear beyond any question that Defendants caused the mailings and wire transmissions underlying the 30 Racketeering Acts involving the news media’s dissemination of Defendants’ press releases and advertisements to their subscribers.”

Smoking effect

National Health Service Stop Smoking Service

The United Kingdom government implemented a comprehensive National Health Service Stop Smoking Service to provide counselling, support and medications to smokers who want to quit. In 2004, the National Health Service dispensed approximately two million prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy, valued at about £44 million (about US$ 90 million at 2007 exchange rates).
An evaluation found that these cessation services reduce health inequalities, result in longterm quit rates of about 15% at 52 weeks (comparable to results of clinical trials) and are cost effective.110 In Brazil, the government began to fund smoking cessation treatment in 2004. Treatment includes brief advice by health-care staff and pharmaceutical products such as nicotine patches and bupropion provided at no cost to patients. Between 2004 and 2006, 22 of 27 Brazilian states helped around 50 000 smokers try to quit, of whom about 45% used medications and about 40% remained abstinent after four weeks.
Brazil also has a government-sponsored quit line; its telephone number must be printed on health warnings for all tobacco products as well as on advertising at retail outlets.111 Given the immense burden of illness and death caused by tobacco and the existence of effective treatment, cessation services should be included in government health-care services. While some types of cessation treatment are less expensive than others, all require government expenditure, which can be difficult for some countries to fund. Incorporating tobacco cessation into existing health-care programmes is a key part of the solution.
Tobacco tax increases can fund cessation treatment that will save lives and greatly reduce the burden of disease and the economic loss caused by the epidemic.

Israel attorney files a lawsuit against local Tobacco Company

The first ever collective lawsuit against menthol cigarettes was filled by Israel major anti-smoking attorney Amos Hausner, who told The Jerusalem Post reporter that he would act on behalf of thousands smokers who have suffering from lung cancer caused by smoking menthol cigarettes.

Amos Hausner is going to represent the Shuki family, residents of Rehovot, a small city near Israel’s capital Tel Aviv. Hausner said that he received a letter from Shlomo Shuki, the husband of Sarah Shuki who passed away at the age of 45 from lungs cancer after 15 years of smoking Montana cigarettes produced by Israeli manufacturer Dubek. The attorney said that the desperate man asked him to file the lawsuit against the cigarette manufacturer in order to prevent deaths caused by menthol cigarettes.

Hausner would also represent almost 3,000 Israeli people who were hooked on smoking menthol cigarettes of the same brand and had been diagnosed with several forms of cancer, including lung cancer and throat cancer within the last six years. According to the local legislation, the general period of limitations on the cigarette producer's liability for the detriment resulted from the use of its production is over after seven years from the moment medical examination.

Gauloises - French brand of cigarette

Gauloises are a French brand of cigarette, manufactured by Altadis. The name means "Gallic [cigarettes]", and the emblem is the helmet of a Gallic warrior. The brand first appeared in 1910. In 1925 the packaging was redesigned to a distinctive blue packet with a helmet design which is still used today. Filtered Gauloises appeared in the 1950's. When the brand first appeared it was made from dark tobacco, but in 1984 the brand was extended to an American type blend of light tobacco, named Gauloises Blondes.
A Gauloise lower tar version is also available, sold in a red packet. Gauloise remain a popular brand of cigarattes worldwide, although sales have declined in recent years with the decline of cigarette smoking. In September 2005, production in France ceased, and now the cigarettes are solely produced in Spain. The move followed from declining sales in France. The brand is most famous for its very high strength cigarettes, especially in its original unfiltered form.
The writer Jean Paul Sartre was a famous smoker of Gauloises, and was rarely pictured without a cigarette in his hand. George Orwell also mentions that he smokes the brand in Down and Out in Paris and London. This, together with the romantic associations of France, makes Gauloises a popular brand among some writers and artists. The brand is also featured in the Roman Polanski film The Tenant.

Cigarette Ad 62 Marlboro, Camel

1962 Astronaut Racer Betty Skelton Camel Cigarette Ad
Smoking more now… But enjoying it less? Have a real cigarette…CAMEL The best tobacco makes the best smoke

1962 Camel Ad-RON MUSSON Speedboat Racer
CAMEL EVERY INCH A REAL SMOKE! There’s no cigarette like a Carmel. Its taste is distinctive. Alert. All there. You’ll find Camels got swagger – yet it’s smooth. Get the clean-cut taste of rich tobaccos. Get with Camel. Every inch a real smoke. ….comfortably smooth, too! The best tobacco makes the best smoke

1962 Camel Ad-RON MUSSON Speedboat Racer - CAMEL EVERY INCH A REAL SMOKE! There’s no cigarette like a Carmel. Its taste is distinctive. Alert. All there. You’ll find Camels got swagger – yet it’s smooth. Get the clean-cut taste of rich tobaccos. Get with Camel. Every inch a real smoke. ….comfortably smooth, too! The best tobacco makes the best smoke

1962 Green Bay Packers Paul Hornung Marlboro Ad
Why don’t you settle back and have a full-flavored smoke? Marlboro The filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste Paul Hornung: Green Bay halfback and 1961 National Football League Player of the Year. Paul’s a Marlboro man all the way.

1962 Green Bay Packers Paul Hornung Marlboro Ad - Why don’t you settle back and have a full-flavored smoke? Marlboro The filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste Paul Hornung: Green Bay halfback and 1961 National Football League Player of the Year. Paul’s a Marlboro man all the way.

1962 Marlboro Cigarette Man Hand Eagle Tattoo Ad - Flavor you can get hold of Marlboro The filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste. You get a lot to like.

1962 NY Yankees Roger Maris Camel Cigarette Ad - Smoking more now but enjoying it less? Change to Camel! Have a real cigarette CAMEL “For a smooth, rich-tasting smoke, you just can’t top Camels!” - Roger Maris The best tobacco makes the best smoke

1962 Marlboro Cigarette Man Hand Eagle Tattoo Ad
Flavor you can get hold of Marlboro The filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste. You get a lot to like.

1962 NY Yankees Roger Maris Camel Cigarette Ad
Smoking more now but enjoying it less? Change to Camel! Have a real cigarette CAMEL “For a smooth, rich-tasting smoke, you just can’t top Camels!” --Roger Maris The best tobacco makes the best smoke

Cigarette History

Cigarette History Cigarettes have existed in the history of mankind since the historical days. The first cigarette that rolls up with tobacco happened when Christopher Columbus' people met the red Indians on Cuba in 1942. The word tobacco originated from Indians' words: tobago and tobacca. Tobacco is related to garden vegetables, flowers, weeds, and poisonous herbs such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, petunias, jimson wood, ground cherries, and nightshade. Originally, Native Americans in the eastern United States grew Nicotiana rustica, which was the first form of tobacco introduced in England and Portugal. N. Tabacam, first introduced to the Spanish, was obtained from Mexico and South America.
It has been the preferred tobacco since settlers in Jamestown, Virginia, began growing it, Why Do We Smoke? from The Psychology of Everyday Living by Ernest Dichter 1947 None of the much flaunted appeals of cigarette advertisers, such as superior taste and mildness, induces us to become smokers or to choose one brand in preference to another. Despite the emphasis put on such qualities by advertisers, they are minor considerations. This is one of the first facts we discovered when we asked several hundred people, from all walks of life, why they liked to smoke cigarettes. Smoking is as much a psychological pleasure as it is a physiological satisfaction. As one of our respondents explained: "It is not the taste that counts. It's that sense of satisfaction you get from a cigarette that you can't get from anything else." Smoking is Fun What is the nature of this psychological pleasure? It can be traced to the universal desire for self-expression. None of us ever completely outgrows his childhood. We are constantly hunting for the carefree enjoyment we knew as children. As we grew older, we had to subordinate our pleasures to work and to the necessity for unceasing effort. Smoking, for many of us, then, became a substitute for our early habit of following the whims of the moment; it becomes a legitimate excuse for interrupting work and snatching a moment of pleasure. "You sometimes get tired of working intensely," said an accountant whom we interviewed, "and if you sit back for the length of a cigarette, you feel much fresher afterwards. It's a peculiar thing, but I wouldn't think of just sitting back without a cigarette. I guess a cigarette somehow gives me a good excuse." "I Blow My Troubles Away"
In times of high tension, cigarettes provide relief, as indicated by the following typical comments of one of our respondents: "When I have a problem, and it comes back and back, warningly saying, 'Well, what are you going to do about this?' a cigarette almost acts like a consolation. Somehow it relieves the pressure on my chest. The feeling of relief is almost like what you feel in your chest after you have cried because something has hurt you very much. Relaxing is not the right kind of word for that feeling. It is like having been in a stuffy room for a long time and at last getting out for a deep breath of air." That man's explanation comes very close to stating the scientific reason why smoking brings relief. Worry, anxiety, depress us not only psychologically but also physiologically. When a person feels depressed, the rhythm of his breathing becomes upset. A short and shallow breath creates a heavy feeling in the chest. Smoking may relieve mental depression by forcing a rhythmic expansion of the breast and thus restoring the normal pace of breathing. The "weight on the chest" is removed.
This connection between smoking and respiration accounts for the common expression, "Smoking helps us to let off steam." When we are enraged, we breathe heavily. Smoking makes us breath more steadily, and thus calms us down. Cigarette Taste Has to Be Acquired Most people like the smell of tobacco but dislike the taste of a cigarette. Frequently we were reminded that "a cigarette never tastes as good as it smells. One usually very much dislikes his first cigarette. Taste for cigarettes must be acquired slowly. And whenever a smoker tries out a new brand, with a lightly different taste, he finds that he has to repeat this process of becoming accustomed to the taste.

Tax on alcohol and cigarettes rises

Chancellor Alistair Darling raised duty on alcohol and tobacco on Wednesday, prompting the pub industry to say he had signed the "death warrant" for thousands of bars.

"Alcohol duties will go up by 2 percent from midnight tonight and there will be an increase in tobacco duty of two percent from 6pm this evening," Darling said in his second budget.

The Tobacco Manufacturers' Association (TMA) said the rise would add some seven pence to a packet of 20 cigarettes.

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) attacked the measures which will add about six pence to a pint of beer, saying they would lead to many more closures,

Pubs are closing at a rate of six a day across Britain, clobbered by recession, smoking bans, rising costs and competition from supermarket bargains.

"Today's Budget signs the death warrant for thousands of Britain's pubs and for tens of thousands of British jobs," the BBPA said.

"In imposing these additional beer taxes, the government has wilfully ignored the views of the public, landlords, consumer groups, industry representatives and MPs from all parties who have been calling for action to save the British pub," it said.

Citing figures from forecasters Oxford Economics, the BBPA says 20,000 jobs have gone across the sector in the last year, with a further 59,000 projected to be lost in the next five years.

Lucky Strike Cigarettes Green

The brand's signature dark green pack was changed to white in 1942. In a famous advertising campaign that used the slogan "Lucky Strike Cigarettes Green has gone to war", the company claimed the change was made because the copper used in the green color was needed for World War II. American Tobacco actually used chromium to produce the green ink, and copper to produce the gold-colored trim.
A limited supply of each was available, and substitute materials made the package look drab. However, the truth of the matter was that the white package was introduced to modernize the label and to increase the appeal of the package among female smokers; market studies showed that the green package was not found attractive to women smokers who had become an important consumer of tobacco products. The war effort became a convenient way to make the product more marketable while appearing as patriotic at the same time.

New release from Montecristo

New release from Montecristo is the little brother of the reknown Montecristo Edmundo. The Montecristo Petit Edmundo measures 110mm in length with a ring gauge of 52. The Petit Edmundo is classified as a petit robusto and measures exactly an inch shorter than the Montecristo Edmundo. Hoyo de Monterrey released the Petit Robusto in 2004 which was the first release of this size. This vitola is consistent with the current trend of thicker gauged and shorter Cuban cigars. The concept being a full, complex smoking experience in a shorter amount of time. It guess that’s the way of the world! Partnering the Petit Edmundo for the review was the equally creamy Kilkenny Irish Ale.

Skills and experience of generations

Relying on the skills and experience of generations, Karelia guarantees the highest standard of quality. The state-of-the-art production facilities are among the most advanced in Europe, with a capacity to produce over 15 billion Cigarettes per year. Karelia currently exports its premium brands to over sixty countries around the world in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East. Its products can also be purchased at selected international duty-free airport stores and border shops. The Company has recently established a new subsidiary, Karelia Tobacco Company Ltd., for the purpose of selling its brands on the English domestic market. The brand Karelia Slims was launched and distributed in all the major stores and specialist tobacconist shops.

Sobranie Cocktail or Sobranie Black Russian

Sobraine are produced for ladies with slim features and bright colors which attracted many women. You can select from Sobranie Cocktail and Sobranie Black Russian. Sobraine Cocktail cigarettes have five divide pastel shades with a gold foil filter. It has the same ring gauge as standard cigarette but the look of the cigarettes is what creates this brand so unique. Sobraine Black Russian cigarettes are black with a gold foil filter. Other variants of Sobraine cigarettes are Sobranie Classic Cigarettes, Sobranie Classic Lights, Sobranie Black Russian, Sobranie White Russian, Sobranie Cocktail Cigarettes, Sobranie Blues Cigarettes, Sobranie Mints Cigarettes, Sobranie Pinks Cigarettes and Sobranie Whites Cigarettes. These fashion trademarks of cigarettes are packed in an elegant and eminent manner with its stylish design. The cigarette pack is decorated by graphics with a single glossy color and a delicate image. With its pleasant calligraphy, smokers will surely be attracted. Its length, slimness and color, makes the cigarette different from other brands. The exclusivity of Sobraine cigarettes is what is very appealing not only to the women who smoke them but also to the men who notice them.

Chesterfield light in taste southernswitzer

Parliament Cigarettes campaign

From the Full Flavor, Out Of The Clear Blue campaign, blue-hued tropical scene your Parliament Cigarettes.

Parliaments are generally characterized by a sharp, tangy flavor. They are referred to by teenagers in America as "Parlies" or "Parlie Lights," which refer as one might expect to the light variety. Other popular nicknames for the full flavor and lights, respectively, include "P-Funks" and "P-Lights." The former takes its name from the popular funk group P-Funk, or Parliament Funkadelic, most famous for its headliner, George Clinton. Though Parliaments represent a small share of Philip Morris's cigarette sales (1.7% based on sales figures in the first quarter of 2004), they are rather popular among smokers in their 20s in the United States and Russia. Parliament cigarette brand can be even considered a kind of a phenomenon of the Russian market. The sales of Parliaments Cigarettes in Russia constitute almost 15%, while on American market the sale of Parliament has fallen to 3.5% from the entire Philip Morris range of products. Therefore, Parliament can be now considered the leader among premium-segment brands on the Russian market. In the mid-1970s, Parliament cigarettes were the first to be sold outside of the US. However, Parliament occupied strong positions only in Japan, Argentina, Israel, Turkey, and recently in Russia. On the rest of European markets, Parliament Cigarettes are not very well-known. Nevertheless, Philip Morris decided to launch a small but focused campaign, assuming that a huge ad campaign could negatively affect the image of a premium cigarette brand.

JT International Company expanded product line of brands Camel

JT International Company expanded product line of brands Camel: cigarettes on the market are displayed Camel Natural Flavor, positioned in the premium segments.
Camel Natural Flavor - Innovative Product produced from a tobacco leaf. Lack of candy-flavoured additives reveal the true taste of a high-quality soft tobacco. An unusual texture and natural colors tutu fully meet the concept of Natural Flavor.
So far Camel Natural Flavor has been launched in 25 countries, and in November of this year, will appear in St. Petersburg, who has been selected to test launch brand in Russia.
Camel Natural Flavor positioned in a prestigious segment. The maximum retail price for Camel Natural Flavor will be 37 rubles.
The new brand is produced in a factory Petro in St. Petersburg. Running will be supported by advertising in the subway, print ads, POS deployment and materials for sale in HoReCa channel, as well as the promotion of sales of shares in the field.

Marlboro Classics Shop

Recently launched the advertising campaign Marlboro cigs Classics clothing store owned by the Italian Marzotto. As it became known "Bus" campaign initiated corporation Philip Morris, a manufacturer of the same cigarette. Experts believe that the tobacco giant testing a replacement advertising restrictions in anticipation of the legislative move cigarettes.

Marlboro Classics Shop opened in Russia in 1996, in 2002 - m, it was closed last fall opened again. Marlboro Classics advertising campaign launched this week, it includes advertising on billboards at bus stops in central Moscow, in particular, on Tverskaya Street. Advertise on one stop in the center of Moscow costs about $ 400 a month. Advertising, both inside and store attributes Marlboro Classics, performed in the style similar to the same cigarette brand.

Not long ago appealed to the representatives of the Swiss MTI PM office with a proposal to pay for the deployment of outdoor advertising shop in the centre of Moscow. "The basic right to use the brand Marlboro Cigarettes are owned by PM, so we are limited in advertising, in particular, we can not give advertising next to the shields of the tobacco company.

The Swiss headquarters PM in Switzerland confirmed that Marzotto uses trademark Marlboro Classics for a license, but argued that the PM "does not support commercial activities Italian company."

Vogue International

By 2008 Vogue cigarettes online potrebitelnits received the largest share of its price ranges. The direct competitors marks were from R1 Reemstma / Imperial Tobacco International and Virginia Slims production Philip Morris. In the same year, multinational manufacturing companies have realized the need for a rapprochement with the dense 18% of Russian fan of tobacco, placing women's cigarette production in Russia. This was quite logical in the context of increasing purchasing power and an increase in demand.

"Dear" segment began its rapid development. According to the research company Business Analytica, the share of premium cigarettes rose from 2.73% in 2002 to 5.59% in 2003 - m. Accordingly, the sale of cigarettes grew and the format of super slims. "Russian tobacco" has calculated that in 2003 residents of Russia vykurili 3.8 billion cigarettes, which at 1.82 billion more than a year ago.

"In the women's segment of cigarettes, a host of new proposals - recalls Maria Bezhanova. - Vogue Cigarettes could not remain unchanged among emerging temptations, new products." In BAT began to notice that Vogue Cigarettes is increasingly perceived as a classic, traditional cigarettes. According Bezhanovoy, it led to adult smokers to mark 30 years of gradually losing its relevance. As a result - since the beginning of 2004, the brand began to stagnate.

In BAT said that did not wait for the fall sales, and pre-prepared to relonchu Vogue Cigarettes. "Normally, cigarette companies restart their marks every 10 - 15 years, which is understandable: consumers used to the product, it requires new experience" - tells about the peculiarities of the market head of information and analytical services association Grandtabak Victor Stefashin.

Tobacco marketing

Light Cigarettes Shows

Scientists made discovery by using stem cell research. They used embryonic stem cells from mice and exposed them to cigarette smoke.
"We were surprised, and, at first, we thought maybe there's a little caveat in our research so I had to repeat the experiments over and over," said graduate researcher Sabrina Lin.
Three different light online cigarettes brands flunked the smoke test every time. Now, here's the mystery: the scientists don't know why.
Dr. Talbot explained, "Ir was a surprise to us and we'll have to do some more investigations to figure this out."
With UC Riverside scientists expecting fewer federal restrictions, human embryonic cells will soon be used to pinpoint what chemicals make light cigarettes more harmful.
Until then, people smoking light cigarettes may pay a very heavy price.

Tobacco tax may increas

GCC health ministers could soon approve increasing tax on cigarettes sales and other tobacco products by 200 per cent, it was revealed yesterday.
The tax had been proposed by several anti-smoking societies in the region in their bid to discourage smoking, said Health Ministry public health and primary care assistant under-secretary Dr Mariam Al Jalahma.
"The proposal, which is now awaiting approval by the GCC health ministers, once passed will be a significant achievement for us," she told the GDN.
"As thinks stand now, it could be a matter of weeks before the ministers meet and give their final approval."
Meanwhile, Dr Al Jalahma, who is also Bahrain Anti Smoking Society deputy chairwoman, said that visitors to Bahrain are also being cautioned on the no-smoking ban in public places such as shopping malls.
She said more than 150,000 leaflets had already been distributed at entry points to Bahrain at King Fahad Causeway and Bahrain International Airport.
"The idea is to ensure they are aware of the law and do not face inconvenience when they are at malls and other public places," said Dr Al Jalahma.
"The decision to hand out the leaflets also comes at a time when we started to enforce a no-smoking rule at more than 6,000 restaurants in the country.
"The restaurants have started to comply with the regulations that we had issued more than a week ago and have begun to set up sealed no-smoking facilities.
"We are also alarmed at recent World Health Organisation reports that Bahrain risks increasing numbers of sick people unless it further combats the smoking menace among women and adolescents."
She said a detailed plan on how to deal with smoking and tobacco use in schools as well as among women was being formulated.
Dr Al Jalahma said the habit, if not dealt with at the root, could cost Bahrain significantly in economic terms over the next few years.
She said statistics revealed that 40 per cent of Bahrain's youth under 18 years were regular smokers, of which 14pc were female.
A total of 47pc of Bahraini females of all ages smoke now, compared to 43pc a few years ago, added Dr Al Jalahma.
She said they had noticed a good response to their campaign at the causeway and the airport.
"People are really interested in the campaign, in Arabic and English, and many of them have expressed surprise that Bahrain has such regulations in place," said Dr Al Jalahma.

Coffee, cigarettes and Obama

The stock market sank on President Barack Obama's inauguration day as 488 of the Standard & Poor's 500 stocks lost ground, with financial companies leading a retreat that left the index down 5.3 percent. Among the 12 gainers, two were tobacco stocks: Lorillard and Altria.
Meanwhile, the Bloomberg Star Tribune Index of Minnesota's biggest firms slipped 4.7 percent yesterday as 80 companies fell and nine rose. The leader: Caribou. Its shares jumped 12.3 percent to close at $1.70. Financial stocks led the losers column discount cigarettes
Gainers Last price 1-day % chg.
Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. $1.70 12.3%
Cyberoptics Corp. 5.23 9.9
Datalink Corp. 3.45 6.5
Losers Last price 1-day % chg.
Ameriprise Financial $17.58 -17.5%
U.S. Bancorp. 15.34 -16.3
Deluxe Corp. 11.45 -12.5

Joe Camel, the most vilified cartoon character in history

Joe Camel was the brilliantly successful advertising campaign used to market Camel Cigarettes manufactured by RJ Reynolds. The Campaign began in 1987 and was unfortunately stopped in 1997.

For the first time this cigarette mascot was introduced by a British artist Nicholas Price in 1974 that was used by a French magazine. Maybe, if there weren't cigarettes, this mascot disappeared in near time.

In 1987, at 75th anniversary of Camel tobacco “Old Joe's” and this year was year of appearance of legendary Joe Camel. It was an illustrious event. After a few years Joe Camel developed into most recognizable character. It was a real rival of such veteran characters as Mickey Mouse, Fred Flintstone, Barbie or Bugs Bunny. This confirmation was stated as result of survey done by Journal of the American Medical Association.

Who was looked Joe Camel? It was born as a cartoon mascot. As his name suggests, Joe was a camel that was represent with human-looking appearance that used to smoke cigarettes, and he was cool in style and often with sunglasses. Often meted representation were playing billiards, or a saxophone, or on the beach, in a nightclub, or just hanging out while looking cool.

Creator of Joe Camel once said in an interview, “I was just trying to make this stupid head have some kind of expression I could change from ad to ad, and I remembered how Sean Connery as James Bond could move his eyebrows so expressively. So I ripped off his eyes and eyebrows and Don Johnson's hair... how I personally feel about being known for this piece of crap that people think is great advertising. It's a pretty shitty piece of art.”

With such characteristics mascot of cigarettes was represented in many different sceneries and places, but one thing was common: he was nifty, attractive, stylish and handsome. Examining advertisement illustrated on bills, posters and placards of those times it can be easily observed all this distinctiveness that assured its world eminence.

Are Mobile Phones The New Cigarettes?

There has been a raging debate for some time as to whether mobile phones or more specifically the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that they emit, increase the phone users cancer risk.

The report says that "although the evidence remains controversial…a number of countries, including France, Germany and India, have already issued such warnings to their citizens".

Herberman also outlined 10 ways to reduce exposure including "reducing mobile phone use, use a hands-free earpiece, switch ears while chatting to limit radiation concentration in one spot, and avoid using mobile phones in public places to limit second-hand radiation".

In particular, he indicates that "kids should only be allowed to use these devices in cases of emergency, as their developing brains are more likely to be susceptible to possible side effects.

He said recent studies indicate that" "living tissue is vulnerable to electromagnetic fields within the frequency bands used by cell phones."

Recently, similar warnings have been issued by Australian scientists, although it seems, locally at least, the potential dangers of mobile phone-based EMR are not taken as seriously as they are in Europe.

I Smoke Anything

Some guys brag that they only smoke weed. Powerful people often only smoke Cuban cigars. A lot of cigarette smokers are proud of their brand loyalty. Some smoke only herbal cigarettes. Others smoke only Indian beedies. Why's everyone so picky? I don't understand. Me? I'll smoke anything!

I have a test to decide whether I'm willing to smoke something. It goes like this: Will this potential thing to be smoked put me in a pipe and smoke me? No? Then I'm smoking it! Because you have to smoke them before they smoke you! That's what I've learned! That's what I practice!

As a kid, I smoked twigs. Why not? The authorities today are all up in arms about kids smoking trees because they think wood is a "gateway smoke" that will lead children to smoking other, more serious things. Damn right it's a gateway! That's why it should be encouraged! It's a gateway to clarity! A gateway to self-reliance! A gateway to smokin'!

Sure, I bought candy cigarettes as a kid. And you know what? I smoked those things! I bought gum cigarettes. And I smoked those! They didn't influence me to smoke regular cigarettes: Candy items are perfectly smokable on their own! Everything is!

The smart people I know all love "the classics." "The Iliad is such a great story," they say. "Did you ever read Dickens?" No, but I smoked him!

I used to feel like I wasn't familiar enough with the great works of civilization. So I got all the great books they would let me check out from the local library; tore them up; put the pieces into brown paper grocery bags; and rolled those bags into seven monster cigars. And I smoked them! They had a sweet and ambitious flavor! I smoked the history of the world in a week! That was great!

"Did you see Blade Runner?" they ask me. Jesus, of course not! You don't appreciate something by watching it. You appreciate something by smoking it! I rent videotapes, crunch them up, put them in a big pipe, and smoke myself sensible! I've smoked more movies than most people have ever seen! That shocks people. "You shouldn't smoke videotapes," they say. "Plastic fumes are poisonous and will do weird things to you." Weird things? Not unless the satisfaction of having enjoyed a great smoke is a "weird thing."

People ask me if I want to go to the beach. Hey, been there, smoked that. I love smoking sand and dried-up fish. Those are some of the best smokes I've ever had!

I'm not so odd. I love it when my mother cooks up her special manicotti meal. Because I smoke it. And I like falling in love, because I like having a sweetheart who buys me flowers and jewelry. Because that's the kind of stuff I can smoke! I'm a smoker. I hate people who say they're smokers when they only smoke cigarettes. That's lying. They should say, "I'm a smoker in the weakest, most narrow definition of the word." Or, "I smoke only those things that are socially acceptable to smoke." That would make me much happier.

I keep having this dream where I'm at an auction of Nazi memorabilia. Hitler's mustache is on the block, and I bid $18 million and get it, beating out all these museum people and fascists. Then I go home, put some Bach on low, and roll those little mustache hairs into a tight little E-Z Wider joint. Then know what I do? I smoke the shit out of it.

Firms fined in tobacco probe

Six retailers and tobacco firms have agreed to pay a maximum of £173.3m in combined fines after admitting unlawful tobacco pricing practices.

The news comes after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in April accused a number of retailers and tobacco companies of anti-competitive retail pricing.

Asda, Somerfield, First Quench, TM Retail, One Stop Stores and tobacco firm Gallaher have agreed to the fines.

The OFT is continuing its investigation into a further six firms.

They are Imperial Tobacco, Tesco, Shell, the Co-operative Group, Morrisons and Safeway.

Leniency

The OFT said that some of the fined companies had applied for leniency and if discounts for leniency and quick resolution were given, the total penalty amount would be £132.3m.

It said Sainsbury's was the first to apply for leniency and would thus escape any fine if the supermarket continued to co-operate.

"The early co-operation of these parties has enabled the swift resolution of some of this case," said John Fingleton, OFT chief executive.

"The OFT's objective is to make markets work for consumers and the economy alike," he added.

The OFT alleged that the retailers and tobacco groups arranged to swap information on future pricing.

A separate allegation is that there was an understanding that the price of some brands would be linked to rival brands.

Imperial Tobacco owns brands such as Embassy, John Player Special and Lambert & Butler while Gallaher's best-selling products include Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut.

The OFT said in April understandings between cigarette companies and retailers between 2000 and 2003 limited the retailers' ability "to determine its selling price independently"

Tobacco price-fixing: British watchdog

LONDON — Six retailers and tobacco firms have agreed to pay combined fines of more than 130 million pounds after admitting "unlawful practices" relating to retail tobacco prices, the Office of Fair Trading said.

Retailers Asda, Somerfield, First Quench, One Stop Stores (formerly T and S Stores) and TM Retail plus manufacturer Gallaher agreed to pay 132.3 million pounds (165 million euros, 263 million dollars).

The fines come after the competition watchdog accused 12 firms of price-fixing, by either co-ordinating to link the price of some brands to rival products or exchanging proposed future retail prices between competitors.

An investigation into the six other firms named by the OFT three months ago -- the Co-operative Group, Imperial Tobacco, Morrisons, Safeway, Shell and Tesco -- is continuing.

OFT chief executive John Fingleton said in a statement Friday evening that companies should set their prices independently, to ensure the markets work well for consumers and the economy.

"The OFT is very pleased that the early co-operation of these parties has enabled the swift resolution of some of this case, which will significantly reduce the costs of pursuing the investigation for the OFT and the businesses concerned," he added.

The OFT investigation covered the period 2000-3. The companies which came to "early resolution agreements" led to a reduction in their fines, the watchdog said.

Even so, the Financial Times said Saturday the sum was still the biggest collective penalty the OFT had handed down.

Difference in prices of cigarettes in Estonia and Russia

From June 1 the excise tax on tobacco products increased in Estonia by 43%, which will raise the price difference of cheap cigarettes with those sold in Russia to nearly six times.
Last year, according to Japan Tobacco International, the price difference of cheap cigarettes sold in Estonia and in Russia was more than four times. A cheaper category pack of cigarettes could be bought at the price of 4.22 kroons in Russia in the beginning of the year while in Estonia one had to pay 18.92 kroons, writes EPL Online/ LETA.
Estonia was the first among the Baltic States to raise the excise tax on tobacco to the minimum level required by the European Union and the State will earn 20 kroons of excise tax on a pack of cigarettes. Thus far consumers paid the State 14.2 kroons per pack of cigarettes and this means that the price surge will be nearly 41%. In Russia, however, the excise tax is equivalent to 1.53 Estonian kroons per pack.
According to a survey carried out by British American Tobacco, the proportion of illegal cigarettes in Estonia forms 19% of the total market volume. The problems are the greatest in the Viru region where the proportion of illegal cigarettes is 41% of the total market volume and also in Southern Estonia where the proportion of illegal cigarettes is 27%. Illegal business forms 9% in Western Estonia and in Tallinn and in the Harju, Rapla and Järva counties the share is 8%.
According to the director of corporate communications of Japan Tobacco International Ramunas Macius, 9% share of illegal business is "normal, because illegal activities cannot be entirely prevented." He noted that the State should do more in order to control the blooming illegal cigarettes business which will presumably bloom even more due to the surge in the excise tax rate. Macius stated that in Lithuania the customs authorities are able to confiscate 10% of illegal cigarettes, in Latvia the share is four% and Estonian Tax and Customs Board only manages to confiscate one% of all illegal tobacco products circulated on this market.

India says bidi jalai le as cigarettes become costlier

While the government is trying various methods, including a hefty tax levy, to make smokers kick the habit, tobacco-lovers are turning to cheaper options to “puff away their blues”.

Trends indicate smokers hit by the rising prices have shifted to so-called down-market options such as bidis and gutkhas.

“The increased tax on cigarettes is forcing consumers to shift to cheaper and alternative tobacco products. As a result, the overall consumption is on the up, as prices of other tobacco products are very less,” director of Tobacco Institute of India Udayan Lal says.

According to a health ministry report, India is home to 100 million bidi smokers and around 8 lakh people in the country die due to tobacco consumption annually with 6 lakh deaths caused by bidis alone.

“It’s not that the government is unaware of the growing bidi industry. The highly labour-intensive nature of the industry, which provides large-scale employment, gives it a powerful voice and that could be one of the reasons the taxes are so low,” says Lal.

“Also, the system of manufacturing and distributing bidis is highly decentralised. There are thousands of bidi factories and no reliable data on their production or consumption is available,” Lal adds.

Health ministry stats reveal about 15% of tobacco consumption in India is in the form of cigarettes, while bidis make for 53%.

“Unlike the rest of the world, where, on an average, cigarettes account for as much as 90% of the total tobacco consumed, in India cigarettes represent only 15% of total tobacco consumption. The remaining 85% of tobacco consumption is in the form of traditional products such as bidis, khaini, gutkha, etc,” Lal says.

Cigarettes contribute 85% to the total excise revenue collected from the tobacco industry, amounting to Rs8,500 crore, according to Tobacco Institute of India.

Pointing out that bidi consumption was very high in north India, particularly in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, with the ratio of bidis to cigarettes sometimes being as high as 24:1, Lal says, “Bidis are more harmful than cigarettes because they are filled with small amounts of low-grade tobacco.”

Chinese Couple Walk Free

Yesterday a Chinese couple walked free from charges of possessing uncustomed goods. On November 18, 2007, Jianneng Mai and Bijin Zhong, were busted with $63,000 of un-customed goods – including Winston cigarettes, Wall Street cigarettes and Benson and Hedges cigarettes in a building at 89 Vernon Street. They were charged with recklessly acquiring possession of uncustomed goods but yesterday Revenue Magistrate Ed Usher threw out the charges because the warrant wasn’t signed by a Supreme Court judge or a Magistrate.

But more importantly it wasn’t read properly. It was Mai who read it to her common law husband. He doesn’t speak English well so she translated it for him. But according to the law, the Customs Department should have found a third party who spoke Chinese to translate it and read it to Zhong. The reason is that Mai – was a defendant – and a defendant cannot read a warrant to a co-defendant.

Despite the technicality though, the couple had maintained the goods weren’t theirs. If convicted, the couple would have been charged 3 times the value of the uncustomed goods – that’s roughly $189,000.

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette

New York State imposed an additional $1.25 per pack excise tax on cigarettes a couple of weeks ago. Now, a pack of smokes costs between $6 and $10, depending on where you buy them. To make the tax a bit more palatable, some government officials maintain that the reason for the increase is to discourage teen smoking by making the habit so expensive that young people would be disinclined to purchase cigarettes. That feel-good explanation is a tad disingenuous, given the state of the economy and the budget deficit. It's kind of like saying, "It's all about the kids." Don't kid yourself, its all about the money and how to channel more tax money into state coffers.

Hand in hand with the excise tax increase, is a report from Congressman and Department of Homeland Security committee member Peter King, linking the sales of tobacco products at Indian reservations to national security issues and global terrorism. At the heart of this issue is the concept of forbearance, whereupon the local, state and federal governments, in effect, look the other way when it comes to the sales tax and excise tax exemptions enjoyed by Native American merchants.
Indians do not have to pay sales and excise taxes on products sold on reservations by Native Americans to Native Americans. Since before we can remember, these exemptions also have been applied to sales made on reservations to non-Native Americans, which is a violation of the law. In the name of forbearance, lawmakers and law enforcers alike have simply ignored the infractions. As a consequence, there is heap big money exchanging hands at the Indian tobacco shops, where cigarettes are often sold for less than half the price for the same product sold at the neighborhood convenience store or gas station.
And, there is the rub.
Certain unscrupulous entrepreneurs take advantage of the cheap, tax-free cigarettes, buying them in bulk (sometimes by the tractor-trailer load) at the reservations, slapping counterfeit tax stamps on them, and peddling them to otherwise legitimate retailers at wholesale prices. The illegal markup is about $14 or $15 per carton, so go figure: a trailer load of cigarettes could contain thousands of cartons, or tens of thousands of dollars.
Congressman King fears that a great deal of that ill-begotten money is channeled to terrorist cells both local and abroad, in essence funding a national security threat. King wants it stopped.
This alleged threat to our security may or may not be legitimate; the crackdown on reservation tobacco sales may or may not be disingenuous; but, like the excise tax increase, it has been made palatable because it sounds good, and it calls upon our sense of patriotism. Could it be that there is another agenda to be filled?
Just about everyone from state legislators to the county executive to the county sheriff has jumped on the bandwagon as they look upon a gold mine of uncollected tax revenue. That is because the majority of reservation tobacco sales is to non-Native Americans, but, by virtue of forbearance, has been tax-free. Now, everyone in state and local government wants to forget forbearance and tighten up the enforcement of our tax laws. They want to dodge the budget deficit bullet.
All of this noise and rhetoric is about the noxious weed and a few, unscrupulous bootleggers. The Indians, who copped a break in the name of forbearance, will be the ones who are forced to bear the burden of increased tax liability. At least this time around, our tax-giddy leaders have targeted illegal sales of a highly addictive, non-essential commodity. (Perhaps, in the name of reconciliation, the government will offer to smoke the proverbial peace pipe with the Native Americans. But, then again, there is no tax on that kind of weed, so don't hold your breath ... or inhale!)
As much as we hate taxes and as much as we hate to say it, the time has come for the government to crack down on illegal cigarette sales and collect the taxes.
We will applaud the effort. We ask only one thing: Just don't increase our taxes again in order to do it.
And Why Not?

Cigarette Tax Arrives Amid Grumbling and Vows

Fear of a dreaded disease has been part of the bargain for years. Shame came slower, as smokers were cast from offices, restaurants and even bars. Now, in New York City, there is yet another scary side effect to smoking: empty pockets.

As a new $1.25 state tax took effect on Tuesday, making the combined tax in New York City the nation’s highest and pushing the price of a pack of cigarettes above $8 in most places, many smokers around the city swore they were stopping, even as they bought what they promised would be their last pack.

Barbette Gaines, 47, who started smoking when she was 12, said she was in a bad mood after paying $8.90 for Newports at a deli on the Lower East Side, and was considering calling a cessation hotline.

Violeta Mujovic, a clerk at the Always Love Discount Smoke Shop on the Upper West Side — which advertises “cigarettes sold at the lowest price in NYC” — said that about two dozen customers complained as they forked over $8.15 a pack on Tuesday morning, but two people stormed out empty-handed.

“They said they were quitting and just left,” said Ms. Mujovic, 23, who smokes a pack a day herself and said she had called the city’s 311 line to sign up for a program that provides quitters with free nicotine gum. “It is just too ridiculous.”

Cigarette prices in the city have been going up steadily in recent years, and taxes now total $4.25 a pack: $2.75 for the state and $1.50 in city taxes that began in 2002.

At a news conference to announce the new tax Tuesday, city and state health officials cited studies showing that smoking rates decrease as cigarette prices rise, and said they expected that up to 140,000 of the city’s 1 million smokers would quit because of the increased cost.

They said that the state expected to raise $265 million in new revenue from the tax, but that the revenue was dwarfed by the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses in the state, which they estimated at about $8.2 billion a year.

“At a pack a day, smoking is now a $3,000-a-year habit in New York City,” Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city’s health commissioner, said at the news conference at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. “Quitting now will not only improve your health, but it will save you money you can use for yourself or your family.”

The immediate reaction from smokers across the city ranged from resignation to outrage. Outside the Rosebank Tavern on Staten Island, Mike Sheehy, 49, saw the $8.75 he just paid at a nearby deli for a pack of Marlboro Lights as an affront to his liberty.

“The Revolution was backed by tobacco,” he said, cigarette in hand. “That’s where we got our dough from during the Revolutionary War. That’s the crop that built America. We’re true Americans.”

In Downtown Brooklyn, Oleg Gulchinsky, a 67-year-old immigrant from Ukraine with an open pack of Misty 100s in his breast pocket, said, “Time to stop smoke and begin drink vodka.”

“I joke,” Mr. Gulchinsky said. “But it’s too bad. I understand people say it’s no good. But for me it’s good, it’s my choice.”

In Woodside, Queens, Chris Bastianos, 47, said he could not bring himself to end his 30-year-affair with tobacco — yet. “If it went over $10 a day I’d stop,” he said.

There undoubtedly are some places where a pack already tops $10. Random sampling showed a range of prices around the city: a newsstand on the corner of Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village had Marlboro Lights for $9, while the Big J Deli in Woodside, Queens, was selling them for $6.75 (a clerk said he was not aware of when the taxes took effect). The large drug stores were in the middle of the range, with Marlboro Lights costing $8.51 at a CVS in Midtown.

Shahid Akhter, who opened the Amazing Store and Smoke Shop on Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side a month ago, said that past increases caused business to drop slightly, but that crossing the $8 threshold — especially as the cost of everything from oil to eggs continued to rise — was likely to have a bigger effect.

Hey Where Are All The Cigarettes?

Toronto - Thanks to a new law, which came into effect over the weekend, cigarettes are no longer visible to customers at stores across Ontario.

The new law requires stores to keep the packages out of view.

“This marketing tool … is a wall of temptation for smokers who have made the decision to quit,” said Joanne Di Nardo, spokeswoman for the Ontario Tobacco-Free Network. “Well-documented research and evidence shows that these retail display stands increase tobacco sales by 12 percent to 28 percent.”

When asked how it has effected sales so far, one store in Toronto told EON, “oh…people just laugh….hasn’t stopped anyone from buying their smokes.”

Other provinces are expected to implement a similiar program

BAT urges Govt to consider gradual hike in cigarette taxes

KUANTAN: British American Tobacco (M) Bhd (BAT) is asking the Government to consider a more gradual increase in excise duty on cigarettes in future to discourage the smuggling of illicit cigarettes.

The excise duty on cigarettes rose to 25% last year from 14% in 2004.

Head of business development Azlan Ibrahim said high and sporadic tax increases over past years that had resulted in sharp hikes in the retail price of cigarettes, had forced consumers to buy and hence, create the demand for illicit cigarettes.

“This strong correlation between high tax increases and increased smuggling of illicit cigarettes undermines the Government’s health objectives, adversely affects the tobacco industry and consequently impacts the livelihood of our tobacco farmers,” he told the press at the BAT media retreat last Friday.

He said BAT did not oppose the increases in cigarette taxation but it advocated a moderate tax increase that would be healthy for the industry.

“Ideally, we believe that the tax increase should be about double the percentage of the current inflation rate,” he said.

For instance, he said, if the current inflation rate was at about 3.4%, the tax increase on cigarettes should be at about 7%.

Azlan also said that all government enforcement agencies must continue to intensify their efforts in curbing smuggling activities.

“To date, BAT is satisfied with the hard work of the Customs in foiling many attempts to smuggle illicit cigarettes into the country.

“We would like to thank the Customs and other related agencies for beefing up their enforcement efforts over the years,” he said.

The continued enforcement efforts by Customs led to a decrease in cigarette smuggling rate by 52% to 438 cases in the first five months of this year against the same period last year.

This represented a 58% drop in the value of the smuggled items to RM16.3mil this year.

Tobacco corporations kill ignorant Russians with 'light cigarettes'

According to the World Health Organization, Russia has the largest number of smokers after China, India and Indonesia.
Russia has the largest number of male smokers in the world (70.2 percent). This is actually the limit, since others will not start smoking because of their education, principles, state of health and other reasons. That said, tobacco producers have found new customers in Russia – women and children. The nation has already witnessed an increasing number of smoking women: from 15.5 percent in 2001 to 23.2 percent in 2007. The new target audience for light cigarettes is women aged between 14 and 40.
Unfortunately, under the influence of advertising most Russians think that light cigarettes are less harmful. The Levada Center public opinion poll showed that 24.4 percent of respondents consider that light cigarettes cause less damage to health than ordinary cigarettes. Moreover, this illusion is much more popular among smokers – 34 percent of smokers agree with this statement.
“However, the usage of such terms as “light cigarettes” or “cigarettes with low tar content” and other deluding statements is banned in 46 countries,” said Dmitry Yanin, the Chairman of the Board of the International Consumer Society of Russia. Among these countries are EU nations, China, India, Iran, Turkey, Thailand, Israel, Canada, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Chili and Panama. Armenia and Ukraine have also introduced the ban on the usage of the term “light”.
International scientific data showed that light cigarettes are not less harmful than other types and they are as addictive as ordinary cigarettes. In 2001 the US National Cancer Institute published the analysis of in-house documents of producers which showed that tobacco producers hide the truth about light cigarettes.
The level of tar and nicotine is measured with the help of “smoking devices”. Light cigarettes are not less harmful, for the apparatuses used to measure the level of tar and nicotine give wrong readings. In light cigarettes filter paper has small vent holes. When inhaling air is tested with a device, the air gets through these holes and triggers smoke formation.
But people smoke cigarettes in another way, differently from that used with smoking devices. A smoker pressures vent holes with fingers or lips during smoking.
Thus, the measurements taken by the above-mentioned devices show a lower level of tar and nicotine and the level of tar, nicotine and carbon oxide measure by ISO/FTC methods and indicated on cigarette packs are unreliable. This is the conclusion made by the WHO Scientific Consulting Committee on Smoking Production Regulation and the Canadian Ministry Consulting Council on Tobacco Control.
Addiction to nicotine is another argument against light and low tar cigarettes. Smokers become addicted to nicotine. The depth and frequency of inhalations changes to make up the lack of nicotine caused by the smoke rarefaction. To satisfy this addiction smokers take more light cigarettes every day, and inhale deeper and more often than they do when smoking ordinary cigarettes. The smoke from one light or low tar cigarette inhaled by a man or a woman may contain two or three times more tar and nicotine in comparison with the smoke inhaled by “the smoking device”. The same attitude is taken by Russian scientists of oncology.
The Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection currently works on a legal opportunity to ban the use of such terms as “light”, “super light”, “ultra light”, “mild flavour and delicate odour”, because the usage of unreliable information violates the law on protection of consumer rights.

Gamucci Micro Electronic Cigarette Pretends to be The Real Thing

I never thought there'd come a time when lighting up a cigarettes would mean looking for an outlet rather than a lighter. Electronic cigarettes aren't anything new though--remember Crown7's battery-operated cigarettes? The Gamucci Micro Electronic Cigarette basically works the way as the Crown7 cigarettes do. To provide an even closer semblance to reality, Gamucci looks the same as ordinary cigarettes--the tip lights up too. Inside the stick is a chamber housing the cartridge which contains liquid, part of which is nicotine. When you take a drag at the e-cigarette, an atomizing chamber vaporizes the liquid to give users that "nicotine hit."
Gamucci claims that nicotine is the only ingredient, so you get to enjoy smoking sans the carcinogens. You can also supposedly use it in non-smoking areas as it does not have fire and only produces vapor, not smoke and hence, is not a cigarette. The electronic cigarettes is powered with a 3.7 volt battery, a single charge of which could last the whole day. The cartridges loaded into the electronic cigarettes could be "low" with only 6mg of nicotine, "medium" with 11mg, or "high" with 16mg. You can pick a package of the Gamucci Micro Electronic Cigarette up in I Want One of Those for $89.91 which includes two sticks, 5 "high" cartridges, and the charger, of course. You can also pick up a pack of 5 cartridges from the Gamucci web site for $14. A single cartridge, by the way, is equivalent to 20 normal cigarettes. Oh, and if you're interested in puffing flavored smoke, Gamucci is also planning to release electronic cigarettes in Apple, Chocolate, Cherry, Mint, and Coffee variations.

Immigration, Big Tobacco and the Corporate Takeover of ... Everything

And the food crisis roils on, thanks to NAFTA and WTO's neoliberalization of the food supply. Mexican farmers continue to be displaced in the wake of NAFTA:
"We migrate because we don't think there are options," Mr. León said. "The important thing is to give options for a better life."
Viewed against the backdrop of rising food prices in a global marketplace, Mr. León's fight to keep farmers from abandoning their land is much more than a refusal to give up a millennial way of life.
As Mexico imports more corn from the United States, the country's reliance on outside supplies is drawing protests among nationalists, farmers' groups and leftist critics of Mexico's free trade economy. Earlier this year, as the last tariffs to corn imports were lifted under the North American Free Trade Agreement, farmers' groups marched against the accord in Mexico, asking for more aid.
And the few that made it across the border are now getting slammed by ICE stings. And has anybody noticed that the destruction of Mexico's traditional economy and import substitution schemes have not led the way to more efficiency, but greater instances of narcotrafficking and narcoterrorism? I mean, seriously, we seem close to having a failed state on our borders.
In other news, apparently the Supreme Court is so taken over with corporate concerns that they can't even hear international human rights cases any more, most recently in the case of apartheid in South Africa. And though it's not directly trade related, I thought this piece on the Senate compromising on banning menthol cigarettes showed an outrageous form of health and environmental racism:
Menthol is particularly controversial because public health authorities have worried about its health effects on African-Americans. Nearly 75 percent of black smokers use menthol brands, compared with only about one in four white smokers.
That is why one former public health official says the legislation's menthol cigarettesexemption is a "cave-in to the industry," an opinion shared by some other public health advocates.
"I think we can say definitively that menthol induces smoking in the African-American community and subsequently serves as a direct link to African-American death and disease," said the former official, Robert G. Robinson, who retired two years ago as an associate director in the office of smoking and health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Japan Tobacco Gains After Report It May Raise Prices

Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third- largest publicly traded cigarettes maker, rose the most in two weeks in Tokyo trading after the Nikkei newspaper reported it may raise prices.
The company is considering higher prices because the cost of leaf tobacco and packaging has increased as much as 30 percent, the newspaper said, citing an interview with President Hiroshi Kimura. Japan Tobacco climbed 3.8 percent to 493,000 yen at the 3 p.m. close on Tokyo's stock exchange, its biggest gain since April 25.
``We won't rule out the possibility of a price hike, but there's no concrete plan at this stage,'' Yukiko Seto, a Japan Tobacco spokeswoman, said in a phone interview. ``It's one of the options we will consider.''
Operating income from cigarettes sales slid 9.4 percent to 222 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in the 12 months through March. The percentage of Japanese men who smoke has fallen by half over the past 40 years to about 40 percent because of an increase in health consciousness.
The company's last price increase that wasn't linked to higher taxes was in 1993, Nikkei said.

Hawaii Law to Sell Only Fire Safe Cigarettes

A new type cigarettes
has hit the market.
"This is one of the hottest items that we're talking about,' says Silva.

Hawaii will soon join twenty-seven other states in requiring only "fire safe" cigarettes to be sold in stores.
"As pun, we were a blaze to get this passed," says Representative Ryan Yamane, (D) Mililani, Waphau, Waipio.

"To me this was a no brainer on helping and supporting the people of our state."
This is how it works, a fire safe cigarette acts just as a regular cigarettes. But if it's not puffed on every few minutes, the flame will then go out.

You can see the difference. When left in an ashtray a "fire safe" cigarette on the right goes out within minutes. While a regular safe cigarette on the left keeps on burning.

"I know first hand that cigarettes and any smoking material is dangerous," says Silva.
Fire safe cigarettes are wrapped in special paper with ultra-thin bands that work like speed bumps...to slow down the burn and self-extinguish.

"If we don't have to go to fires, if we don't expose ourselves to those kinds of risks we're better off also," says Silva.
"There will be no additional charge to the cigarettes, so it won't cost more," says Yamanae. "What we heard, it won't change the quality of the cigarettes at all."

Most tobacco companies are already converting all of their brands over to "fire safe" cigarettes.
Hawaii stores will see the change by September next year.

Pressure to increase tax on tobacco

The government's war on binge drinking may soon extend to smoking following calls by the federal government's chief preventative health adviser to increase tax on cigarettes.

Anti-smoking groups have welcomed the call by National Preventative Health Task Force chairman Rob Moodie, who says the increase is long overdue and would help reduce smoking rates.

Dr Moodie raised the issue one day after the government moved to lift tax on pre-mixed alcohol drinks, known as alcopops, to crack down on binge drinking.

He said the only increase in the cost of tobacco products over the past 10 years were consumer price index increases and the introduction of the GST in June 2000.

"It (tax) hasn't increased over the last 10 years. It's now I think time that we did increase the cost of cigarettes," Dr Moodie told ABC Radio.

"After all, it's the major killer in Australia and we know if, for example, we added 0.5 cents to every cigarette stick across the board, that would drop consumption by nearly three per cent."

Last year approximately 2.9 million Australians aged 14 years or older were daily smokers according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

This number represented a 4.6 per cent decrease on the previous year.

Executive director of anti-smoking group Quit, Fiona Sharkie, said it was essential that the government put in place tobacco control strategies, including increasing taxes as soon as possible.

"An increase of 2.5 cents per cigarette would reduce tobacco consumption by 2.6 per cent, with an estimated 40,000 adults giving up smoking and 10,000 fewer teenagers making the transition to regular smoking," she said.

She said compared with the rising costs of food and petrol, smoking was now "relatively inexpensive".

"It is cheaper to buy a packet of cigarettes than it is to go to a movie or buy a mobile phone card."

But consumer group CHOICE warned that any cost increase could have a negative social impact on families struggling with rising living costs.

"All evidence with alcohol research shows that when you increase the price it decreases demand, but tobacco might be different because it is more addictive," CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn told AAP.

"Tobacco is such an addictive product that people might keep smoking as much and then the family will suffer because other goods and services aren't being bought.

"If you are going to meddle with taxes, you need to be sure it is going to have the outcome that you desire and that there aren't other spin-offs that aren't socially desirable."

The federal government refused to comment on the proposal and said it was a budgetary matter.

A spokesman for federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the government's move to increase the tax on alcopops was to close a loophole.

"That loophole was an anomaly that needed to be closed and has now been closed," the spokesman told AAP.

"In relation to any other question of tax, that is a matter for the budget."

According to the Australian Cancer Council, in 2003 there were 15,511 smoking-related deaths in Australia.

One of Labor's election promises was to increase spending for the National Tobacco Strategy by $15 million over three years.

Altria Earnings Fall 12%

Altria Group Inc.'s first-quarter net income fell 12% as the company completed its spinoff of Philip Morris International Inc. in addition to a major restructuring and headquarters move.
Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Szymanczyk said the moves, including the switch from New York City to Richmond, Va., would "substantially reduce the company's cost structure." The company, which reitereated its 2008 outlook, said it would achieve annual savings of $250 million by next year.
The maker of Marlboro cigarettes and other tobacco products reported net income of $2.45 billion, or $1.16 a share, compared with $2.75 billion, or $1.31 a share, a year earlier. Excluding Philip Morris and restructuring charges, earnings rose to 37 cents from 33 cents.
Revenue rose 2.8% to $4.41 billion.
Gross margin fell to 57.2% from 58.3%. Marlboro's market share in the U.S. rose 0.7 points to 41.5%, while overall cigarettes volume fell 1.2%.
The PMI spinoff, which was done in part to shield the burgeoning international unit from U.S. lawsuits and regulators, turned Altria into essentially a domestic tobacco company, and one staring down the barrel of billions of dollars of lawsuits. In addition to its tobacco operations, Altria owns a 28.6% stake in SABMiller PLC.
It may have dodged one liability bullet already. Earlier this month a federal appeals court removed the class-action designation from a suit seeking as much as $800 billion from makers of "light" cigarettes. The decision means each plaintiff will have to bring suit separately, which was seen as a win for tobacco companies.
On Wednesday, PMI reported net income up 29%, and boosted its outlook for the year.
Looking forward, Altria expects 2008 per-share earnings of $1.63 to $1.67, in line with previous estimates. Analysts expected $1.67.

Puffing ITC non-filter cigarettes to cost dear

With the government yet to budge on the tobacco industry’s demands, Kolkata-based ITC is readying for a possible hike in prices of non-filter cigarettes. The company, which is believed to have stopped production of the variety, is contemplating this move, as an extended closure would mean huge losses for the company and for those dependent on it.
Sources say ITC plans to hike prices soon and the product with the new price tag would be made available in the market by the end of this quarter. The company is also likely to resume production by then. ITC officials were not available for comment.
In his last Budget, finance minister P Chidambaram increased excise duty on non-filter cigarettes to bring them on a par with filter cigarettes. For cigarettes between 60 mm and 70 mm length, excise duty was increased from Rs 546 to Rs 1,323 per 1,000 cigarettes while for cigarettes below 60 mm, it went up from Rs 168 to Rs 819 per 1,000 cigarettes.
As per an analyst with a local brokerage firm, the company would only look at a price hike if the conversion rate to filter cigarettes is quite low. “The company is adopting a wait-and-watch policy as far as conversion from non-filter to filter cigarettes is concerned. If the conversion is quite low, then the company would not consider it,” Anand Mour of Prabhudas Lilladher said.

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Cigars & Smokeless Tobacco

Offering cigarettes smokers new alternatives has been a stepping stone for huge growth in the OTP segment. The category as a whole has been showing big numbers, but MST, in particular, has been leading a bold charge in the cigarettes industry.
Retailers are eager to capitalize on the profits OTP offers. Of the 77 key decision makers to participate in the CSD Brand Preference Study, 65% reported they were working closely with OTP suppliers and communicated with three or more companies in the past 60 days. However, 10% reported no sales presentation in the past two months.
Communication is crucial especially as the stakes get higher. A USB study on smokeless products showed that MST alone enjoyed a sales boost of 8%, reaching a peak of unforeseen sales that have continued to rise since 2004.
Experts, such as Nik Modi, analyst for USB Investment Research, forecast that the smokeless tobacco category will continue to hold that volume until the end of the decade.
"MST growth is still in its early phase," said Nik Modi, analyst for USB Investment Research. "It’s expected to show an increase of 6 to 8% continuing up until 2010. With the volume growth we’re seeing each year, bigger players and manufacturers are going to be getting involved and we may see that number change even more."
Driven by category leader U.S. Smokeless Tobacco (USST), MST products experienced the fastest growth rate among packaged consumer products. Modi attributes this growth to an increase in marketing, especially in c-stores, which are using the product as a means to offset slouching sales in other categories.
"We estimate that 70% of the MST category is sold through the c-store channel," said Modi. "C-store retailers are recognizing the growth potential of OTP, particularly MST, and the attractive margins it can offer."
A lot of this growth comes as cigarette sales have been flat, putting fear into the hearts of retailers worried about losing gross profit margins on what used to be the number one in-store source for sales. Because of these numbers, retailers, aided by eager suppliers like USST, have been reducing cigarette space on the counter and back bar to make room for MST and other smokeless products.
Like MST, cigars, particularly flavored cigars, have also been a huge boost to OTP. Retailers said one key to growing flavored cigar sales is letting customers know what options are available. Joe Hamza, director of marketing for Tedeschi Food Shop’s Store 24 chain, has been enjoying success with flavored cigars not only because of the demand, but because of the aggressive placement of the products in the stores.
Retailer respondents recognized a number of suppliers, including Swisher, Conwood, Swedish Match, John Middleton and Altadis as having outstanding products, promotions and marketing support.
One other trend worth watching is snus. In particular, Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds are both capitalizing on consumers’ desires for a clean, spit-free form of smokeless tobacco. Snus is a popular European concept that comes in the form of a tea bag-like pouch of tobacco that’s pinched like snuff. Philip Morris in particular has coupled this concept with the Marlboro name, offering Marlboro Snus in test markets, and Reynolds is offering Camel Snus. On paper, this new smokeless tobacco has limitless possibilities thanks to the boost it will get from the reputations of tobacco titans like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, not to mention the marketing resources.

Electro-cigarette beats smoking ban

Scientists have created an electronic cigarette which they claim beats the smoking ban.

The battery powered device uses micro electronic technology to simulate the sensations of smoking, but because it has no tobacco and is non-flammable there is no law against it.

While it looks like a regular cigarettes the £50 electronic alternative actually contains a nicotine cartridge, an atomisation chamber and a computer-chip.
the same experience as a traditional cigarette. But because it is simply condensation it evaporates into the air within seconds.

"It is non flammable and without the danger of exposing the user to the 4000 chemical substances produced by normal cigarettes," said a spokesman for makers Gamucci.

Each cartridge is equivalent to 20 traditional cigarettes and the battery will last for approximately one day with normal use.

Tobacco Profits Going Up in Smoke?

Tobacco companies may face an uphill battle against regulators after new legislation was proposed that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority of cigarettes products. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 38-12 in favor of the proposal that is now ready to be passed on to the U.S. Senate before becoming effective. Shareholders of tobacco companies are divided as the legislation may benefit some while hurting others.
The new legislation is expected to impose significant restrictions on marketing as well as require larger warning labels. These are developments that are more likely to hurt smaller cigarettes companies rather than the nationally-recognized and established brand names. This means that big companies like Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), which recently spun off from Altria Group (NYSE: MO), stand to benefit at the expense of other smaller players like Carolina Group (NYSE: CG) and Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI).
This may sound great for larger companies, but there is a big downside. The FDA will also likely require manufacturers and importers of tobacco to pay user fees to fund the new regulatory responsibilities under the bill. These fees are expected to net $90 million this year, but increase to $755 million by 2018. These fees would be assessed based on market share, which means that the lion's share of the fees will be levied on companies like Philip Morris.
The best options for shareholders may be those tobacco companies with greater international exposure. Companies like Imperial Tobacco Group (NYSE: ITY) with particular strengths in the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, the Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Australia, Taiwan and sub-Saharan Africa are of particular interest. Strong international brands may become more important than strong domestic brands if the measures pass.
In the end, tobacco companies are likely to suffer from these new measures. Reduced marketing will put pressure on top-line growth by limiting their ability to attract new customers. Meanwhile, the fees associated with the new regulation will put pressure on margins and negatively impact the bottom-line. Combined, this is bad news for tobacco companies if the bill is passed in its current state.

E-cigarette is Also Becoming Popular in the United Kingdom

VENLO, the Netherlands, -- What has been a hype in the Netherlands now since last summer, is also starting to happen in the United Kingdom. Since it was announced that the smoking ban, which already came into force in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2007, will be implemented virtually everywhere in July this year, smokers have been looking for alternatives. Electronic cigarettes, which have been very popular in China for two years, are now getting more popular in Europe. We, RuToo , are running an international web shop in 4 languages (6 languages next month) and notice an impressive sales increase in the United Kingdom, both in the commercial and private sectors. While we had already noticed increases previously in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium, it is now the British customer who is being attracted by the E-cigarette. The E-cigarette is also popular in hotels, nightclubs, pharmacies, tobacco shops, casinos and even airlines are selling the Rutoo cigarettes to allow public smoking. RuToo is a young Dutch company set up by two young entrepreneurs importing the E-cigarette directly from China under their own brand name.
The E-cigarette's great advantage is that no tobacco is burnt. No harmful substances, such as tar and carbon monoxide, are released. Only water vapour is released by the product thus affecting both the smokers and the environment less. The E-cigarette consists of an electric device with a battery, an atomizer and a switch which is activated by sucking the E-cigarette. The nicotine cartridges are replaceable and available in a number of different tastes and strengths. It is only the smokers who get the nicotine they want as a substitute for the traditional cigarette.
Rutoo with its knowledge of the British market, expects to achieve a fast increase in sales in the United Kingdom. Above all, the E-cigarette is a substitute for the traditional cigarette. With well-proportioned use, however, it can be used very well to reduce smoking and perhaps even give it up.
In the Netherlands, there is currently a discussion about whether the E-cigarette should be allowed as a medicine. The authorities have thus indicated that the E-cigarette may contribute to reducing the craving for nicotine.