The market test of Marlboro SNUS, a new spitless, smokeless tobacco product, has begun in the Dallas Area in an effort to spur sales as cigarette cons

August 18, 2007 - The market test of Marlboro SNUS, a new spitless, smokeless tobacco product, has begun in the Dallas Area in an effort to spur sales as cigarette consumption continuous to decline. Philip Morris has said, the popularity of Marlboro "may help encourage trial of SNUS by adult smokers." In Dallas, the law is simple - no smoking in restaurants. Now the new Philip Morris product will help tobacco users get around that.( CBS 11 News Dallas, Jay Gormley reporting). Already free coupons are available for Marlboro SNUS (Dallas - Craigslist). Our highest priority has to be keeping children from beginning to use tobacco products. Kylie Meiner, the tobacco prevention coordinator for Multnomah County (Oregon) where one of the two original test sites for Camel Snus is located is convinced that the marketing is aimed at young people. One direct mail item she received read “Camel Snus – be the 1st on your block to try it” (Portland Tribune, 11/20/2006). The European Court of Justice ruled on (December 2004) that an EU ban on the sale of snus - Swedish snuff tobacco - should remain in force. Noting the risk that young people would become addicted to nicotine if they begin to use snus, the Court said that its decision was motivated by a desire to protect the health of European citizens. (See SNUS.biz for more...) Some public health professionals seem to think SNUS should be used as a harm reduction product in inveterate (firmly and long established) smokers that have no interest in quitting, e.g. a paper by Dr. Brad Roduand William T. Godshall, M.P.H. entitled: "Tobacco Harm Reduction: An Alternate Cessation Strategy for Inveterate Smokers," from the Dec. 21, 2006 issue (Vol. 3, issue 1) of Harm Reduction Journal. Tobacco companies are targeting a much younger crowd of young adults and any kids they can entice along the way - witness the tagline for Camel SNUS: "Pleasure for wherever." We must prevent this from happening or we'll end up with a generation of nicotine addicts. See related Newsbriefs: August 14, 2007, August 7, 2007, August 6, 2007,July 6, 2007, July 5, 2007

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Camel SNUS ad appeared in the What's Up Section of the Raleigh News & Observer. ..

August 17, 2007 - Camel SNUS ad appeared in the What's Up Section of the Raleigh News & Observer. Raleigh is one of the new market test sites. What do you think?? Does this ad target hard-nosed existing smokers that refused to quit tobacco smoking??? See related Newsbriefs: August 14, 2007, August 10, 2007, August 3, 2007, July 27, 2007, July 23, 2007, July 13, 2007, July 12, 2007 and July 2, 2007. Click on image to enlarge.. (TobaccoWatch.org)

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Reynolds American rejected the anti-tobacco organization (American Legacy Foundation) claim ...

August 16, 2007 - Reynolds American rejected the anti-tobacco organization (American Legacy Foundation) claim that its Camel No. 9 cigarettes, which comes in black packages with pink trim, target girls and said it will continue to sell them. The foundation wanted the cigarettes removed from store, calling them a veiled attempt to sell more cigarettes to girls and young women.(Blumberg News) R.J. Reynolds urged to drop Camel No. 9 by Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press, Desert Morning News.. Dozens of women's and public health organizations on Wednesday called on R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to remove from the market its Camel No. 9 cigarettes, a brand they say is cynically aimed at getting young, fashion-conscious women and girls to start smoking. At the same time, a congressional group said it had been rebuffed by major women's and fashion magazines (e.g., Glamour, September 2007, Camel No. 9 centerfold - TW) in their effort to get the magazines to stop publishing ads for the Camels and other cigarettes. The latest ad campaign for Camel No. 9 says "Now available in stiletto" — a longer, thinner cigarette. See related Newsbriefs: July 18, 2007, May 5, 2007, May 4, 2007, April 25, 2007, March 23, 2007 and February 23, 2007 Click on image to enlarge.

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NYC Warns Parents of Smoking Lawsuits...

August 16, 2007 - NYC Warns Parents of Smoking Lawsuits by Jill Gardiner, The New York Sun - Mayor Bloomberg said today that he has not decided whether to back a soon-to-be introduced bill in the City Council to prohibit smoking in cars with minors. He warned parents though that their children could target them in second-hand smoke lawsuits if they engage in the practice. "I've always thought, someday, somebody is going to sue. Some kid is going to sue their parents," the mayor said when asked whether he would back the legislation. Mr. Bloomberg said he would have to look at the legislation before deciding whether to support it. "I will say that if you have a child in a car and you smoke you are just really not being fair to that child." See related Newsbrief: August 15, 2007
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Israel - sucking tobacco' illegally imported under ministries' noses...

August 15, 2007 - Sucking tobacco' illegally imported under ministries' noses By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHA, The Jerusalem Post.. A fruit-flavored tobacco product called "Kicks," meant to be sucked for up to 30 minutes for its nicotine effect, is being imported from Sweden and sold illegally in chain stores and kiosks around Israel despite the lack of required authorizations from the Health and Trade ministries. The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry cannot authorize the import of a food product unless the Health Ministry certifies that it is safe for consumption, and the sale of a food product in Israel without Health Ministry approval is a criminal offense. It was noted two decades ago, when former prime minister Ariel Sharon headed the Industry and Trade Ministry, he "adopted the Israeli Cancer Association's request" to bar the import of smokeless tobacco. This regulation "does not exist today, or it was removed [from the regulation books] a few months ago, and that today one can buy - in chain stores and kiosks - tobacco for sucking." The cancer association heads called on the ministers to "use the powers given to you by law and prohibit the import of sucking tobacco into Israel until it is stated categorically in the law that the product is safe for use and does not endanger health. It is important to note that today, sucking tobacco is prohibited for import and sale in all the European Union countries and permitted only in Sweden and non-EU Scandinavian countries - Norway."

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Smokers have already been banned from New York bars and restaurants, and soon they could be prohibited from lighting up in cars carrying minors. ..

August 15, 2007 - Smokers have already been banned from New York bars and restaurants, and soon they could be prohibited from lighting up in cars carrying minors. A City Council member of Queens who is chairman of the council's Environmental Protection Committee, James Gennaro, said he is planning to introduce the smoking bill next week. "I am just seeking every opportunity I can to denormalize smoking and to try to put it out of the reach of kids," Mr. Gennaro said. "I've lost family members to lung cancer and I've seen what happens." Mr. Gennaro's proposal calls for fines of $200 to $400 for a first smoking violation, $500 to $1,000 for a second violation in a single year, and between $1,000 and $2,000 for a third violation in a year.

The New York Police Department would get the task of enforcing the law. Rockland County, NY in June 2007 approved a measure to ban smoking in cars with minors. A child who spends one hour in a very smoky room is inhaling as many dangerous chemicals as if he or she smoked 10 or more cigarettes, according to the Mayo Clinic. A U.S. Surgeon General's report from 2006 found there is sufficient evidence to infer "a causal relationship" between secondhand smoke exposure from parental smoking and lower respiratory illnesses in infants and children. ( Council Seeks New Ban on Smoking by Parents in Cars by GRACE RAUH, the NYSun)

Bangor, Maine is believed to be the first city to outlaw smoking in cars with children. But Arkansas, Louisiana and Puerto Rico recently enacted similar bans, and at least three other states are considering them: California, Connecticut and Maine, where proponents hope the Bangor ban will be a catalyst for a state law.

Additional reference: A Call to Ban Smoking in Cars (With Children) by Sewell Chan, The New York Times (City Desk), 8/16/2007.

Click on image to enlarge..

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SWEDISH MATCH AB AGREES TO ACQUIRE CIGARS INTERNATIONAL (CI) INC...

August 15, 2007 - SWEDISH MATCH AB AGREES TO ACQUIRE CIGARS INTERNATIONAL (CI) INC...Richmond, VA—Swedish Match North America announces today that its parent company Swedish Match AB has agreed to acquire CI, a privately-held company that specializes in the direct marketing and sales of premium and machine-made cigars and related accessories. Headquartered in Bath, Pennsylvania, CI utilizes a multi-channel direct marketing strategy encompassing catalog sales and email programming, as well as fulfillment and wholesale distribution via its websites: cigarsinternational.com and cigarbid.com. Cigars International also operates two retail outlets in Pennsylvania. The company features a comprehensive product selection including but not limited to premium brands such as Macanudo®, Cohiba®, Romeo y Julieta® and Arturo Fuente®. These offerings are complemented by a collection of proprietary cigars sold exclusively through CI.

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This c-store is being forced by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco to put this sign right beside the front door. ..

August 14, 2007 - Click on image to enlarge. This c-store is being forced by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco to put this sign right beside the front door. (Reynolds pays the store a little bit extra to have a say in where promotional material will be displayed.) Surely, Reynolds must be in a hurry to maximize the promotion of Camel SNUS with Marlboro SNUS being available soon in a broader market. See related Newsbriefs: August 10, 2007, August 3, 2007, July 27, 2007, July 23, 2007,July 13, 2007, July 12, 2007 and July 2, 2007. In the image look for the Camel SNUS door sticker. Why do most Latino tobacco smokers choose Marlb

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If You Use Tobacco Products Its Going to Cost You More..

August 13, 2007 - If You Use Tobacco Products Its Going to Cost You More.. Charging workers who smoke more for their health care is becoming a widespread practice. Clarian Health, an Indiana hospital chain, will require workers who smoke to pay $5 out of each paycheck starting in 2009. For workers deemed obese, as much as $30 will be taken out of each paycheck until they meet certain weight, cholesterol and blood pressure standards. A PriceWaterhouseCooper's survey this year of 62 percent of the 135 top executives who responded, said their companies should require employees who show unhealthy behaviors to pay a greater share of their health care costs. Weyco, a Lansing, Mich., benefits administrator, recently adopted a policy to completely eliminate tobacco use from its work force. In 2003, the company introduced a policy of not hiring tobacco users and began offering smoking-cessation programs to employees, who were given a year to quit. "While other employers' health plan costs have spiraled, Weyco's have stayed the same," said Gary Climes, vice president and general manager of Weyco. (Firms dock pay of obese, smokers, Gregory Lopes, Washington Times) Effective January 1, 2002 the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department does not hire applicants who use tobacco. Smokers at Scott's Miracle-Gro Co. won't even be able to do that much longer. In October 2006, the Marysville, OH based company will begin randomly testing employees and giving pink slips to those who test positive for nicotine. The company announced the ultimatum in November, saying it was giving employees a year to quit, and offered to help with smoking-cessation programs. (Clock ticking down for smokers at Scott's Miracle-Grow, Susan Deutschle, Business First of Columbus, April 14, 2006). (from SNUS.biz)

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