Snus News & Other Tobacco Products: 11/28/10

Baguio City, Philippines - “Hundred Percent Smoke-Free City” campaign..

Actor Michael Douglas - fighting for his life with Stage 4 Throat Cancer..

December 7, 2010 - Michael Kirk Douglas, a U.S. actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards, first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2009.

Mr. Douglas was warned time and time again to stop the use of tobacco but would not listen. Now he is fighting for his life with advanced Stage 4 throat cancer. Michael Douglas and Throat Cancer FAQ Michael Douglas Has Stage IV Throat Cancer; Experts Weigh In by Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD Health News, 9/1/2010. The stage 4 throat cancer is an advanced stage, where the throat cancer survival rate is rather low.

VIDEO - Stage 4 Throat Cancer: What's the Prognosis for Michael Douglas? by Chris Gentilviso, Time Newsfeed, September 1, 2010.
Read more...

Federal Court of Appeals - e-cigarettes - rules against the FDA..

December 7, 2010 - U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in an opinion said today the FDA can only regulate e-cigarettes as a tobacco product. The ruling means the government can oversee the marketing of the products, not restrict their sale. (No. 10-5032 SOTTERA, INC., DOING BUSINESS AS NJOY, APPELLEE v. FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION, ET AL., APPELLANTS)

The appeals court unanimously (3-judges) upheld an injunction against the FDA’s attempt to ban them or regulate them more strictly as drugs.

February 2, 2010 - U.S. FDA appealing a federal judge's ruling on e-cigarettes.;
January 31, 2010 - U.S. FDA - judge's ruling regarding e-cigarettes must be appealed - ASAP..

A nebuliser is a device used to administer medication in the form of a mist inhaled into the lungs. The e-cigarette consists of a battery, a heating element and a cartridge that contains a liquid suspension with nicotine. When a user inhales from the cartridge, the liquid is heated and the vaporized liquid can be inhaled. How can both not be devices to administer a substance? Nicotine is a highly addicting, highly toxic substance that has been shown to enhance the growth of an existing cancer and also, in itself is carcinogenic. (PAPER: Nicotine in cigarettes linked to breast cancer..)

Nicotine is very poisonous and ingesting even the smallest amount can cause extreme fatigue, vomiting, a rapid yet weak pulse, and possibly nervous breakdowns, even death. (FDA: Electronic cigarettes contain toxic chemicals..; E-cigarettes - scientists want more safety studies before use..)

The e-cigarettes user inhales various flavors of nicotine (that may isolated from tobacco or synthetically made). The Halo Electronic Cigarettes web site states that Chinese smoke juice (nicotine) is notorious for being manufactured using Pesticide-Grade Nicotine, and Industrial-Grade Propylene Glycol. These contaminated ingredients pose an increasing and unnecessary risk to electronic cigarette users throughout the world. More from Halo: The e-liquid industry is flooded with inferior made juice from overseas, from companies that care little about the safety of their customers. It is notorious for being manufactured using inferior grades of Nicotine, Glycerin and Propylene Glycol. These low-grade ingredients pose an increasing and unnecessary risk to electronic cigarette users throughout the world.

From Ruyan e-cigarettes flavors: regular tobacco, marlboro, mint, almond, chocolate, cherry, regular, menthol, Apple and strawberry. They have surveyed a number of electronic cigarette smokers and the overwhelming favorites are menthol and, believe it or not, strawberry. More: Philip Morris - Ruyan Group - e-cigarettes..

The federal appellate court's opinion is an embarrassment for the United States and a set back for the effort to prevent youngsters from becoming nicotine addicts never able to reach their full potential. The New York State Assembly has voted overwhelmingly 125-0 to ban e-cigarettes [e-cigs]; a product which has already been banned in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Mexico, and New Zealand, restricted in Finland, Malaysia, and Singapore, pending restriction in the UK as a drug, and the subject of law suits by attorneys general in several states, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). (New York Moves Towards Total E-Cigarette Ban, Tobacco Facts, 4/29/2010) Even Russia has proposed to ban electronic cigarettes - until the manufacturers have carried out clinical studies and toxicity analysis.
(Russia - electronic cigarettes to be banned..)

The FDA is “studying the opinion and considering next steps,” Jeffrey Ventura, a spokesman for the agency, said in an e-mailed statement.

Non-profit health organizations such as The American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, have called for e-cigarettes to be removed from the market.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, criticized the decision. “This ruling invites the creation of a wild west of products containing highly addictive nicotine, an alarming prospect for public health,” the group said in an e-mailed statement. “We urge the government to appeal this ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

The American Heart Association.. “We’re gravely concerned about the implications of today’s ruling,” association chief executive Nancy Brown said in a statement. “The appeals court has cleared the way for the industry to peddle these products to consumers without any scrutiny as to their safety or efficacy.

Reference: FDA Loses Appeal, Can't Regulate Electronic Cigarettes as Drug, Court Says by Don Jeffrey (djeffrey1@bloomberg.net), editor responsible for this story: David E. Rovella (drovella@bloomberg.net), Bloomberg.com, 12/7/2010; E-Cigarettes Win Appeals Ruling by DUFF WILSON, The New York Times, 12/7/2010.

Some e-cigarette news briefs:
E-cigarettes - a device for delivery of variable amounts of vaporized nicotine..;
U.S. e-cigarette imports banned indefinitely - ASH..;
THIS MUST STOP - e-cigarette company asking active duty soldiers to buy their product..;
Electronic cigarettes - study finds not an effective nicotine delivery system..;
U.S. - federal appeals court, import of e-cigarettes on hold again..;
U.S. FDA appealing a federal judge's ruling on e-cigarettes..;
U.S. FDA - judges ruling regarding e-cigarettes must be appealed - ASAP..;
California - attorney general thinks e-cigarette distributor is targeting minors..;
E-cigarettes - scientists want more safety studies before use..;
In Process: US. Federal District court judge makes serious error regarding the import of e-cigarettes..;
New Jersey assemblywoman wants to limit electronic (e) cigarettes..;
"Smoking Everywhere", an electronic cigarettes retailer sued..;
Dubai, UAE customs blocks e-cigarette shipment..;
Connecticut AG Blumnethal wants to ban e-cigarettes..;
Orgeon - files lawsuit against e-cigarette company..;
Saudi Arabia - banning sales of electronic (e) cigarettes..;
Smoking Everywhere - e-cigarette distributor..;
Oregon - electronic (e) cigarettes sales prohibited until approved by FDA..;
Israel bans electronic (e) cigarettes..;
New Zealand - 1st trial ever of e-cigarettes..;
FDA: Electronic cigarettes contain toxic chemicals..;
e-cigarettes - Company sues FDA for blocking imports of product..;
e-cigarettes - FDA approval needed prior to marketing..;
E-cigarettes need to establish efficacy and safety - FIRST..;
Read more...

Powys County, Wales, UK - placing trash bins hoping smokers will dispose of cigarette butts properly..

December 7, 2010 - Powys Community Safety Partnership said there had been a "dramatic increase" in cigarette-related litter since the smoking ban in 2007. Smoke-free legislation was enforced across the United Kingdom (UK) by July 2007 (England - July 1, 2007, Scotland - March 26, 2006, Wales - April 2, 2007, Northern Ireland - April 30, 2007).

Newtown (population: 12,783) is the largest town in the county of Powys, Wales , the largest county in Wales, is in east-central Wales, bordering England. The majority of the Powys population is made up of small villages and towns. (Powys)

More than 130 cigarette bins have been bought following claims of a "dramatic" rise in smoking-related litter. The bins will be placed outside pubs, restaurants, clubs, office buildings, bookmakers and shopping centres throughout Powys. Newtown is the first town to benefit from the new bins.

A Welsh Assembly Government grant helped pay for the scheme, and the bins will be distributed to businesses in Newtown town centre. The scheme, costing £4,750 (7,502.72 USD), has been funded through the assembly government's Tidy Towns initiative.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council (Rhondda Cyon Taff is a county borough in Glamorgan, south Wales) is also cracking down on cigarette litter. The Council’s award-winning Streetcare Enforcement Team which was launched in April 2006 remains pro-active in its many initiatives to combat what has become a blight on communities everywhere. Their latest campaign is to raise awareness to the public that discarding cigarette butts can result in a £75 (118.55 USD) fine or worse if it results in a Magistrates’ Court hearing. (Cigarette Litter Crackdown Launched, WelshIcons.org.uk, 6/27/2010)

Reference: Bins tackle smoking litter rise in Newtown, BBC, 12/6/2010.
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Lithuania - tax to increase January 1, 2011 on cigarettes, cigarillos, and smoking tobacco..

December 6, 2010 - The Seimas (parliament) in Lithuania has approved increasing the excise duties on cigarettes, cigarillos, smoking tobacco and diesel fuel up to the minimum set out by the European Union (EU). The excise duty on cigars and cigarillos is to go up almost twice. The new rates of excise duty will come into effect as of January 1, 2011. History of the Seimas

In accordance with EU requirements, the excise duty for all categories of cigarettes will be no less than LTL 221 (EUR 64, 85.05 USD) per 1,000 cigarettes from the following year. Until now, these tax levels have only be applied t o the “most popular” category of cigarettes.

The excise duty on smoking tobacco will grow from LTL 111 to LTL 139 per kg. As of 2013, the excise duty will be raised to LTL 163, to LTL 187 in 2015, and to LTL 208 in 2018. The excise duty on cigars and cigarillos will be raised from LTL 38 to LTL 80 per kg. [1.00 LTL = 0.3848 USD]

The measures are part of a package that also provided for exemptions from the value-added tax for hotels and books, reversing increases the government passed after the economic slump hit at the end of 2008. (pi)

Lithuania related news briefs:
Lithuania - must control illicit tobacco in order for tobacco control to work.. :
Lithuania - September 1, 2009 - excise duty on cigarettes increased..

References: Lithuanian Seimas approves raising tobacco and fuel excise duties, Danuta Pavilenene, BC, Vilnius, Baltic Course, 12/1/2010; Tobacco excise duty to increase, Tobacco Journal International, 12/1/2010.
Read more...

South Africa - BAT funding awareness campaign to highlight link between illegal cigarettes and organized crime..

December 6, 2010 - A sharp rise in illegal cigarette imports in South Africa over the past 18 months is eroding sales by legitimate manufacturers and in response British American Tobacco (BAT) is funding an awareness campaign that will highlight the links between illegal cigarettes and organised crime.

BAT South Africa corporate and regulatory affairs director Fay Kajee said yesterday that the sale of illegal cigarettes was a growing concern due to its link to the arms trade. “It is not just about the effect on legitimate volumes, profits and tax revenue,” she said.

But the impact on legal sales has been significant. Kajee said the campaign, which is costing it R8.5 million, was also about protecting market share. BAT has an 85.7 percent share of the legal tobacco market in South Africa. “We have seen volumes decline as sales of illegal trade has risen to about 20 percent of total sales. This compares with the international norm of 6 percent to 12 percent.” [1 USD = 6.87634 R]

British American Tobacco (BAT) South Africa is the leading manufacturer of cigarettes in South Africa. The company has an estimated 65% share of the total tobacco market in a country where one in every four adults chooses to smoke. (British American Tobacco South Africa

In the past three years sales of legitimate products have declined from 25 billion cigarettes in 2008 to 21 billion this year. Over the same period the sale of illegal cigarettes has more than doubled from 3 billion in 2008 to 6.3 billion this year. It is estimated that one in five cigarettes is illegal.

The estimated annual revenue loss to the government is R2.5 billion in unpaid taxes as just more than half of the cost of a packet of cigarettes goes to excise and VAT. Legitimate sales of cigarettes by the tobacco industry generate about R10bn in revenue for the government, according to BAT.

Adrian Lackay, the spokesman for the SA Revenue Service, said the loss in revenue from illegal sales was about R1bn. “Illegal cigarettes are very lucrative as they are light, compact and can be distributed quickly,” Lackay said

Kajee attributed the rise in the sale of illicit cigarettes to opportunity, specifically the fact that supplies from Zimbabwe could be smuggled into the country easily, despite the government’s efforts. Financial pressure on consumers has also created greater demand for cheap products.

Kajee said illicit cigarettes were more prevalent where there was greater demand for cheap products, but it was not only street vendors that sold them, but also cafes and other formal retailers.

Illegal cigarettes are those that are smuggled into the country to evade tax or are counterfeit. A dead give away of an illegal cigarette is the price. Any cigarettes that retail for less than R13.50 for a pack of 20 should ring an alarm bell. Kajee said when you factored in manufacturing costs, transport and the margin the retailer would add on, it could not be sold at this price if it was a legitimate product. Other signs are missing, misplaced or incorrect health warnings.

Gauteng accounts for half of the illegal trade in South Africa, followed by the Western Cape. See map of provinces upper right-hand corner. This is where the campaign, which is supported by the Tobacco Institute of SA, will begin. Retailers and shoppers have been targeted with information letters, signage and leaflets. The campaign, which will also include print and billboard adverts, aims to change consumer and retailer behaviour by sending the message that money from illegal cigarettes funds violent crime.

The consequences for retailers selling these products could be a R20 000 fine, five years in jail or three times the value of the goods found, under the Customs & Excise Act for tax evasion, or up to R1m under the Tobacco Products Control Act. - Business Report

Reference: BAT lashes out at illegal cigarettes by Samantha Enslin-Payne, IOL.co.za, 12/1/2010.

South Africa related news briefs:
South Africa - Famous Smoking Chimpanzee Dies At 52..;
South Africa Scores Big with Smoke-Free Policy at Soccer 2010 World Cup..;
South Africa - SANHA have condemned cigarette smoking..;
South Africa - smoking more cigars as cigarette usage declines..;
South Africa - smoking rates remain high much more work still needed..;
South Africa - difficult to enforce law against smoking in a vehicle when child younger than 12 is present..;
South Africa - BAT wants court to lift ban on "one-to-one" communication with smokers..;
South Africa - new anti-smoking laws have to be enforced..;
Swedish Match finalizes sale of South African operation to PMI..;
South Africa - tobacco control legislation signed into law..; South Africa - survey of youngsters smoking and drinking hablits..;
Reynolds Tobacco is now providing coupons for a free can of Camel SNUS;
British American Tobacco (BAT) - 100 years in Africa..;
BAT Marketing Tobacco Products Using Text Messaging...
Read more...

New South Wales (NSW), Australia - more bans coming for smoking in public places..

Smokers could be limited to lighting up in their homes as the state government moves to ban smoking in alfresco dining areas (outside areas), covered bus stops and taxi ranks and sports stadiums. In announcing the latest push to reduce smoking rates in NSW, the Assistant Health Minister, Frank Sartor, said yesterday laws could be tightened to prohibit smoking in most crowded public places.

Mr. Sartor published a discussion paper that says consideration should be given to toughening the law to ban smoking in outdoor eating areas and near children's playgrounds, sporting grounds and public swimming pools. Bans on smoking could also apply within four metres of a public building. And the government wants to remove the smoking ban exemption for private gaming areas in casinos. "Perhaps the greatest challenge that we face on the tobacco front today is the mounting credible evidence of the damaging effects of environmental tobacco smoke," Mr Sartor said.

Australian researchers reported that 52 people in New South Wales (NSW) died due to passive smoking in the year 2007, including nearly 15 children under 15.

The purpose is to reduce smoking rate by 0.5% by the end of 2016 and 10% until 2020. Almost 17.25% adults in NSW are smokers. Therefore, in order to reduce this rate, such effective measures are being taken. As smoking is banned in NSW pubs and clubs, the councils have further banned smoking on beaches. "We have made great inroads into the prevalence of smoking in recent years through targeted prevention campaigns, legislation and enforcement activity", said Mr. Sartor.

New South Wales, Australia - budget for anti-smoking advertising cut..

An active smoker is not the only one who is at risk, but persons in his/her surroundings are equally at risk and they have to face severe consequences. (U.S. Surgeon General Reports Indisputable Dangers of Secondhand Smoke Secondhand smoke can lead to disease and premature death in children and adults by Larry West, About.com Guide)

The Heart Foundation chief executive, Tony Thirlwell, said he hoped to see all crowded outdoor areas smoke-free by July. "Although we're pleased to see acknowledgment of the dangers of second-hand smoke, we're disappointed about the absence of any real commitment or action from this government," Mr Thirlwell said. "The effect of passive smoking is 80 to 90 per cent as large as smoking a cigarette yourself - when will NSW families finally be able to enjoy a meal outdoors without being exposed to toxic cigarette smoke? "Second-hand smoke (passive smoking, shs, involuntary smoking, sidestream. environmental tobacco smoke, ets) is a major risk factor for heart disease."

References: Home alone: smoke bans spreading to more public places, Alexandra Smith STATE POLITICS, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12/1/2010; Calls for Smoke-Free Surroundings, Submitted by Ria Pate, Topnews.us, 12/5/2010.

New South Wales related news briefs:
New South Wales, Australia - budget for anti-smoking advertising cut..;
Australia - opportunity to buy cigarettes too readily available..;
Smokers' kisses can be fatal, a leading child health expert has warned..;
Orange, New South Wales, Australia - bans smoking in central business district..;
Australia, New South Wales - BAT pushes for removal of judge hearing a cancer compensation case..;
Australia - New South Wales - display ban for large stores started January 1, 2010..;
New South Wales politician smoking comment totally inaccurate..;
New South Wales - July 1, 2009 - Great Day for Tobacco Control..;
New South Wales - comply with tobacco laws too costly - NOT TRUE..; New South Wales refuse to be complacent about tobacco control..;
New South Wales won't use "separation" anti-tobacco ad..;
NSW Premier Rees Directly Involved Staged Smoking Bans..;
NSW - Clerical Error 2008 Tobacco Bill Corrected..;
Candy cigarettes predispose children to smoke..;
More New South Wales - Sweeping Anti-Tobacco Measures..;
New South Wales - tough new anti-tobacco laws approved..;
New South Wales - Big Tobacco Influencing Cabinet's Decision..;
Festival cigarette stalls banned in youth crackdown...
Read more...

Tobacco deadly in any form or disguise - graphic warnings for cans of smokeless tobacco ..

December 5, 2010 - As pointed out by Philip Morris USA public health authorities found smokeless tobacco products are addictive and can cause cancer, heart problems and diseases of the mouth, gums and teeth. Smokeless tobacco is strongly associated with leukoplakia—a precancerous lesion of the soft tissue in the mouth that consists of a white patch or plaque that cannot be scraped off. Also, smokeless tobacco is associated with recession of the gums, gum disease, and tooth decay.

A British American Tobacco (BAT) spokeswoman, Kate Matrunola, said some smokeless tobacco products like Swedish snus are less damaging than cigarettes, though “smokeless does not mean harmless.” Swedish Match - comments on the effect of snus on the oral mucosa.

The number of U.S. teenage boys using smokeless tobacco went up to 4.4 percent from 3.4 percent between 2002 and 2007, according to a nationwide survey published by the Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International Inc. and British American Tobacco Plc are selling more nicotine products that are sucked, not burned, in response to smoking bans.

In fact, sales of cigarettes continues to decrease while sales of smokeless tobacco are increasing every year by about seven percent. (Where's The Growth in Smokeless Tobacco Products..)

Recently the U.S.. FDA - unveiled proposed warning labels for cigarette packs..

Why not have graphic warning labels on cans of smokeless tobacco??

We provide a few examples of oral lesions. (In doing this little exercise we learned that American Snuff's Grizzly contains only 70% U.S. tobacco. American Snuff Company, formerly Conwood Sales Company LLC, is a division of Reynolds American Inc.)

A consortium of 10 health agencies - from the American Medical Association to the American Heart Association to the American Cancer Society -- have joined in a campaign to encourage Major League Baseball (MLB) to ban the use of smokeless tobacco in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. The group, led by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, sent letters to commissioner Bud Selig and Michael Weiner, the head of the Players' Association, two weeks ago. The letter sent..

Let's not limit graphic warnings to cigarettes - any form of tobacco can lead to a life of addiction, chronic disease and premature death.

References: Health Agencies Urge MLB Tobacco Ban, Jeff Fletcher, provided by Fanhouse, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/3/2010; Two-Cent Chewing Tobacco for Kids Spreads Oral Cancer in India by Adi Narayan, Bloomberg.com, 11/29/2010. Read more...

Philadelphia, PA - teen-smoking rate is among the worst of big cities..

December 5, 2010 - Philadelphia has a teen smoking rate that is No. 1 among big cities with comparable data. The City Council voted unanimously Thursday, December 2nd to raise fines on merchants who sell to youths and to make it easier to temporarily shut them down for repeat violations.

Philadelphia has an unusually high number of retailers: one for every 27 kids ages 10 to 17. More than three-quarters of them are located within 1,000 feet of a school. Undercover compliance checks have found that kids successfully buy cigarettes a fifth of the time.

City Code treats illegal sales by retailers like a parking ticket (but one that is handled far less efficiently than the parking authority would). A summons is mailed out several weeks after the offense; the store owner mails back a $100 check for the first, second or even seventh offense, and usually that is the end of it. The amendment given final approval on Thursday raises the fine to $250. It also streamlines the process, rarely used by the Department of Licenses and Inspections in the recent past, to temporarily cease operations of retailers after a third violation. Officials say the Department of Public Health will also be more involved, with workers visiting every retailer within two days of every illegal sale.

The City Code is still far weaker than state statutes that cover all underage sales in New Jersey and everything in Pennsylvania outside Philadelphia. Those have graduated fine structures, reaching $1,000 or more for repeat offenses. The courts also get involved in every case, a procedure that city Health Commissioner Donald Schwarz said would be preferable but would overwhelm Municipal Court with 1,000 more cases a year. New Jersey five years ago also raised the minimum age for sales of tobacco to minors to 19; state excise taxes are higher there as well, a signifcant deterrent for youths with limited spare change.

Pennsylvania - only state with no state tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco products..

Researchers say disposable income plays a major role in teen smoking. Indeed, while Philadelphia’s rate of 3.6 percent is highest among comparable big cities, it is less than half the national rate of 7.3 percent, which includes high school students from the suburbs and other areas. Statewide rates are 7.6 percent in Pennsylvania and 5.5 percent in New Jersey.

Disposable income also likely explains the huge racial and ethnic disparities in Philadelphia’s teen smoking rates: 15.6 percent for whites, 3.1 percent for Hispanics, and 1.2 percent for blacks. Both the white rate and the overall rate are the highest among select cities, according to the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey’s interactive data tool.

Statistics compiled by the city show that Philadelphia has 4,398 tobacco retailers, or 27 for every 1,000 children ages 10 to 17 - double the ratio in Chicago, San Diego, and New York. Forty percent are within one block of a school, 80 percent within two blocks. "As kids are walking to and from school, they are exposed to a lot of tobacco advertising," said Giridhar Mallya, director of policy and planning for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, adding that manufacturers responded to increased ad restrictions by relying more on retailers to get out their message.

Tobacco excise taxes, which are controlled by the state, mean that cigarettes in Philadelphia cost $6 to $7 a pack, compared with $8 to $9 in Boston and, with a recently approved increase, nearly $11 in New York City, he said. And if a pack is too expensive, retailers here, many of them small operations, also seem more willing than merchants elsewhere to sell "loosies," he said - two cigarettes for $1.

More than a third of teens in the city buy tobacco directly from a shop, officials said, another No. 1 for Philadelphia.

"They can bum and borrow, but when they actually can buy their own cigarettes, [smoking becomes] much harder to control," said pediatrician Sara B. Kinsman, who works with adolescents at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Smoking causes youth health problems, worsening asthma for example. .But the biggest concern about youth smoking, Kinsman said, is that 80 percent of adult smokers started in their teens.

It is a circular problem in Philadelphia, which has some of the highest adult smoking rates among big cities. Youths here "grow up in environments where they see adults smoking," Mallya said.

Among children, the rate is almost entirely a white phenomenon: More than 15 percent of white students in ninth through 12th grade said in last year's national Youth Risk Behavior Survey that they had smoked on at least 20 of the last 30 days. That's five times the Hispanic rate and 14 times the black rate.

Public-health workers say white teens have more money than minority youths to spend on cigarettes. That situation changes when they reach adulthood. Philadelphia's adult smoking rate - 27 percent in 2008, according to the regional Household Health Survey - is almost identical among the three groups.

The city has no authority over tobacco taxes and limited control over the number of retailers, who can get a state tobacco license for $25. So officials have focused on illegal sales to teens.

For years, a retailer who sold tobacco to an undercover "youth surveyor," observed by an adult, would receive, several weeks later by mail, a $100 summons, similar to a parking ticket. Even when the Department of Licenses and Inspections shut down a repeat violator, Mallya said, the shop owner could pay a fine and reopen the same day.

Along with the ordinance scheduled for a final Council vote Thursday, policy changes will enable city workers to deliver, within two days, the summonses that currently go by mail; they will use the opportunity to educate shop owners.

The implementation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Retailer Compliance Program should help stop sales of tobacco to youngsters. (U.S. FDA publishes rule to protect our children that restrict advertising and marketing of tobacco products..)

New Jersey law, which defines underage as younger than 19, fines the clerk who makes the sale, rather than the owner, at a rate of $250 for the first violation up to $1,000 for the third. A judge signs off on all cases and adds $158 in various fees.

Pennsylvania law, which is far newer than Philadelphia's, applies to the rest of the state. Both owners and sellers are held responsible, with graduated fines of up to $5,000 for a retailer's fourth offense and $100 to $1,000 for the clerk. A district justice must sign off on all cases.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Donald Schwarz told Council that he would love to treat underage sales as a criminal offense but that Municipal Court simply could not deal with 1,000 more cases a year.

Philadelphia is increasing its compliance checks to more than 8,000 this year using federal stimulus dollars.

The news is grimmer elsewhere. Faced with budget cuts, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have sharply reduced money for prevention, including compliance checks - a big worry for suburban health officials, who have seen their rates of illegal sales plummet from 50 percent to under 10 percent over the several years that the programs had been in full swing. (State Cigarette Excise Taxes: July 2010)

References: Philadelphia raises penalties for underage tobacco sales, posted by Don Sapatkin patkin@phillynews.com), Te Philadlephia Inquirer, 12/2/2010; Philadelphia teen-smoking rate is among the worst of big cities by Don Sapatkin (patkin@phillynews.com) Inquirer Staff Writer, Philadlephia Inquirer, 12/2010.
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India - cigarettes and bidis manufacturers halt production seek clarification on pictorial health warnings..

December 4, 2010 - India's largest cigarette firm ITC, maker of India Kings, Gold Flake and Navy Cut, has stopped production at all its manufacturing units in view of uncertainty over pictorial warnings to be carried on tobacco products starting this month. The company said there was no clarity on types of warnings to be carried on the packages. ITC has stopped production at all five units located across India since yesterday. Confirming the development an ITC spokesperson said, "Units (for making cigarettes) are shut because of the ambiguity in pictorial warnings to be carried from December 1 onwards."

The implementation of new pictorial health warnings became effective on December 1, 2010..

Tobacco giant ITC today plunged by 3.5 per cent in the early trade on BSE after the company said it has halted production of cigarettes at all its manufacturing units in view of uncertainty over pictorial warnings. (ITC scrip down 3.5% on news of production halt, Press Trust of India / Mumbai, Business Standard, 12/3/2010.)

According to industry sources, even Godfrey Phillips India (GPI), the country's second largest cigarette maker after ITC that owns brands like Four Square, Red and White and Cavanders, has stopped production.

Companies making cigarettes and bidis have been forced to close down production due to the uncertainty regarding the warning," Tobacco Institute of India director Udayan Lall said.

He said the companies had written a letter to the ministry seeking clarity on the the kind of pictorial warnings to be carried on packs, but no clarity has emerged from the government on the same. "We have not received any response so far," Lall added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had notified in May this year that all tobacco product packages in the country must carry pictorial health warnings depicting a cancer-stricken mouth etc., from December 1, 2010.

Cigarette manufacturers want the duration of each warning to be fixed for at least 2-3 years. Sources said the health ministry would now review the situation on the behest of leading cigarette manufacturers.

India is the world's second-largest producer and consumer of tobacco behind China, according to the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation. An estimated 241 million people in India use tobacco in some form. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine published in February 2008 estimated that one in 10 deaths in India from 2010 onwards would be smoking-related. Tobacco use kills a million Indians every year, according to the Cancer Foundation of India.

In October 2008, India widened an existing, but poorly enforced ban on smoking in public places and prohibited the sale of tobacco products near schools and hospitals -- but the regulations are still flouted in many places.

References: ITC shuts cigarette plants due to uncertainty in warnings, Press Trust of India / New Delhi, Business Standard, 12/2/2010; Tobacco majors halt production, BS Reporter / Kolkata/ New Delhi, Business Standard, 12/3/2010; India cigarette firms stop production over health warnings, Agence France-Presse (AFP), 12/3/2010; No smoking kills Rs 100 cr revenue, Ashish Sinha, Indian Express, 12/4/2010.

India - some related news briefs:
^*India - Tobacco Board warns farmers against planting unauthorized crop..;
^*India - revised pictorial warnings on tobacco products will be implemented from December 1, 2010..;
^*http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2010/04/india-captions-with-pictorial-warnings.html:
^*ndia - pictorial warning will appear on every tobacco pack sold from June 1 , 2010..;
^*India - government set to ban foreign direct investment in tobacco..;
^*India - despite tobacco control measure in place - tobacco sales increase..;
^*India - still confusion pictorial warnings on cigarette packs..;
^*Mumbai, India - NGO activists want closure of hookah bars..;
^*India - gutkha and bidi companies NOT pictorial warnings..;
^*India - cigarette packs with pictorial warnings are here..; ^*ndia - NO graphic pictorial warnings yet..;
^*India - Still no pictorial warnings on cigarette packs..;
^*India - pictorial warning on cigarettes and tobacco products effective May 31, 2009..;
^*India - pictorial warning on cigarettes and tobacco products will be implemented from May 31 - no doubts about it..;
^*India - will pictorial or graphic health warnings be implemented from May 30, 2009..;
^*India - placing pictorial warnings on tobacco products delayed again..
Read more...

EU - proposing a full-scale ban on branded cigarettes..

December 4, 2010 - The European Union (EU) is proposing a full-scale ban on branded cigarettes, forcing tobacco companies across the continent to sell their products in generic, plain packaging. Under the new rules, packs would carry nothing more than a health warning and the name of the brand, both in a standardized format with a specified typeface. Since cigarette advertising was outlawed across Europe in 2003, packaging -- known as "the silent salesman" -- has been the only way for cigarette manufacturers to keep their brands in the spotlight.

Australia - world set to follow Australian tobacco policy...

Opponents of the move have until December 15 to make their case heard, with a decision expected in February, 2011. Even if the EU decides in favor of plain packaging, it could take another five years before the law comes into effect -- especially if the tobacco companies carry out their threat to make a legal challenge against the ruling.

Andrew Lansley, the U.K. secretary of state for public health, believes that plain packs would de-glamorize the habit and stop young people from taking up smoking. (United Kingdom - govt wants cigarette packaging in plain brown wrappers..)

But the Tobacco Manufacturers Association said, "We do not believe any plans for plain packaging are based on sound public policy, nor any compelling evidence."

The International Advertising Association (IAA) has written to the EU to argue against the prohibition of on-pack cigarette branding. Erich Buxbaum, VP and area director for Europe, said, "All brands are registered trademarks. This could lead into a vast legal process -- companies will sue the EC. They pay a lot of money every year for their trademarks."

Imperial Tobacco, manufacturer of cigarette brands including Davidoff, JPS, Gitanes and Gauloises Blondes, called plain packs "unnecessary, unreasonable and unjustified." In a statement the company said, "Governments that consider introducing plain packaging risk breaching a range of legal and treaty obligations relating to intellectual property rights, international trade and European Union law."

Anne Edwards, director external communications, Philip Morris International, said, "To date every country that has considered plain packaging has rejected it due to lack of evidence and associated [intellectual property] issues. Even in Australia ... the government's own intellectual property body, IP Australia, recently advised ... that plain packaging 'may not be consistent with Australia's intellectual property treaty obligations' and 'would make it easier for counterfeit goods to be produced and would make it difficult to readily identify these counterfeit goods.'"

The counterfeit issue was also raised by Mr. Buxbaum, who claimed that 10% of all trade in Europe is in counterfeit goods. Illicit cigarettes, he said, deny significant revenues to European governments, most of which claim 50% of the sale price in tax, and -- according to the IAA letter -- "come with no guarantee about the ingredients and product safety."

However, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a campaigning public-health charity in the U.K., said it has heard all these arguments before. Martin Dockrell, the organization's director of research and policy, said, "The tobacco companies used the same arguments against the tobacco advertising ban. They still retain their rights over their logos -- but it doesn't mean they can use them however they like. They can't use them on billboards and soon they won't be able to use them on packaging."

Mr. Dockrell said that unbranded packs would not lead to an increase in smuggling. He argued that branded and unbranded packs are equally easy for counterfeiters to replicate.

As well as the introduction of unbranded packaging, the EU is also considering a ban on in-store cigarette displays and on cigarette vending machines.

The IAA has chosen to concentrate its efforts on a protest against the packaging ban. Mr Buxbaum said, "I don't want to become a spokesman for the tobacco industry. I am concentrating on the packaging issue because plain packaging would kill branding." The IAA has no tobacco companies as members in Europe, although it does have a couple in the U.S.

Independent of the EU, the English parliament voted last year in favor of a ban on the display of tobacco products in shops in England. Larger shops will have to comply by 2011, while smaller shops will have until 2013. However, a change of government in May means that the new legislation is not guaranteed to go ahead. (UK government could scrap tobacco control plans..)

Also the European Commission is preparing to introduce legislation in 2011 to ban smoking in public places right across the union. (European Union - commission wants no exceptions to smoking bans..)

Reference: EU Proposes End to Branded Cigarettes Packages Would Carry Only Warning and Name of Brand in Plain Text, Posted by Emma Hall, Advertising Age, 12/1/2010.
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RAI - announces executive appontments..

Susan Ivey - before and after..

Susan Ivey announced that she would retire from Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) after nearly 30 years in the tobacco industry. Ivey, 51, has retired as chairwoman on October 31, 2010 and will retire as chief executive, president and member of the board of directors on February 28, 2010.

The Reynolds board named Daniel “Daan” Delen, 44, to succeed her as president, chief executive and board member, effective January 1, 2011. The board elected Thomas Wajnert, 67, as a non-executive chairman, effective November 1, 2010 . He has been the board’s lead director since 2008. The company said that Ivey plans to move to Florida to be near family and to spend more time traveling with her husband, Russell Cameron, who is already retired. (Reynolds American Inc - Susan Ivey, Ms. Everything, to retire..)

Reynolds American Inc. has elected John P. Daly, chief operating officer of British American Tobacco PLC. (BAT), to the RAI board of directors.

Back in August 2010 Reynolds American Inc. said that Nicandro Durante, the chief operating officer (COO) of British American Tobacco PLC (BAT), will resign from the Reynolds board of directors, effective December 1, 2010. In June, Durante was named by BAT, as the heir apparent to its chief executive post. He will take over as chief executive in late February 2011 when Paul Adams retires. Durante will become chief executive designate on September 1, 2010 BAT said.

Durante joined the Reynolds board in 2008 as one of five BAT appointees. BAT owns 42 percent of Reynolds as part of the 2004 deal in which Reynolds bought Brown & Williamson Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of BAT. (BAT COO resigns from Reynolds American board of directors..) (Frequently Asked Questions: What is the history of Reynolds American Inc.?)

For more on the RAI executive appointments click on address below.

Reference: Reynolds American announces executive appointments; elects Daly to board.., Tobacco Reporter, 12/3/2010. Read more...

Bulgaria - tobacco growers seeking more subsidies..

Protest over unpaid tobacco subsidies..
December 3, 2010 - Thousands of tobacco-growers gathered in front of the building of the Bulgarian Parliament to request more state subsidies as the legislative body debates on second reading the state budget for 2011. Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Naydenov came out to answer to protesters' demands, saying he worked hard to ensure a BGN 140 M of state aid for the sector. He added that should budget 2011 outperform, tobacco-producers will receive an additional BGN 70 M mid-year 2011.

In Parliament, the Movement of Rights and Freedoms (MRF) as usual has spoken out strongly in support of tobacco-producers, many of whom are of a Turkish ethnic origin.

News briefs related to tobacco subsidy:
Bulgaria - subsidy for tobacco growers included in govt budget for 2010..;
Bulgaria - tobacco growers again mass protests over unpaid subsidies..;
Bulgaria - govt no more tobacco growers protests over subsides..;
Bulgaria - prime minister not happy with giving tobacco growers subsidies..;
Bulgaria - finance minister comments may be good news for tobacco farmers..;
Bulgaria - European Commission authorizes payment to tobacco producers for 2009 crop..;
Bulgaria - tobacco producers propose Bulgartabac transfer..;
Bulgaria - government, tobacco growers reach subsidy agreement...

Reference: Bulgaria's Tobacco-Growers Strike as Parliament Debates Budget, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), 12/2/2010.
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South Korea - BAT releases Dunhill Orient as a limited edition..

Click to enlarge..
December 3, 2010 - British American Tobacco (BAT) Korea released "Dunhill Orient" this week as a limited edition. Dunhill is BAT’s primary king-size brand in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Korea - BAT - winning the hearts and minds of customers based on tactics tailored to local tastes..

BAT Korea said Wednesday, December 1st that the new product will definitely gain popularity in the market thanks to its expert blending aimed at offering a distinct, subtle aroma featuring a rare oriental blend from the fine leaves grown in the mountainous regions of Greece.

"Dunhill Orient is expected to provide Korean adult smokers with the finest quality tobacco full of an aromatic taste," BAT Korea Marketing Executive Director Guy Meldrum said in a statement. "We hope consumers can truly taste and feel the smooth yet rich flavor while enjoying a moment of indulgence with Dunhill Orient." Dunhill Orient is available in three tar amounts of 6 milligrams, 3 milligrams and 1 milligram at the price of 2,500 won a pack.

British American Tobacco (BAT) Korea released a limited edition menthol product called Dunhill Freeze in July 2009. BAT Korea Managing Director Guy Meldrum said in a press release at that time, "This summer, Dunhill Freeze has been specially designed to offer our consumers a truly cooling experience. "It's a combination of high mentholation and Dunhill's distinctive rich flavor in this new icy pack emits the unique, intense chilling sensation." (BAT Korea Releases New Product, by Kim Tae-gyu Staff Reporter, Korea Times, 6/30/2009.

Reference: Dunhill Orient on sale, voc200@koreatimes.co.kr, Korea Times, 12/1/2010.

South Korea - some related news briefs:
http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2010/11/south-korea-end-of-next-year-teenagers.html;
South Korea - stop people from smoking go ahead and triple the price of cigarettes..;
South Korea - Smoking Manner Campaign - promoting cigarette butt-free streets..;
South Korea - in 2007, world's 12th largest cigarette exporter..;
South Korea - study finds higher prices most effective method to discourage smoking..;
South Korea - a new Raison line extension..;
next month enforcement of ban on smoking by taxi drivers..;
South Korea - fines collected for dumping cigarette butts are down.. ;
South Korea - BAT launches new cigarette seems similar to Camel Crush..;
South Korea - rate of male smokers probably higher than any other OECD country..;
South Korea - BAT to further invest in Sacheon factory..;
South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..;
South Korea - streets and parks of Seoul City could be designated as non-smoking areas..;
PMI - slide presentation South Korean Cigarette Market..;
South Korea - KT&G forms alliance with Imperial Tobacco Group..;
South Korea - more smokers in 2009 than in 2008..;
South Korea - remote island going smoke-free, car-free and night lights-free..;
South Korea - Stressed-out Koreans smoking more..;
South Korea - to ban smoking in public places from 2011..;
Korea - BAT - winning the hearts and minds of customers based on tactics tailored to local tastes..;
Korea - sets target to reduce smoking 10% in 5-years..;
Korea - stricter regulation of the tobacco industry coming..;
South Korea - tobacco imports surge 396-fold over 10-years..;
Korea - slight increase in men smoking.. ;
South Korea - anti-tobacco campaign - body painting..;
Korea - smoking ban just about everywhere by end of 2009..;
Tobacco marketing in South Korea has been deliberately aimed at girls and young women..;
Korea - smoking rates fall for men and women...
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Finally, Proof that Cancer is a Man-Made Disease..

December 3, 2010 - A study of ancient bodies has determined that cancer is a man-made disease, one fueled by the excesses. Tumors turn out to be extremely rare until very recent times, when pollution and poor diet became issues.

Researchers analyzed potential references to the disease in classical literature, and also searched for signs in the fossil record and in mummified bodies. But despite examining tissue from hundreds of Egyptian mummies, they confirmed only one case of cancer

According to the Daily Mail (see sources below):
"Dismissing the argument that the ancient Egyptians didn't live long enough to develop cancer, the researchers pointed out that other age-related disease such as hardening of the arteries and brittle bones did occur. Fossil evidence of cancer is also sparse, with scientific literature providing a few dozen, mostly disputed, examples in animal fossil".

Sources:
Daily Mail October 15, 2010;
Nature Reviews Cancer October 2010; 10: 728-733
Cancer September 1977; 40(3): 1358-1362

According to the latest statistics compiled by the American Heart Association, cancer surpasses heart disease as the top killer among Americans between the ages of 45 to 74. (From Dr. Mercola's comments..)

Reference: Finally, Proof that Cancer is a Man-Made Disease, Posted By Dr. Mercola, 12/03/2010. Read more...

Following Lorillard's lead Philip Morris, Reynolds cigarettes to raise prices..

December 3, 2010 - RICHMOND, Va. & WINSTON-SALEM, N.C -- Both Altria Group Inc. and Reynolds American Inc. have confirmed an eight-cents-per-pack price increase on all Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds (RJR) cigarette brands. The PM USA increase is effective with shipments on December 6, and the RJR increase kicks in the next day.

The announcements follow on the heels of a six-cents-per-pack price increase from Greensboro, N.C.-based Lorillard, as reported earlier this week. (Lorillard - price increases take effect Tuesday, November 30, 2010..)

"The company periodically evaluates its pricing strategy, and how to most effectively manage its business against marketplace dynamics," Altria spokesperson Greg Mathe told CSP Daily News. "So this pricing increase is a result of that evaluation."

PM USA cigarette brands include Marlboro, Alpine, Basic, Benson & Hedges, Bristol, Cambridge, Chesterfield, Commander, Dave's, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Merit, Parliament, Players, Saratoga and Virginia Slims.

The increase equates to roughly a 2.2% increase on Marlboro, according to a report from tobacco analyst Nik Modi, UBS Securities LLC, New York.

Altria, Richmond, Va., had increased prices in May of this year, and Marlboro continued to deliver strong retail share results. Marlboro's retail share for the three- and nine-month periods ended Sept. 30 increased 0.7 and 0.8 share points, respectively, versus the prior-year periods.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, N.C., is the second-largest U.S. tobacco company. RJR only has two growth brands, i.e., Camel and Pall Mall. They no longer promote Salem and Kool - two menthol cigarettes that could compete head on with Lorillard's Newport - TW.

August 29, 2010 - U.S. tobacco companies still count on raising cigarette prices not on sales of smokeless products to earn profits..;
July 24, 2010 - Altria, RAI and PMI q2 2010 earnings boosted by higher prices...

Reference: Altria, RJR Join Price HikePhilip Morris, Reynolds cigarettes to rise 8 cents per pack, following Lorillard by Linda Abu-Shalback Zid, CSP (Convenience Store/Petroleum) Daily News, 12/3/2010.
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Japan Tobacco - domestic release of a d-spec Mild Seven and new packaging with rounded corners..

December 2, 2010 - - Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) today, December 2nd announced a nationwide launch at the middle of January 2011 of Mild Seven D-SPEC One 100's Box in Japan, a new addition to the Mild Seven line, the brand with the highest share of domestic tobacco sales(*1). Since its launch in June 1977, Mild Seven has been a favorite with many of our consumers and one of the few truly major brands. In 1978 it reached the No.1 slot(*1) in the share of domestic tobacco sales, a position it has kept for over 30 years.

1mg D-spec product - "Mild Seven D-SPEC One 100's - D-spec products produce less odor (less smoke smell) and are therefore more acceptable to people who find tobacco smoke unpleasant.

JT has announced that the packages of 12 box-type products in non-menthol category of Mild Seven will be getting a makeover and will be sold in round corner boxes.
Gradual changeover is scheduled depending on the products' tar levels. Changes in five low-tar products ranging from 1mg to 3mg tar are planned after the middle of February 2011 and in seven medium/high-tar products ranging from 6mg to 10mg tar are planned after the middle of May 2011.

Mild Seven Impact One 100's Box and Mild Seven D-SPEC Super Lights Box will be getting not only a makeover to round corner boxes but package design changes.

Reference: JT redesigns and extends Mild Seven brand, Tobacco Journal International, 12/2/2010.
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Hong Kong - as of December 1st smoking ban extended to 131 bus terminals..

December 2, 2010 - As a smoking ban came into force at 131 bus terminals yesterday, December 1st members of the public were still lighting up and pleading ignorance.
Those smoking or carrying a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe at 129 open air and two covered public transport facilities are now liable to a HK$1,500 (193.16 USD) fixed-penalty notice. Despite no-smoking signs and maps highlighting the smoke-free zones, many passengers failed to notice and lit up anyway.

The Department of Health said it hopes the extension of the smoking ban will further protect the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

A smoker waiting at a bus terminal near Wan Chai pier said he did not know anything about the new rules. Another traveler thought he could smoke in any open area.

The ban is being implemented in phases with a total of 54 indoor and 48 covered public transport facilities first being affected from January 1, 2007, and September 1, 2009, respectively. More than 15,000 summonses and 8,000 fixed-penalty notices were issued to offenders from January 2007 to October this year by the Tobacco Control Office.

For example: a smoking ban at six types of listed establishments will take effect on July 1, 2009 in accordance with the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap 371). These establishments are bars, clubs, night-clubs, bathhouses, massage establishments and mahjong-tin kau premises. (Hong Kong - total smoking ban in effect - Wednesday, July 1, 2009..)

Separately, at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court a 49-year-old man was sentenced to 80 hours' community service for assaulting a Tobacco Control Inspector and obstructing a public officer in a no smoking area. The man was found smoking at an amusement arcade in Wong Tai Sin on October 6 and assaulted the officer from the inspection team. STAFF REPORTER

Reference: Smoking bans at bus stations fare badly on first day, STAFF REPORTER, the Standard, 12/2/2010.

Hong Kong related news briefs:
Study - many benefits including improvement in your sex life when you quit tobacco..;
Hong Kong - from August 1, incoming passengers allowed to import a maximum of 19 cigarettes, one cigar or 25 g of cut tobacco..;
Hong Kong - ways to beat the smoking ban..;
Hong Kong - smokers defy smoking ban, no penalty for owners of
venues..;
China - can they learn tobacco control from Hong Kong??;
Hong Kong - 50% increase in tax on tobacco products approved..;
Hong Kong - cigarettes too cheap, tax only 61 and 66 percent of retail price..;
Hong Kong study - further proof, women have a harder time quitting cigarettes..;
Hong Kong - as of November 1st no tobacco advertising at newsstands - now display boxes..;
Member states of WHO's Western Pacific region agree to new tobacco control action plan..;
Hong Kong - Is the fixed-penalty fine for smoking offenses effective?;
Hong Kong - more unions are starting to enforce extended smoking ban..
Hong Kong - unions refuse to hand out penalty tickets for smoking..
Hong Kong - tobacco smokers may be prone to developing life-threatening complications from swine flu..;
Hong Kong - total smoking ban in full force no exceptions..
Hong Kong - total smoking ban in effect - Wednesday, July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - smoking statistics..;
Hong Kong - movie poster woman smoking - NOT ALLOWED..;
Hong Kong - bar owners an employees march to protest smoking ban starting July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - attempt to delay July 1, 2009 smoking ban fails..;
Hong Kong - cigarette smuggling soars after tax increase..;
Hong Kong - Tax on cigarettes pushed up by 50 percent..;
Honk Kong - smoking increase raise tobacco duties??;
Hong Kong - temporary smoking ban exemption ends July 1, 2009..;
Hong Kong - after smoking ban cigarette consumption up 14 percent..;
Hong Kong - public smoking ban - smoking rooms??;
Shanghai Tobacco's Golden Deer Cigarettes - Hong Kong..;
More on Philip Morris International of the Future...
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