Snus causes premature death..

April 19, 2008 - Snus causes premature death.. Just like cigarettes, the use of SNUS, Swedish moist tobacco, causes premature death, a new 30-year study has shown. Of the 10,000 men studied a third died during the period. Most of them were smokers and common afflictions were heart and cancer-related illnesses. The use of snus has been found to increase the risk of premature death by around 10 percent in comparison with those who do not use any tobacco products, according to Upsala Nya Tidning. "Even if smoking is without question a much greater threat to health than snus our research rejects the view that the use of Swedish snus is in principle without risk," said Dr. Ann Roosaar at the Odontological Institute at Karolinska Institutet in Solna. The study began in the middle of the 1970s with the examination of the mouths of most of the inhabitants in the municipalities of Enköping and Håbo. The subjects also answered questions about their tobacco and alcohol habits. In contrast to previous studies this one shows that mouth and throat cancers were more common among users of snus, according to Roosaar. In a previous study, Dr. Roosaar and colleagues found a strong association between the degree of snus induced lesions and current snus consumption. As pointed out by Marita Broadstock (NZHTA Report, February 2007, volume 10 Number 1), the number of studies on smokeless tobacco is relatively slight compared to the wealth of literature published relating to smoking. More and more studies are surfacing that indicate that users of snus are at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer and possibly even stomach cancer. Also, the snus user has an increased risk of fatal cardiovascular disease and stroke. In addition, the snus user has to cope with the toxic effects of nicotine, e.g., nicotine may accelerate atherosclerosis. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

FDA Commissioner Eschenbach the FDA "clearly has a role" in addressing the public health problem of tobacco..

April 18, 2008 - FDA Commissioner Eschenbach the FDA "clearly has a role" in addressing the public health problem of tobacco.. Congress is considering having the agency regulate tobacco, but the FDA "does not have the infrastructure in place" or the technical expertise, Eschenbach said. Such authority would require a bigger budget and more resources. (FDA chief lays out plans for healing the agency, Sabine Vollmer, 4/18/2008) October 5, 2007 - FDA Head Eschenbach: 'No' to Tobacco Cigarettes too "inherently dangerous" to regulate; would "undermine mission." Read more...

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco launches web site to help retailers and other opponents fight tobacco taxes..

April 18, 2008 - R.J. Reynolds Tobacco launches web site to help retailers and other opponents fight tobacco taxes.. The website - nocigtax.com enables like minded opponents to contact elected officials to voice objections. The site, run by Kottak, Lester and fellow Reynolds American communications official John Singleton, is a convenient platform for retailers, wholesalers and other interested parties to discuss all bills that propose to raise federal or state taxes across the country. The user-friendly website features states with actual tax-increase proposals while allowing users to track their own states. In addition, it provides key highlights of the bill and lets the user find his or her state representative to contact by email. "There are two important pieces to note on this," Riser said. "The first would be that retailers and wholesalers, just like all of us, are nonstop running their business. They don't have much time, even though they are politically engaged. We want them to have a resource that provides information, heightens awareness very quickly and then [provides] a resource to contact elected officials in less than 3 minutes." "Wouldn't three minutes be worth the time to help protect your livelihood?" Riser added. "That's what we're trying to do here." FROM THE WEBSITE: fight tobacco tax increases in your state Right now, there are proposals to increase state tobacco taxes in the following states: Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina. Tell your state government representative to oppose tobacco tax increases. Email your state representatives.

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Russian State Duma (Parliament) ratified the framework convention of the World Health Organization (WHO) on tobacco control..

April 17, 2008 - Russian State Duma (Parliament) ratified the framework convention of the World Health Organization (WHO) on tobacco control.. Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has been joined by 172 countries, including the European Union (EU), but not all countries implement it with the same zeal. Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Italy have banned smoking in public places, whereas Australia, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and Thailand have so far limited themselves to frightening pictures about the risks of smoking on cigarette packs. Olga Borzova, who chairs the Duma's committee for health protection, quoted a sad statistic - every year, up to half a million Russians die of smoking-related diseases. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer rights regulator, estimates that in the last 20 years the number of smokers has risen by 440,000. Some 65% of men and more than 30% of women smoke in Russia. Doctors insist that a quarter of regular smokers will die prematurely. Today, the Ministry of Health and Social Development and law-makers are together drafting a national strategy of tobacco control to meet the convention's main requirements. Borzova said it may be adopted before the end of this year. The U.S. signed the FCTC treaty in 2004, to date it has not ratified it. Signing of the treaty without ratification commits countries to support it, but does not create a legal obligation to abide by its provisions. Click on image to enlarge..
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Butts Out: Iowa joins 22 states with a workplace smoking ban..

April 16, 2008 - Butts Out: Iowa joins 22 states with a workplace smoking ban.. Governor of Iowa Chet Culver signed a near-total ban on public smoking Tuesday (4/15/2008), a law that takes effect July 1, 2008. “The bottom line is that this bill will save lives, plain and simple,” he said at a jam-packed signing ceremony. The ban will be most noticeable in bars and restaurants, but it covers nearly every workplace. The main exceptions are for the gaming floors of the 17 state-licensed casinos and for the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. News briefs concerned with Iowa: : Iowa - cigarette sales fall by 36% after $1 bump in cigarette tax.. and Iowa's cigarette tax is now $1.36 per pack... Related news briefs:Thailand, France, England and Minnesota. Other: Banning tobacco smoking in public places is a public health issue and not a property rights or business rights issue.., High incidence of passive smoking... States, Commonwealths, and Municipalities with 100% Smokefree Laws in Workplaces, Restaurants, or Bars currently in effect as of April 1, 2008.

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RJR adds more test marketing cities for Camel SNUS..

April 16, 2008 - RJR adds more test marketing cities for Camel SNUS.. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. (RJR) on Friday, April 11, 2008 said that it is expanding the test marketing of Camel SNUS - their refrigerated, smokeless, spitless moist snuff pouch product (with the tagline will be "Pleasure for where ever, whenever") from eight to 17 metropolitan areas starting in May 2008. The new markets are Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, Oakland/San Francisco and Seattle. Camel Snus is the first snus product by a U.S. tobacco manufacturer introduced into those markets. "We're continuing to learn about the potential of Camel Snus as a viable product among adult tobacco users," said David Howard, a company spokesman. "We know snus is gaining traction.". It has not set a timetable for distributing and marketing Camel Snus nationally. The current test sites are: Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Orlando, Fla.; Portland, Ore.; and Raleigh. The product is available at Sheetz convenience stores in Winston-Salem and at convenience stores in Greensboro and High Point.

Although Reynolds does not dictate the price of Camel Snus at retail, the price is comparable to a premium pack of cigarettes, which typically sell for $4 to $4.50, Howard said. The competition for snus products has gotten tighter in recent months. Liggett Group LLC said on Feb. 26 that it would begin testing in May its Grand Prix snus in seven of Reynolds' current markets. Philip Morris USA is selling Marlboro Snus in Dallas and Indianapolis. The makers are putting more emphasis on smokeless products, such as snuff and snus, to gain market share and sales as the smoking rate among adults continues to decline. Camel SNUS sales in c-stores in Raleigh, NC have not gone well. Some stores report that they do not sell one can a week (a few more near schools) and they have to return their supply of SNUS because the expiration date has passed. There is also Lorillard's Triumph Snus being test marketed in Ohio and soon in Georgia. Some related Camel SNUS news briefs: April 8, 2008, March 4, 2008, December 14, 2007, December 4, 2007, November 6, 2007, November 1, 2007, October 30, 2007 and July 4, 2007. Click on image to enlarge.. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

Montana will require fire-safe cigarettes..

April 16, 2008 - Montana will become on May 1, 2008 the 28th U.S. state with legislation requiring the sale of only cigarettes with lowered ignition propensity – so-called ‘fire-safe’ cigarettes. In 2003, New York was the first state to pass such legislation, while Virginia, Indiana, Idaho, Washington and Wisconsin are the latest, having done so this year. As of April 2008, Kentucky will require that all cigarettes sold be fire-safe. Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes, about 60 per cent of the U.S. population now lives in a state that requires the sale of only fire-safe cigarettes or that will do so in the immediate future. Let's have fire-safe cigarettes for all 50 states - NOW. In March 2008, the Liggett Group announced that all of its U.S. cigarette brands would comply with fire safety standards by the end of January 2009, even those sold in states that did not impose such standards. Other related news briefs: March 27, 2008, August 28, 2007, August 27, 2007 and. July 20, 2007. Click on image to enlarge..(TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

Tobacco displays are on their way out in an increasing number of countries..

April 15, 2008 - Tobacco displays are on their way out in an increasing number of countries.. New Zealand's Cancer Society's Tobacco Control Advisor Belinda Hughes, “In addition to bans on tobacco displays in Iceland and Thailand we are seeing them introduced in a growing number of Provinces in Canada and beginning to be introduced in Australian states led by Tasmania. Cancer Society’s Tobacco Control Adviser Belinda Hughes. The UK government is also looking into getting tobacco out of sight." The Australian state of Tasmania is the latest jurisdiction to announce that it is phasing out retail displays of tobacco products. It will be the first Australian state to ban the display of tobacco products but others are racing to catch up. The Australian Capital Territory has introduced legislation to ban tobacco displays and other states are under pressure to follow suit.

In Canada the Province of British Columbia is the most recent Province to introduce a ban on tobacco displays (March 2008) since Saskatchewan banned tobacco displays in 2002. Complete bans on the retail display of tobacco products are in place in the Canadian Provinces of Nunavut (2004), Prince Edward Island (2006), Nova Scotia (2007), Ontario (2008) and Québec (2008). Canada is now considering national legislation regulating tobacco displays. "A ban on retail tobacco displays will stop children being confronted with promotional tobacco imagery occupying the most prominent display space in retail outlets. By doing so it will help prevent the children of this generation becoming the smokers of tomorrow," said Ms. Hughes. Ontario - come May 31,2008 tobacco displays that feature cigarette packs and other tobacco products will no longer be allowed in Ontario retail stores. According to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, tobacco must be stored in such a way that prohibits consumers from seeing it before it is purchased. "The goal of this particular legislation is to save lives," said Ontario Minister of Health Promotion Margarett Best. ( Province bans cigarette packs from view,Karen Ashford, The Windsor Star, 4/15/2008) Some related news briefs: March 8, 2008. 80% of smokers want a ban on tobacco advertising in shops to stop youngsters starting the habit.. Let's get it done throughout the world. Meanwhile in the U.S.A. - Philip Morris is hard at work competing for prime tobacco display space in c-stores. Click on image to enlarge.. Read more...

Altria's growth depends on the Marlboro name..

April 13, 2008 - Can the new Altria - PM USA make it in the smokeless tobacco category just riding the Marlboro name?? PMI has forecast annual growth in earnings per share of 10 - 12%. Altria expects its own earning growth to be 8 - 10% annually. Altria will deal with fewer cigarettes sales by capitalizing on its Marlboro brand and selling more smokeless products. In August 2007 Citi group analyst Bonnie Herzog told investors that PM USA will fully cement its place in the smokeless segment using the power of its Marlboro brand. "We anticipate that PM USA will be able to attract the majority of smokers that will cross over into the smokeless market as well as attracting existing moist users." PM considers Marlboro more than a cigarette - a brand that stands for superior tobacco flavor. PM USA is using Marlboro's superior tobacco flavor and resources that support the Marlboro cigarette to create value in new businesses such as SNUS and Moist Smokeless Tobacco. (Altria Group, Inc., Investor Presentation, New York, March 11, 2008) But market tests find that even the name Marlboro doesn't seem to sell the Marlboro smokeless products. Nik Modi, a UBS tobacco analyst has stated, "The Marlboro brand name is not as transferable as many originally believed." Modi points out that test of Marlboro moist smokeless tobacco in Atlanta is slowly slipping down hill. Their original entry Taboka failed and has been removed and Marlboro SNUS hasn't done much better. The Word From Dallas - Test Market for Marlboro SNUS.. We're reminded by the Chief Operating Officer of UST, Murray Kessler that "Nine out of 10 smokers that try smokeless still reject the product." Kesler continues, "Clearly Marlboro is a great cigarette brand. That said, history clearly shows that it is difficult to extend brands from one one category to another. We feel in order for PM USA to be a significant player in the smokeless tobacco category they'll need to expand through acquisitions e.g., PM-UST, PM-Swedish Match). Many related news briefs - browse the library - here's one example Philip Morris USA (PM) continues to stumble in the smokeless tobacco arena.. (TobaccaWatch.org) - Incomplete..
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