WHO World NO Tobacco Day - Tobacco Free Youth..

May 31, 2008 - "Our Highest Priority Has To Be Keeping Children From Beginning to Use Tobacco Products" - Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the USA. Every parent wants the best for their children. If parents do not smoke or have quit there's a lesser chance of their children smoking. Our youngsters have to realize with a little effort they can succeed. Tobacco has become socially unacceptable. Smokers are more marginalized than ever before. Smoking is no longer permitted in more and more public places both indoor and outdoors. Carolyn Littlefield, a 44-year-old Florida woman said New York's rules on banning smoking helped her quit two years ago. "I felt like I had leprosy. After a while you end up outside smoking by yourself. So many people don't smoke now." Employers are hesitant to employ tobacco users and if employed, smokers have to contribute more toward health insurance. People don't want smokers in their homes or around their children. Daniel Young - "I don't smoke in front of children. When I walk by children. I cup my cigarette in my hand. I don't want them to see it." Landlords don't even want to rent to tobacco users. Smokers die before their time usually after suffering for years as a result of a tobacco attributable disease never able to see their love ones again. What is TobaccoWatch.org doing to help?? Providing awareness so the public can make informed decisions; some of the subjects include: on other tobacco products being marketed for smokers when they can't smoke, e.g., the test marketing of SNUS - smokeless, spitless pouch tobacco and how it impacts our youngsters (SNUS news briefs throughout library) ; on limiting tobacco advertising in convenience stores to protect our children; on the status of the law to make it illegal to use the U.S. Postal Service to deliver any form of tobacco product; on preventing our children from being exposed to second-hand smoke; on getting tobacco companies to voluntarily produce fire-safe cigarettes; etc. Click on image to enlarge..

WHO wants a ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, in a bid to protect the world's 1.8 billion young people.

WHO World NO Tobacco Day 5/31/06 – Tobacco, Deadly in Any Form or Disguise. Read more...

Congratulations to the Canadian Provinces of Quebec and Ontario for Eliminating the Display of Tobacco Signs and Tobacco Products in Retail Outlets.

May 31, 2008 - The Law = “no person shall display or permit the display of tobacco products in any place where tobacco products are sold or offered for sale in any manner that will permit a consumer to view any tobacco product before purchasing the tobacco product.” A number of Canadian jurisdictions have already intervened to limit signs and displays of tobacco products and packaging at retail. 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..

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Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) First Shareholders Meeting Since Spinoff, Richmond, VA May 28, 2008..

May 29, 2008 - Altria Group, Inc. (Altria) First Shareholders Meeting Since Spinoff, Richmond, VA May 28, 2008.. Altria Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Michael E. Szymanczyk (suh-MAN-sihk) presided and discussed the state of the company. As of May 28, 2008, Altria owned 100% of each of Philip Morris USA Inc. (PM USA), John Middleton Co. (Middleton) and Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and approximately 28.6% of SABMiller plc (one of the world’s leading brewers with brewing interests or major distribution agreements in over 60 countries spread across six continents. Szymanczyk said the company has made "remarkable progress" in its testing and marketing of its Marlboro-branded moist smokeless tobacco and spitless product called snus (snoose). Szymanczyk said the company already has made a number of modifications to those products based on input from consumers in the test markets. "We're making remarkable progress," he said. "We've learned a lot that will allow us to efficiently develop our products further." As has been stated before, the company will deal with fewer cigarette sales by capitalizing on its Marlboro brand and selling more smokeless products.

Shareholders Demand Philip Morris USA Stop Interfering In Health Policy..

Some related news briefs. Altria - Philip Morris USA (PM) has been directly involved in writing the U.S. bill to regulate tobacco..; Three of the four largest U.S. cigarette makers are no longer a smart investment..; Altria Group's first-quarter 2008 profit falls 11 per cent on spinoff costs..; Philip Morris International (PMI) has better prospects than Altria..; Altria's growth depends on the Marlboro name..; Executives Very Disappointed in Sales of the Entire SNUS Segment.. (TobaccoWatch,org) Read more...

Scotland proposes to implement more measures to discourage tobacco use including the banning of tobacco displays..

May 27, 2008 -  On 6am on Sunday March 26, 2006 Scotland led the UK in banning smoking in public places including bars and restaurants. As a result restaurants benefited especially chains that have seen double-digit growth. Waiters and bartenders have also benefited. Tests showed noticeable improvements in their lung function after only a few months. Now Public Health Minister Shona Robison announced an action plan to the Scottish Parliament, which also includes tobacco licensing and outlawing the sale of cigarettes in packs of 10. A major part of this plan is the banning of all tobacco dipslays. Ms Robison told the Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP): "Despite tobacco advertising having been banned in 2002, there are growing concerns that prominent displays of cigarettes and other tobacco products in shops and other points of sale are undermining our wider tobacco control efforts to denormalise smoking." She told MSP similar moves in other countries had not seen a dramatic impact on businesses. Ms. Robison, "The protection of children and young people from the impact of tobacco must be paramount and there are instances - and this is one - when the benefits to the public health of the nation must take precedence." His legislation is likely to be brought forward in 2009. References: Tobacco display ban plan unveiled, BBC News, 5/21/2008; Frost's Scottish Anatomy Lessons from Scotland's Smoking Ban BusinessWeek, 3/20/2007. - Incomplete in progress.. need to place links to related news briefs..

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More communities adopting their own anti-smoking ordinances to include the outdoors..

May 27, 2008 - Since Illinois' indoor smoking ban went into effect Jan. 1, 2008, communities in the Chicago area like Lake Forest and Lake Bluff banned smoking on the beach and public parks as well as their downtown shopping districts, outdoor dining areas and public sidewalks within 25 feet of a public building's entrance. Since October 2007 smoking has been off limits at beaches, parks and playground in Chicago. The park district board voted unanimously to pass the ban and it went into effect immediately. The penalty for violating the ban is a $500 fine. Enforcement relies on citizens to turn smokers in to police. References: Smokers find oasis on the greens by Susan Kuczka, ChicagoTribune.com, 5/15/2008; New Smoking Ban Passes In Chicago No Lighting Up At Beaches, Parks, Playgrounds, cbs2chicago.com, 10/7/2007. Related news briefs: March 6, 2008 andJanuary 7, 2008. See also: Earth Day 2008 promoting environmental citizenship - Tobacco A Major Culprit..

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Operators of any form of transportation warned on the use of Pfizer's smoking-cessation drug Chantix..

May 26, 2008 - Chantix (Champix, varenicline) came in for more trouble, as a research group cited reports of physical side effects associated with the drug. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) examined adverse-event reports turned into the FDA in the fourth quarter of last year, and found 988 serious health problems reported in association with Chantix use, including seizures, dizziness, heart rhythm problems, diabetes and more than 100 accidents. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reviewed the report and has barred pilots and air traffic controllers from taking the drug. U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, oversees the interstate trucking and bus industries, has advised examiners that they should not give commercial motor vehicle license clearance to anyone using this drug. References: Strong Safety Signal Seen for New Varenicline Risks, ISMP.org; F.A.A. Bans Antismoking Drug, Citing Side Effects, article tools sponsored by STEPHANIE SAUL, The New York Times, 5/22/2008; Truckers Banned Anti-Smoking Drug Chantix As Well, Anna Boyd, eFluxMedia.com, 5/23/2008. See related news briefs: Pfizer Changes Chantix Label.. and Chantix Reports of Suicidal Thoughts and Aggressive and Erratic Behavior... 

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