Kyiv (Kiev) , Ukraine - banning alcohol and tobacco sales from small street kiosks starting April 1, 2011..


March 19, 2011 - Ukraine's long tradition of allowing the sale of beer and other low-alcohol beverages, as well as cigarettes, from most of the city's 10,000 small kiosks may be coming to an end on April 1. The Kyiv (or Kiev is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine) city council adopted a sales ban over the objections of owners of small kiosks. The ban is expected to help keep these products away from children. (December 17, 2010 - Ukraine - draft law introduced to ban the sale of tobacco and alcoholic beverages in kiosks..)

Despite resistance from affected businesses, Kyiv on April 1 is banning alcohol and tobacco sales from small street kiosks. While many praise the initiative as helpful in improving public health, businesses appear set to challenge the legality of the move. The decision, adopted by the Kyiv city council on Dec. 23, specifically bans alcohol and tobacco sales in street kiosks that occupy less than 40 square meters – covering most of more than 10,000 such small business establishments operating in the city. The measure also forbids the sale of alcohol (except beer in plastic bottles) and tobacco during mass gatherings.

Businessman Mykola Omelchuk says his small beer shop is under threat. “We have enough space, more than 20 square meters, so customers can come in and even take a seat. We sell quality beer and many customers appreciate the product,” Omelchuk said.

However, city council members say they are constantly hearing complaints from concerned Kyivans – especially parents -- about the easy availability of tobacco and alcohol on the streets. While street sales of hard alcohol were banned many years ago, the measure would broaden the alcohol ban to include beer and low-alcohol beverages as well.

Ukraine is also among the world’s heaviest-smoking countries; more than 27 percent of adults smoking, according to WHO. Making Ukraine’s cheap cigarettes more expensive, through higher taxes, and out of easy reach of young people are keys to curbing the addiction that prematurely kills 100,000 Ukrainians every year.

The big four tobacco companies — Philip Morris, BAT, JTI, and Imperial — control 99 percent of the Ukrainian cigarette market. (Ukraine - lost cigarettes flooding Europe..;
Tobacco Taxes in Ukraine
Based on: Economics of Tobacco Taxation in Ukraine. Hana Zarubova Ross, Samina Shariff, Anna Gilmore. 2008.


Reference: Kyiv moves to ban sales of alcohol, cigarettes in kiosks, Svitlana Tuchynska (tuchynska@kyivpost.com), kyivpost.com, 3/18/2011.

Ukraine related news briefs:
Ukraine - draft law introduced to ban the sale of tobacco and alcoholic beverages in kiosks..;
Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine - January 1, 2011 restrict smokers in restaurants to closed-off rooms..;
Ukraine - President Victor Yushchenko accused of being close with tobacco industry..;
Ukraine - President Yushchenko vetoes bill to hike tobacco products tax..;
Ukraine - enforcement of smoking ban, 28,000 people fined..;
Ukraine - lost cigarettes flooding Europe..
Read more...

Bulgaria - Major Tobacco Companies Back Bulgaria's Excise Policies..


March 18, 2011 - The general managers of Philip Morris Bulgaria, Bulgartabac Holding, British American Tobacco Bulgaria, Japan Tobacco International Bulgaria and Imperial Tobacco Bulgaria met Wednesday with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, and Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov, and Angel Antonov, head of the Criminal Police Directorate.

Finance Minister Djankov has stressed the need of predictability and stability with respect to the cigarette excise as a measure against illicit cigarette trade. (Bulgaria - changes to tobacco taxes..)

How about as a measure to prevent children from smoking - get rid of cigarettes that come in 10 cigarettes per pack. (Bulgaria - PMI to introduce their own Marlboro 10-pack) - TobaccoWatch.org

He further supported the inclusion in the Excise Act of a timetable for changes of the excise in the period until 2018 as stipulated by Directive 2010/12/ of the EC.

The representatives of the cigarette industry have declared full support for the intentions of the Bulgarian government to maintain a stable excise regime at least until 2013 – when the Cabinet's term expires. They have also praised the efforts to crack down on cigarette contraband, and vowed to help the government any way they can.

The major prerequisites for achieving positive results are a stable and effective excise regime and the strict application of the counter contraband legislation. We see the determination of the government to fight the illegal cigarette trade and will continue to back these efforts," declared Nikitas Teofilopulos, General Manager of Phillip Morris Bulgaria, after the meeting.

Reference: Major Tobacco Companies Back Bulgaria's Excise Policies, Novinite.com (Sofia New Agency), 3/16/2011.

Bulgaria - some related news briefs:
Bulgaria - Culture Minister protests against ban on smoking scenes in cinema..;
Bulgaria - National Program for Limiting Smoking in 2011-2015..;
Bulgaria - Bulgartabac 2010 profit 16.5 times larger than it was in 2009..;
Bulgaria - about a dozen investors declared interest in the privatization of Bulgartabac Holding..;
Bulgaria - according to CEO of Bulgartabac cigarette prices may not change in 2011..;
Bulgaria - advisory board for tobacco will be established..;
Bulgaria - Bulgartabac - sale should be completed by middle of 2011..;
Bulgaria - rightist SDS party - each EU state should set own excise duties..;
Bulgaria - tobacco contraband..;
Bulgaria - cigarette excise revenue down this year..;
Bulgaria - smoking restriction checks begin after January 3, 2011..;
Bulgaria - PMI to introduce their own Marlboro 10-pack cigarettes..;
Bulgaria - health minister will work for implementing full smoking ban in public places..;
Bulgaria - tobacco growers seeking more subsidies..;
Greece/Bulgaria - governments opposed to WHO's attempt to ban blended tobacco..;
Bulgaria - tobacco companies back effort to reduce illicit cigarette trade.;
Bulgaria - Mayor of Town of Kyustendil - non-smokers should pay less for health insurance..;
Bulgaria - smoking ban beginning January 1, 2011 - do they know which smoking ban applies??;
Bulgaria - Director of the Customs Agency announced Bulgaria ranks 1st in Europe in seizure of contraband cigarettes..;
Bulgaria - smoking rate down, knowledge of dangers of tobacco use gaining..;
Bulgaria - another tobacco tax increase in the draft 2011 budget..;
Bulgaria - confusion over which public smoking ban is in force..;
Bulgaria - WHO upset with Bulgaria's weakened smoking ban..;
Bulgaria - weakened smoking ban, just added minors can't be in disco clubs after 10pm..;
Bulgaria - final vote delayed on weakened smoking ban..;
Bulgaria - weakened smoking ban, second reading..;
Bulgaria - commission tightens smoking ban a little..;
Bulgaria - Bulgartabac buyer may be chosen by end of year..;
Bulgaria - prime minister not happy with giving tobacco growers subsidies..;
Bulgaria - to loosen smoking ban to start June 1, 2010..;
Bulgaria - finance minister comments may be good news for tobacco farmers..;
Bulgaria - parliament debates proposal to water down smoking ban..;
Bulgaria - majority of all Bulgarians - 78% are against the smoking ban delay..;
Bulgaria - every increase in excise duty on cigarettes consumption goes down..;
Bulgaria - grace period over, increase in tobacco tax starts Thursday, April 1, 2010..;
Bulgaria - Italian authorities arrest 2-Bulgarians smuggling cigarettes..;
Bulgaria - tractor trailer loaded with contraband cigarettes seized in Ancona, Italy..;
Bulgaria - cigarette consumption down, cigarette tax collection up, seeking funds for technology to intercept contraband goods..;
Bulgaria - justifying why smoking ban won't go into effect on June 1, 2010..;
Bulgaria - Citigroup chosen as consultant for sale of Bulgartabac..;
Bulgaria - ruling party may delay smoking ban until 2011..;
Bulgaria - Finance Minister Djankov, "Less Smoking Is Good for Economy..";
Bulgaria - govt to weaken full smoking ban to be effective June 1, 2010..;
Bulgaria - do producers support contraband cigarettes??;
Bulgaria - sale of Bulgartabac coming - selection of a consultant..;
Greek Farmers Renew Bulgaria Border Blockade..;
Bulgaria - leadership of tobacco fund to be replaced..;
Bulgaria - illegal trade in cigarettes will reach 40% of total trade in 2010..;
Bulgaria - limits on personal imports of tobacco products from outside the EU..;
Bulgaria - European Commission authorizes payment to tobacco producers for 2009 crop..;
Bulgaria -two cigarette smuggling attempts busted on Serbian border..;
Bulgaria - price of cigarettes increases..;
Bulgaria - Bulgartabac stays in the economy ministry, sold by middle of 2010, starting price 100,000,000 euro..;
Bulgaria - tobacco producers propose Bulgartabac transfer..;
Bulgaria - government, tobacco growers reach subsidy agreement..;
Bulgaria - start of steps leading to the privatization of the state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac..;
Bulgaria - police hold smoking protest over lack of bonuses..;
Bulgaria - police busts major cigarette contraband ring..;
Bulgaria - Bulgartabac Holding” will be privatized in 2010..;
Bulgaria - MPs Impose Hefty Fines on Cigarette Sales Violators..;
Bulgartabac Chief - cigarette tax increase as of January 1, 2010..;
Bulgaria Bulgartabac Holding Sells 23% of Shares to Mutual Funds..;
Bulgaria - more than 70% of smokers want to quit..;
Bulgaria - cigarette taxes going up each year except 2011..;
Bulgaria - chair of the economic committee in parliament disapproves of planned raise in excise duties on cigarettes..;
Bulgaria and others - smoking ban, increased cigarette taxes, smuggling..;
Bulgaria - Cigarette excise duties will be increased next year..;
Bulgaria - cigarette contraband, government loses BGN 920M yearly..;
Bulgaria - one third of the tobacco products sold are illicit..;
Bulgaria - new government to speed-up Bulgartabac sale..;
Bulgaria - Fake Victory Light cigarettes..;
Bulgaria's tobacco monopoly may be up for sale..;
Bulgarian lawmakers vote to ban smoking in all publc places from June 2010..; Bulgarian tobacco company Sofia-BT exports increase by 541 percent..;
Does Russia own Bulgaria's tobacco monopoly, Bulgartabac..;
EU percent of adults smokers -highest Greece 1 , Bulgaria 2.. - lowest Slovenia..;
Bulgaria - 1 in 3 youths smoke / half of pregnant women smoke..;
PMI training Bulgarian custom officers to stop cigarette smuggling..;
Philip Morris International (PMI) was truly happy they had been back in the Bulgarian cigarette market for a year and had already had 6.8% of market..;
WHO FCTC Protocol to Prevent Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products Won't Be Completed Until End of 2010..;
WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008..;
Bulgaria Enters 2009 with Cigarette Prices Hike...
Bulgaria is marking Tuesday, November 10, 2009, the 20th year since the internal coup at the Bulgaria;
Read more...

Philippines - DOH tightening its grip on tobacco use through the newly approved rules and regulations (IRR)..

March 17, 2011 - The Department of Health (DoH) is tightening its grip on tobacco use through the newly approved implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of a law that gave more teeth to its regulatory arm, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In a briefing on Monday, FDA director Dr. Suzette Lazo announced the recent approval of the IRR of the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009, which gave the agency the power to regulate tobacco products in the country, among other supplementary mandates.

"We did not regulate tobacco before but because of the health implications of tobacco use and because the DoH has the responsibility to safeguard public health and make its effects preventable, it (the DoH) is going to do this through the FDA," said Lazo.

With the new mandate, the FDA could examine the nicotine levels or any substance in cigarettes that pushed "people to smoke more," she said, adding that the agency would reinforce its partnership with other agencies, including the US-FDA to regulate tobacco use.

It will also strictly implement an administrative order requiring graphic health warnings on all cigarette packs distributed in the country once it has hurdled legal battles it was currently facing.

The use of graphic warning signs has been provided for under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), to which the Philippines is a signatory.

But several tobacco manufacturers sued the DoH, questioning the validity of the administrative order. (Philippines - tobacco industry has obtained temporary relief from placing graphic warnings on cigarette packs..)

Aside from its mandate to regulate tobacco use, the FDA has also been empowered to seize and hold in custody without court order food, cosmetic products and pharmaceutical items found to be violating existing rules and regulations and those deemed unsafe for public consumption.

The enhanced IRR also allows the FDA director to hold in contempt any person who ignores orders and writs issued by the agency. his would provide an effective deterrent to prohibited acts defined in the laws the agency has been tasked to implement, said Lazo.

Reference: Tighter regulation of tobacco, cigarette manufacturing approved by Jocelyn R. Uy, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4/16/2011.

Philippines - some related news briefs:
Philippines - Philip Morris expects weaker demand this year..;
Philippines - PMFTC appealed for govt to keep present tax system for cigarettes..;
Philippines - Navotas City clamps down on violators of smoking ban..;
Philippines - former health ministers petition Supreme Court - cigarette packs graphic warnings..;
Quezon City, Philippines - will strictly enforce anti-smoking measures..;
Baguio City, Philippines - “Hundred Percent Smoke-Free City” campaign..;
Philippines - lawmaker proposes bill to use graphic warnings on cigarette packs..;
Philippines - cigarette butts disposal is a major problem in the Philippines..;
Philippines - PMFTC Inc. urges govt to extend existing tobacco tax on products..;
Philippines - remarks at the Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health..;
Philippines - Commission on Human Rights (CHR) support placing graphic warnings on cigarette packs...;
Philippines - physicians told not to smoke and encourage their patients to quit..;
Philippines - Coloocan City smoking strictly prohibited in all public area..:
Philippines - anti-smoking group files case to push for graphic warnings on cigarette packs..;
Philippines - bill would require 75% of locally-grown tobacco in cigarettes..;
Philippines - lawmaker files bill to make cigarette-makers share in the health costs of smoking..;
Philippines - House of Representatives turns down proposal to hke tax on cigarettes by 400%..;
Philippines - PMI warehouse opens - former smokers that no longer have a voice are upset..;
Philippines - injunction regarding picture health warnings on cigarette packs nationwide..;
Philippines - more and more women dying of lung cancer..;
Philippines - tobacco companies don't want warnings on cigarette packs..;
Philippines - President Aquino has stated he will prioritize increase in the tax on cigarettes..;
Philippines - DOH pushing for hefty tax increase on cigarettes..;
Philippines - Muslim council says smoking is forbidden..;
Philippines - PMFTC has 90% of the tobacco market..;
Philippines - Philip Morris report sales higher than annual 2-3% growth..;
Philippines - National Tobacco Assoc. will oppose any move to reduce demand for tobacco unless govt..;
Philippines - tobacco industry has obtained temporary relief from placing graphic warnings on cigarette packs..;
Philippines - govt agencies and employees barred from unnessary interaction with tobacco industry..;
Philippines - Filipino Muslims forbidden to smoke, trade cigarettes..;
Philippine congress proclaims Aquino 15th president..;
Philippines - tobacco firms claim graphic warnings on cigarette packs are illegal..;
Philippines - new president smokes but this should not slow tobacco prevention activities..:
Philippines - Department of Health wants health warnings on cigarette packs within 90 days..;
Philippines - health groups want more protection from the dangers of tobacco..;
Philippines - DOH warns government agencies to avoid partnerships or accepting donations from tobacco manufacturers..;
Philip Morris Philippines..;
Philippines - DoH pushes for picture warnings on cigarette packs..;
Philippines - PMI - FTC merger may lead smokers continuing to smoke and lure children into a life of nicotine addiction..;
Philippines - PMI and Fortune Tobacco Corp. form new company called PMFTC..;
Philippines - Tanauan City names street Philip Morris..;
Philippines - DOH campaign for 100% smoke-free workplaces..;
Philippines - total tobacco industry could be down 10% to 15% this year..;
Philippines - 2003 ban on advertising and skirting the ban..;
Philippines - June is annually observed as 'No Smoking' Month..;
Philippines may be losing the war against smoking..;
http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2008/11/philippines-thai-cigarette-import-rules.html;
Philip Morris won't postpone Philippines Eraserheads Concert..;
Philip Morris could be criminally liable for its sponsorship of the event .in the Philippines..;
STOP PMI Sponsoring Concert in Philippines..;
Philippines - Smoker to be deported...
Read more...

PAPER: Dissolvables can cause mouth disease and other problems..

March 17, 2011 - The first study to analyze the complex ingredients in the new genre of dissolvable tobacco products has concluded that these pop-into-the-mouth replacements for cigarettes in places where smoking is banned have the potential to cause mouth diseases and other problems. The report appears in ACS’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

PAPER: Chemical Characterization of Dissolvable Tobacco Products Promoted To Reduce Harm, Christina L. Rainey, Paige A. Conder, and John V. Goodpaster jvgoodpa@iupui.edu),Agric. Food Chem., 2011, 59 (6), pp 2745–2751, Publication Date (Web): February 18, 2011, ABSTRACT..

Reference: New 'dissolvable tobacco' products may increase risk of mouth diseaseContact: Michael Bernsteinm_bernstein@acs.org, eurekalert.org, 3/16/2011
Read more...

Nigeria - two years after, Senate passes Tobacco Control Bill..








March 17, 2011 - A non-governmental organization (NGO), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria(ERA/FoEN), has commended the Senate over Tuesday’s, March 15th passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill. ERA/FoEN Director of Campaigns Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “The legislative house has delivered a major public health tool that will save the lives of millions of Nigerians from tobacco-induced deaths.

Akinbode pleaded with the leadership of the National Assembly “to fast –track the remaining legislative process to ensure that the bill is presented for presidential assent quickly.”

The Senate has finally passed the national tobacco control bill. The bill which is sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives, Bassey Etim, had its first reading on December 11, 2007, while its Second Reading was on February 19, 2008. It was thereafter deferred to the House Committees on Health and Justice on May 14, 2008 and finally had its Third Reading and passage on June 14, 2008. The bill is expected to ensure that smoking in public places is banned. Ninety-two countries in the world have signed the tobacco bill into law, though with different stipulations of how it is implemented.

“We salute the courage of the Nigerian Senate for giving this nation a strong tool to revert growing deaths from tobacco products. Though, this has taken us so long, we are confident that this bill will save millions of our brothers and sisters from tobacco-related deaths,” he added.

The upper house had in a unanimous vote passed the bill which was sponsored by Senator Olorunimbe Mamora representing Lagos East Senatorial District.

The bill bans tobacco advertisement, sponsorship and promotions, selling cigarettes to persons under the age of 18, smoking it in public places which include airports, schools and public buildings, among others.

The bill domesticates the World Health Organisation (WHO) initiated Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), a global standard for tobacco control which Nigeria has ratified.

The group commended Senator Mamora for resisting underhand lobbying by the tobacco companies to undermine the passage of the bill.

The National Tobacco Control Bill repeals the Tobacco Control smoking Act of 1990, which was promulgated under the military and championed by former Health Minister, late Olikoye Ransome Kuti.

The Bill’s essential components include:
* A National Tobacco Control (TC) Committee to guide implementation and future TC policies;
* A comprehensive ban of smoking in public places;
* Clearly visible tax stamps on cigarette packs;
* A ban on sales to minors and by minors;
* Prohibition of the sale of cigarettes that are not packaged – but the bill doesn’t specify the number per pack;
* A comprehensive ban on advertising, sponsorship and promotion, including by mail, testimonials, brand stretching, indirect advertising, etc;
* Health warnings covering 50 percent of the display area of tobacco packages, with the Minister of Health empowered to prescribe pictures or pictogram;
* Enforcement provisions to ensure that the law is effectively implemented.
Nigerian Senate passes Tobacco Control Bill, Framework Convention Alliance, 3/16/2011.

References:
NGO lauds Senate over tobacco control bill, Adelanwa Bamgboye, dailytrust.com, 3/17/201; Senate passes tobacco bill, 234next.com, 3/15/2011; Group commends passage of tobacco bill, Posted by NIGERIA NATIONAL TOBACCO CONTROL BILL at 8:16 AM, nigerianationaltobaccocontrolbill.blogspot.com, 3/16/2011.

Nigeria - related news briefs:
Nigeria - can women help get the National Tobacco Control Bill passed??;
Nigeria - National Tobacco Control Bill - when will the bill be passed??;
Nigeria - tanker drivers that smoke pay fines of N .1m (665.56 USD)..;
Nigeria - State of Osun to implement tobacco control measures..;
Nigeria - call to emulate Australia's move to ban the promotion of tobacco..;
Africa - the increase in tobacco use must be prevented..;
Nigeria - parliament still debating new tobacco legislation..;
Nigeria - Customs Service Comptroller-General commended BATN..;
Nigeria - National Tobacco Control Bill - public hearing..;
Nigerian senator believes passage of anti-tobacco bill wil lead to unemployment..;
Nigeria - Senator claims anti-tobacco bill will lead to 400,000 job losses..;
Nigerian Lawsuit Against Tobacco Firms Adjourned Until January 2009..;
Nigeria House Passes Anti-smoking Bill..;
BAT using illegal tactics to get African youths to start smoking..;
British American Tobacco (BAT) - 100 years in Africa..
Read more...

Kansas - proponents maintain smoking ban as is or expand it to remove the few exemptions..

March 17, 2011 - In a hastily called meeting in a Capitol hallway, the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday advanced a bill to ban smoking in casinos. The vote came a day after the panel held hearings on that and a competing bill that would have exempted bars that sell lottery tickets from the statewide smoking ban passed last year. But the House panel stripped the bar bill and replaced it with the casino smoking ban.

Casinos that will be operated by private companies under the auspices of the state lottery are under development at several sites around the state. Technically, the casinos will be “Expanded Lottery Facilities” owned by the state, which will get a portion of the profits.

Owners of bars and clubs pleaded with a House committee to allow them to once again allow smoking in their establishments.

Casino developers pleaded with the lawmakers not to take away their option to allow smoking on their gambling floors.

And In a hastily called meeting in a Capitol hallway, the Kansas House Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday advanced a bill to ban smoking in casinos.

The vote came a day after the panel held hearings on that and a competing bill that would have exempted bars that sell lottery tickets from the statewide smoking ban passed last year.

But the House panel stripped the bar bill and replaced it with the casino smoking ban.

Casinos that will be operated by private companies under the auspices of the state lottery are under development at several sites around the state. Technically, the casinos will be “Expanded Lottery Facilities” owned by the state, which will get a portion of the profits.

It’s been about a year since the Legislature passed a law that prohibits indoor smoking in virtually all workplaces and public establishments — with the noted exception of the state-owned gambling casinos that are springing up around Kansas under the auspices of the state Lottery. (Kansas - goes smoke-free on July 1, 2010..)

Today, the House Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on two bills that seek to change the status quo:

– House Bill 2039 would revoke the section of the law that exempts gaming floors in casinos — which the state calls “Expanded Lottery Gaming Facilities.”

– House Bill 2040 would allow bars that sell lottery tickets or have lottery keno screens to allow their patrons to smoke.

Since last year, many owners of bars and taverns — especially small ones — have complained of dramatic declines in business since the smoking ban took effect.

Seeking to combat an earlier study that showed little impact from the ban on alcohol taxes, Sheila Martin, a bar owner from Hutchinson, presented the committee with a sheaf of letters showing “30 to 50 percent decreases in income, for real people with real faces.”

She said far fewer people come to bars, and spend less time there, when the owners have to “throw people out in the snow for their health.”

Phil Wiggins, owner of Shooter’s, a billiards club in south Wichita, said he’s lost business from the ban and if something doesn’t change, he expects to lose more with the opening of the $260 million Kansas Star casino, which is under development at the Mulvane exit on the Kansas Turnpike.

He said he doesn’t think its fair that his club can’t allow smoking while the state-owned casino can, which gives it the competitive advantage. He said the Wichita ordinance that preceded the statewide ban, with its requirements of separated and ventilated smoking and non-smoking sections, “worked just fine.”

Several casino representatives testified that taking smoking away from them would threaten their bottom line and the income the state expects from its share of casino operations.

Casinos in Delaware, Illinois, Colorado and Ontario, Canada, all experienced dips of 20 to 25 percent in gaming revenue after smoking bans took effect, said Elizabeth Tranchina, vice president of legal affairs for Peninsula Gaming, the Kansas Star’s parent company.

“In short, a casino smoking ban will significantly reduce state tax revenues, resulting in reduced budget funding for state programs, fewer jobs and jeopardizing future capital investment in the state,” she said in her written testimony.

The committee also received testimony from several proponents of maintaining the smoking ban as is or expanding it to remove the few exemptions it contains now. Among that contingent was the Kansas Association of Family Physicians, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society.

Jen Brull, a physician from Plainville, related two recent case histories from her practice of women she believes suffered serious illness from exposure to second-hand smoke.

One was a bar owner who didn’t smoke, but allowed in her business for 40 years. She now has chronic pulmonary obstructive disease. The other was a woman with pneumonia and emphysema, whose husband smoked for 50 years and whose daughter, her primary caregiver, smokes now.

Brull said she’s confident the women wouldn’t have those problems if they hadn’t been exposed to smoke. “Second-hand smoke is a public health issue, not just an annoyance,” she said.

References: Bill to ban smoking in casinos advances in Kansas House,The Wichita Eagle,
3/17/2011; Measures to tweak smoking ban spark three-corner debate in the House by Dion Lefler, The Wichita Eagle, 3/16/2011.

Related Kansas news briefs:
Kansas - smoke free law improve indoor air quality..;
Wichita, Kansas - judge extends state smoking ban..;
VIDEO - Topeka, Kansas under both city and state smoking bans..;
Kansas - goes smoke-free on July 1, 2010..;
Wichita, Kansas - city's smoking ordinance more stringent than state law..;
Kansas - governor signed into law the Clean Indoor Air legislation..;
Kansas - public smoking ban effective July 1, 2010..;
University of Kansas (KU) bans sale of tobacco starting July 1, 2010..;
Topeka, Kansas - opponents of smoking ban may drop petition drive..;
Kansas - cigarette tax hike likely in 2010..;
Topeka, Kansas - some petitions to overthrow smoking ban missing..;
Topeka, Kansas - smoking ban takes effect Friday, December 4, 2010..;
Topeka, Kansas to ban public smoking indoors and at places of employment December 4, 2010..;
Kansas - cigarette makers fined, failed to pay into escrow accounts..;
Kansas City, Missouri - court upholds smoking ban..;
Read more...

New York City - Should condos and co-ops be able to ban smoking inside owners' apartments?

March 17, 2011 - New York has been taking an increasingly tough stance toward smoking, but virtually all residential buildings have drawn the line at telling people they can't smoke in their own apartments. That may be changing. At least half a dozen Manhattan co-ops are expected to ask shareholders during annual meetings this spring to vote on an all-out smoking ban that would prohibit residents from lighting up in their own homes, real estate attorneys say.

New York City already prohibits smoking in public areas at any building with at least 10 apartments. Attorneys say a number of recent developments have encouraged some buildings to pursue a total prohibition. These include growing concerns over secondhand smoke, the city's recent decision to slap smoking restrictions on parks and other public areas, and fears that residents will sue each other—or the building—over smoking disputes.

"At every single board meeting we get complaints about smoke and people asking us when will the board do something," says Steven Michaelson, president of an Upper East Side condominium that is holding a vote soon on banning all smoking.

Reference: Smoking Bans Hitting Home by CRAIG KARMIN (craig.karmin@wsj.com), online.wsj.com, 3/16/2011./

A few related news briefs:
Sarasota, Florida - banned smoking in over 500 homes for the poor..;
Chicago, Illinois - tenants in apartment building given one-year to quit smoking..;
Chicago, Illinois - smoke-free apartment and condominium buildings are becoming the wave of the future ..;
Canada - more and more renters and owners demanding smoke-free housing in multiunit dwellings..;
England - if you want to rent a place to live then it's time to quit smoking..;
U.S. - another housing authority bans smoking..;
More Public Housing Units Going Smoke-Free...
Read more...

Wisconsin - study demonstrates a reduction in upper respiratory symptoms among non-smoking bartenders following statewide smoking ban..

March 17, 2011

Introduction: This report presents the findings from a longitudinal study of bartenders in
Wisconsin, designed to assess change in their health and attitudes after the implementation of a statewide smoke-free workplace law in July 2010. (Wisconsin - statewide smoking ban starts Monday, July 5, 2010..)

December 16, 2010 - Wisconsin - after smoking ban air quality in bars improves..

PAPER: The Impact of Wisconsin’s Statewide Smoke-Free Law on Bartender Health and Attitudes, Karen A. Palmersheim, PhD, MS, Kyle P. Pfister, B.S. and Randall L. Glysch, M.S., Center for Urban Initiatives and Research, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, ABSTRACT/FULL TEXT

Methods: Surveys conducted before and after the law was implemented collected information on the number of hours exposed to secondhand smoke, prevalence of upper respiratory tract symptoms, attitudes towards smoking in bars and restaurants, and perceptions of risk related to secondhand smoke exposure. Information on bartender cigarette smoking was also collected.

Results: Exposure to secondhand smoke during an average week decreased from 17.0 hours to 1.7 hours in the workplace and from 6.5 hours to 2.2 hours in other places. Among non-smokers, the prevalence of all eight upper respiratory symptoms decreased significantly (wheezing or whistling in chest, shortness of breath, cough first thing in the morning, cough during the rest of the day and night, cough up any phlegm, red or irritated eyes, runny nose, nose irritation, or sneezing, and sore or scratchy throat). Support for not allowing smoking in bars that are also restaurants increased significantly among all bartenders. Support for smoke-free bars/taverns did not change significantly for the overall sample. However, a statistically significant increase in support for smoke-free bars/taverns was noted for bartenders that were current smokers. Perceived level of health risk associated with exposure to secondhand smoke increased among the sample as a whole, and among non-smokers and bartenders working in rural counties.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant reduction in upper respiratory symptoms among non-smoking bartenders following the establishment of a smoke-free workplace law in the state of Wisconsin. These results suggest that this policy will help reduce the future risk of disease related to secondhand smoke among employees and patrons of bars and restaurants throughout the state.

Wisconsin related news briefs:
Wisconsin - after smoking ban air quality in bars improves..;
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Wisconsin and Oregon can keep money held in escrow from tobacco company.. ;
Wisconsin - July 2010 smoking ban included banning smoking in every hotel guestroom..;
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Wisconsin - fewer young people smoking..;
Wisconsin - statewide smoking ban starts Monday, July 5, 2010..;
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Wisconsin - will July 5th smoking ban lead to more cigarette litter..;
Wisconsin - preparing residents for a more complete smoking ban starting in July 2010..;
Appleton, Wisconsin - will city get grant to fight dissolvable tobacco products seen as a threat to children..;
Wisconsin - lawmakers defeat plan to eventually eliminate candy-flavored tobacco..;
Wisconsin - almost last state to require fire-safe cigarettes..;
Wisconsin - government anti-smoking programs cut from $15.3 million a year to $6.9 million..;
Wisconsin - tobacco taxes to go up tomorrow, Tuesday, September 1, 2009..;
U.S. - Midwest States smoking bans do not hurt business..;
Wisconsin Governor Doyle signs smoking ban..;
Wisconsin - legislature passes smoking ban in restaurants, bars and other businesses..;
Count Wisconsin as the 26th state to ban smoking..;
Wisconsin may be the 26th state to ban smoking in all bars and restaurants..;
Wisconsin - Increased Sales Tax Decrease in Smoking..;
Wisconsin's achieves the lowest adult smoking prevalence ever..;
The primary reason to increase the tax on tobacco is to get smokers to quit and dissuade kids from starting..;
Wisconsin cigarette tax and tax on other tobacco products to increase January 1, 2008..;
Wisconsin to Increase Tax on All Tobacco Products..;
Wisconsin voters overwhelmingly (2-to-1) favor upping cigarette taxes by $1.25 a pack..
Read more...

Qatar - penalties established for airline smoking and related..

March 17, 2011 - Airline passengers who smoke or damage smoke detectors will face fines of up to QR30,000 (8,237.35 USD) under a new law imposed in Qatar yesterday, March 16, 2011 according to a Gulf Times story. The fine will be doubled in the case of a repeat offence.A law imposing fines of up to QR30,000 on airline passengers who smoked or damaged smoke-detectors onboard was issued in Qatar yesterday. The same punishment may be given to airline passengers caught operating electronic devices during their journey. The fine will be doubled in case of repeating the offence.
The new law, which contains additions and amendments to civil aviation regulations, has been ratified by HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
According to the law, a passenger who fails to abide by the pilot’s security-related instructions is liable to be jailed for up to three years or fined QR100,000 (27,457.82 USD).
Similar punishment can be meted out for drunkenness or drug consumption that affects the safety of the plane or leading to diversion of its route or sabotaging the equipment in the cockpit or onboard the aircraft.

Also, passengers perpetrating physical, sexual or verbal assault on crew members will be subjected to the same penalty. The law is applicable if the offence is committed on planes in Qatari airspace or on aircraft that is state-registered or rented or while landing in Qatar and if the violator is a citizen or an expatriate.

Reference: QR30,000 fine for smoking on plane by Nour Abuzant
Staff Reporter, Gulf Times, 3/17/2011.

Qatar related briefs:
Qatar - have they forgot that sheesha is also a dangerous tobacco product..:
Qatar - 40% of adults and 22% of teens smoke..;
Qatar - Dr. Maya Al Sheba suggests cold-turkey method to quit smoking..;
Qatar - year long anti-tobacco drive gets in full gear..;
Qatar - people want better enforcement and stricter tobacco control measures..;
BAT Middle East - conference on the illicit tobacco trade..;
Sheesha (Shisha, Hookah, Narghile, Waterpipe) As Harmful as Cigarettes, says Expert..
Read more...

Movie - RANGO .. adventure-seeking chameleon meets tobacco users....

Click to enlarge..
March 16, 2011 - If you're a parent looking for a movie that will tempt your kids to smoke, Paramount Pictures has just the film for you. It's called Rango, the story of an adventure-seekingchameleon, voiced by Johnny Depp, who patrols a desert town where he meets a cigar-smoking toad and a foxy fox, who uses one of those long, sultry cigarette holders made famous in 1940s movies.

Back then, Bogie made smoking cool. But everyone has known for 50 years that smoking is better at filling coffins than theaters. So who needs it in an animated film aimed at children?


Teen Smoking Strongly Linked to Tobacco Use in Movies
, National Cancer Institute, 12/1/2001.

Certainly not the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has labeled the film a health hazard for children, prompting Paramount to say that "the images of smoking in the film ... are portrayed by supporting characters and are not intended to be intended to be celebrated or emulated."

Millions of kids helped make Rango the No. 2 box-office draw last weekend, and research going back a decade shows that adolescents with higher exposure to movie smoking are much more likely to try cigarettes than their peers.

The studies, particularly a series done at Dartmouth Medical School, suggest that after adolescents see smoking scenes they view tobacco use more positively and think most adults smoke. (That, of course, is fiction: Smoking among U.S. adults has fallen to about 20%.) Nor do films show another reality of smoking — the illness and death it causes.

PAPER: heavy teen viewing of TV shows with depiction of tobacco use..

Reference: Smoky 'Rango' leaves bad taste, usatoday.com, 3/16/2011.

Some related news briefs:
Studios reached an agreement yesterday to place anti-smoking ads on new movie DVDs (rated G, PG or PG-13)..;
Hallmark Channel will follow Disney's lead...;
Disney stubs out smoking from its films...;
Smoking to influence movie classifications.....
Read more...

Florida - First smoking case appealed to Fla. Supreme Court..

March 16, 2011 - The first of thousands of smoker lawsuits in Florida has been appealed to the state Supreme Court. The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. on Tuesday, March 15th asked the justices to reverse a $28.3 million verdict won by the family of a deceased smoke in Pensacola.

The 1st District Court of Appeal affirmed the verdict in December, siding with the family of Benny Martin, who died of lung cancer in 1995. (June 9, 2009 - R.J. Reynolds to appeal plaintiff's award of $30 million..; June 3 2009 - R.J. Reynolds loses Florida court trial - widow gets $30 million..)

The tobacco company claims that damages are excessive.

About 8,000 similar lawsuits are being tried individually after the Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a $145 billion class-action damage award for smokers. That decision also concluded that cigarette makers knowingly sold dangerous and defective products. (Cigarette Makers Face Thousands of New Florida Lawsuits..)

Reference: First smoking case appealed to Fla. Supreme Court, miamiherald.com, 3/15/2011.

Some related news briefs from Florida court cases:
Florida smoker wins case - awarded compensatory damages of $10,000 ..;
Florida - tobacco cases clog dockets of courts..;
Florida - jury snaps tobacco’s recent winning streak with an $80 million award..;
Florida - jury returns verdict in favor of Philip Morris USA, 5th consecutive time..;
Florida is tide turning? - 4th time in 2-weeks Philip Morris USA wins court cases..;
Florida - PM USA to challenge verdict in the Piendle v. RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris USA case..;
Florida - tobacco companies ordered to pay $2.2 million to widow of smoker..;
Florida - individual cases against big tobacco can move forward, can rely on Engle jury findings..;
Florida - jury awards smoker $21M from Philp Morris USA.;
Florida - can big tobacco survive all these lawsuits they continue to lose??;
Florida - big tobacco loses another case..;
Florida - jury awards $26.6 million to smoker's widow..;
Florida - 9 year old case, appeals court upholds $24.8 million award..;
Florida - $300 million jury award to former smoker overturned..;
Florida - jury awards $300 million in ex-smoker's suit..;
Florida - tobacco companies ask court to block ruling..;
Florida - plaintiff drops case to avoid paying legal fees for Philip Morris USA..;
R.J. Reynolds to appeal plaintiff's award of $30 million..;
R.J. Reynolds loses Florida court trial - widow gets $30 million..;
Broward County Florida jury awards widow of smoker $1.5 million...
Read more...

PAPER: The number of heavy smokers has declined substantially in the U.S..

Patrick Swayze Heavy Smoker..
March 16, 2011 - The stereotypical pack-a-day smoker is no longer the norm, according to a new study that shows the number of heavy smokers has declined substantially in the U.S.

PAPER: Prevalence of Heavy Smoking in California and the United States, 1965-2007, John P. Pierce, PhD; Karen Messer, PhD; Martha M. White, MS; David W. Cowling, PhD; David P. Thomas, PhD, JAMA. 2011;305(11):1106-1112, ABSTRACT..

Researchers say that in 1965, a majority of smokers in the U.S. smoked at least one pack per day. But since the first surgeon general's report on smoking and health was released in 1964, there has been a major decline in not only the prevalence of smoking, but also the intensity.

In the study, researchers analyzed smoking intensity patterns from two large national health surveys involving more than 1.6 million Americans and 139,176 residents of California.
Researchers conducted separate analyses of smoking patterns in California because the state has consistently led the U.S. in initiating public policies to reduce cigarette smoking since the surgeon general's report on smoking was released.

The results showed 23.2% of adults in California and 22.9% of adults in the rest of the U.S. were classified as heavy smokers in 1965. By 2007, this prevalence dropped to 2.6% of adults in California and 7.2% of adults in the remaining states.

"This decline in high-intensity smoking was not accompanied by a compensatory increase in the prevalence of less-intense smoking," write researcher John P. Pierce, PhD, of the University of California, San Diego and colleagues in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Instead, researchers say the overall pattern of smoking has changed across different generations. They found the prevalence of moderate-intensity smoking of 10 or more cigarettes per day also declined.

In 1965 11.1% of adults in California and 10.5% in the remaining states were classified as moderate-intensity smokers. By 2007, the prevalence fell to 3.4% in California and 5.4% in the remaining states.

Actor Patrick Swayze a 60-a-day smoker for years dies of pancreatic cancer..

Reference: Heavy Smokers in U.S. Dwindling Number of Pack-a-Day Smokers Down by About 16% Since 1965 by Jennifer Warner, Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD, WebMD Health News, 3/15/2011.
Read more...

India - main opposition party leader calls for a complete ban on tobacco..

Tobacco Free..

March 16, 2011 - Crisis in India: Smoking Expected to Kill 1 Million People Annually by 2010 by Larry West, About.com Guide

India - 80% of teenagers in metropolitan cities are addicted to smoking cigarettes..

A leader of India's main opposition party called for a complete ban on tobacco on Tuesday, March 15th in a potentially unpopular policy announcement she said was justified on public health grounds.

Why not try one state at a time to go tobacco free - start with GOA (India State of Goa - stop sale of loose cigarettes and raise tobacco taxes.. - tobaccowatch.org)

Sushma Swaraj, parliamentary leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raised the issue in the lower house on Tuesday, saying as many as 800,000 people died of cancer caused by tobacco in India every year.

"I stand for (a) complete ban on all tobacco products," Swaraj, a former health minister, later wrote on the micro-blogging website Twitter. Failing an immediate ban, she said she favoured better pictorial warnings about the effects of tobacco on packets of cigarettes. (India - cigarette/bidis companies resume tobacco production..) In 2009, India began printing graphic health warnings on cigarette packets and other tobacco products, including photos of diseased lungs and gums, as part of efforts to cut smoking.

The country is the world's second-largest producer and consumer of tobacco behind China, according to the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation. About a fifth of Indians, or 241 million people, use tobacco in some form.

In October 2008, India banned smoking in public places and the sale of tobacco products near educational institutes and hospitals -- but the regulations are flouted in many places. (India - despite govt ban, sale and advertising of tobacco products is rampant around educational institutions..)

Reference: India's opposition leader calls for tobacco ban by Deshakalyan Chowdhury, Agence France Presse (AFP News), 3/15/2011.

India - some related news briefs:
*Mumbai, India - BEST committee to monitor to prevent tobacco advertisement;
*India State of Goa - stop sale of loose cigarettes and raise tobacco taxes..;
*Chandigarh, India - a leader in tobacco control..;
*India - Cancer docs take tobacco battle inside parliament..;
*http://snus-news.blogspot.com/2011/02/india-to-introduce-anti-tobacco.html;
*India - 80% of teenagers in metropolitan cities are addicted to smoking cigarettes..;
*India - despite govt ban, sale and advertising of tobacco products is rampant around educational institutions..;
*India - foreign cigarette companies could soon find it harder to sell their products..;
*Maharashtra, India - collecting fines from anti-tobacco drive..;
*India - health ministry formulating policy that is smokeless tobacco specific..;
*India - celebs shy away from endorsing tobacco and liquor..;
*Mumbai, India - students campaign to spread word on the dangers of tobacco products..;
*India - cigarette/bidis companies resume tobacco production..;
*India - will delay for a year the use of scarier pictorial warnings on cigarette and bidi packs..;
*India - cigarettes and bidis manufacturers halt production seek clarification on pictorial health warnings..;
*India - Tobacco Board warns farmers against planting unauthorized crop..;
*India - revised pictorial warnings on tobacco products will be implemented from December 1, 2010..;
*India - captions with pictorial warnings should use local languages..:
*India - 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..; *India - 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...

World anti tobacco day May 31, 2010 - Photos Women Smoking in India..
Read more...

Belgium - smoking ban in casinos and cafes moved up to July 1, 2011..



March 16, 2011 - Belgium's top court decided Tuesday, March 15th to widen the country's smoking ban in public spaces to cover all cafes and the kingdom's nine casinos from July 1.

Smoking has been banned in work places, restaurants and pubs that serve food since 2009, while temporary exemptions had been granted to casinos and cafes that only serve snacks such as crisps and peanuts.

Background:
The Belgian Parliament has decided to postpone a total ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants until 2014. Professor Simon Capewell, speaking on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology, described the decision as “catastrophic”. Based on their research and extrapolation from observed efforts of an effective ban in other countries, this regrettable decision will result in 5,000 additional deaths and over 10,000 non-fatal heart attacks and strokes in Belgium until 2014. (5000 Deaths : A Catastrophic, Regrettable Decision In Belgium, Red Orbit, 12/9/2009)

A total ban on smoking in pubs and cafés has been postponed until 2014. From January 2010 smoking will be banned in pubs where you can enjoy prepared meals. Smokers will continue to be able to light up in pubs where only drinks are served.

As of 01 January 2010, the new law will mean a ban on smoking in all places of work and in all places accessible by the public. Smoking in pubs where meals are served will also be outlawed. However, smoking will still be permitted in casinos, pubs and nightclubs where only pre-packaged foodstuffs are up for sale.


Belgium - total ban on smoking in pubs and cafes postponed until 2014..
The Flemish Cancer League claims that the ban with exemptions for some pubs until 2014 is discriminatory in its present form and is in violation of the Belgian Constitution. The League is raising the matter before the
The court decided to lift the exemptions but gave establishments until June 30 to "adapt to the general smoking ban."

The judges ruled that the government failed to prove that pubs would be harmed by a general smoking ban, saying that drawing distinctions between establishments was actually harmful to competition.

The court also stated that the protection of the health of employees and non-smokers should apply to casinos even though they serve a "specific" clientele.

Smokers will still find a corner to light up: Special smoking rooms equipped with air vents in restaurants and other public buildings are still permitted since smokers are not supposed to use them, the judges said.

References: Belgium expands smoking ban to all cafes, casinos, Agence France Presse (AFP), france24.com, 3/15/2011; Belgium Adopts Full Smoking Ban, Gulf Stream Blues, 3/16/201.

Belgium related news brief: France - cheaper cigarettes close by in Belgium..
Read more...

Court Upholds Smoking Ban at Pennsylvania's ACMH Hospital..


March 15, 2011 - A federal appeals court today agreed that an arbitrator exceeded his authority in ruling that ACMH Hospital’s smoke-free policy at its Kittanning campus violated the hospital’s contract with United Steelworkers Local 158-06.

The union represents clerks, nurses' aides and other nonprofessional workers at what was formerly known as Armstrong County Memorial Hospital) (ACMH). It filed a grievance after a smoking ban was implemented on Jan. 1, 2009. An arbitrator ruled the ban was unreasonable because employees were used to having a designated smoking area.

U.S. District Judge Terrence McVerry overturned the arbitrator’s decision in May. He ruled that the arbitrator’s analysis exceeded the terms of the contract.

A three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, ruling that the arbitrator effectively tried to create a new right for employees by saying that their “expectations” of having designated smoking areas created a “protected local working condition,” a phrase that doesn’t appear anywhere in the contract.

Reference: Federal appeals court upholds Kittanning hospital smoking ban by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 3/14/201.
Read more...

Detriot, Michigan 3- area hospitals; want a job do not use tobacco..


March 15. 2011 - Smokers, tobacco users, even those using nicotine patches to kick the habit, shouldn't bother applying for a job at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center in Rochester,
Bixby Medical Center in Adrian or Herrick Medical Center in Tecumseh.

The three Michigan hospitals are among several health systems and some private companies across the country that have adopted policies to hire only nonsmokers and nontobacco users, citing the need to live up to their health missions. (e.g. Franciscan Health System - seeking a job don't use tobacco or don't even hang with people that use tobacco..)

The policies, which come after most hospitals have already banned smoking on their campuses, also help lower employee health care costs, said Laura Ritzler, director of wellness for ProMedica, which owns the Bixby and Herrick medical centers. And several national studies have shown smokers use more sick days and have higher medical costs than nonsmokers.

"Our mission statement includes the phrase we're 'dedicated to enhancing the health status of our community,'" said Jeff Kapuscinski, director of marketing and communications for Crittenton, which implemented its policy in November, "We think this policy is a natural extension of that and a necessary step in the journey."

All of the major health systems in southeast Michigan said they have no immediate plans to adopt a no-tobacco-use policy for new hires, but a few left the door open to change in the future. Insurers Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, HealthPlus of Michigan, Priority Health and Health Alliance Plan also don't have plans to implement nonsmoking hiring policies.

In two instances, Crittenton had to revoke job offers because the applicants tested positive for nicotine during a screening, Kapuscinski said. He said there are no plans to impose the policy on current employees, as it would be hard to implement and manage. The hospital employs 1,700.

Twenty-nine states have laws that prevent employers from discriminating against smokers in employment decisions, said Lewis Maltby, president of the National Workrights Institute, a workers' rights advocacy group based in Princeton, N.J. In the mid-2000s, the institute tried unsuccessfully to help pass a similar law in Michigan following the firing of four employees at Weyco Inc. in Okemos because they smoked after the company adopted a no-smoking policy.

Crittenton, which hires 200 to 250 new employees each year, feels confident its policy does not discriminate, Kapuscinski said."Several courts have upheld there's no constitutional right to smoke," said Kapuscinski, who expects more Metro Detroit hospitals to follow Crittenton's lead. "We felt very comfortable that we were not discriminating."

Ohio-based ProMedica, a system with several hospitals, including the two in Michigan, launched its tobacco-free hiring policy in January, also to uphold its mission, Ritzler said.
Nicotine tests required. Like Crittenton, ProMedica requires applicants to pass a nicotine test.

Thirty-year smoker Cheryl Gomez, 52, of Lambertville, a nurse who works as a patient safety specialist at ProMedica's Toledo Hospital, said she agreed with ProMedica's hiring decision when it was announced last year. "It's the right thing to do from the standpoint of our patients and stewardship for the community," she said. "No one can argue with the evidence that (smoking is harmful)." Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. ProMedica's policy was the nudge Gomez needed to quit. She gave up her pack-a-day habit on Dec. 21.

Reference: Smokers need not apply at hospitals More Mich. facilities adopt policies to hire tobacco-free workers, Melissa Burden, The Detroit News, 3/14/2011.

A few related news briefs:
Franciscan Health System - seeking a job don't use tobacco or don't even hang with people that use tobacco..
Hennepin County, Minnesota - planning no smoking on all county property even inside your own car..;
Get that job in health care just quit smoking or don't start using tobacco..;
Each smoker costs an employer about $3,400 annually in higher health care bills..;
Massachusetts - Anna Jaques Hospital jobs - if nicotine test is positive do not apply..;
Massachusetts Hospital Association - as of January 1, 2011 will no longer hire users of tobacco products..;
Hospital in Georgia will no longer hirer new employees that use tobacco..;
Tennessee - hospital will no longer hire people that use tobacco products..
Read more...

New Zealand government agrees country should become smokefree by 2025..


March 15, 2011 - The Government has decided New Zealand should become smokefree by 2025. (An anti-smoking group doubts New Zealand will be entirely smokefree by 2025, but sees the Government's goal as a step in the right direction.)

Background:
November 4, 2010 - The Maori Affairs Select Committee's final report on tobacco is a landmark in smokefree initiatives, according to the Public Health Association (PHA).

The Select Committee's report on its inquiry into the tobacco industry and the consequences of tobacco use for Maori was released today, November 3rd. Its recommendations underscore a strategy to halve smoking rates by 2015, as the first step towards a smokefree New Zealand by 2025. New Zealand - Māori Affairs Committee Report released - November 2010..
It's agreed to set 2025 as a smokefree goal and is also promising to develop targets to help the goal be met.

The Government says it'll also look at measures around tobacco packaging and advertising as well as raising the fine for retailers who sell tobacco to children.

However it hasn't agreed to make the tobacco industry pay for smoking cessation programs, nor require those selling tobacco to be 18 years or older.

Reference: NZ to be smokefree by 2025, Newstalk ZB, 3/14/2011.

New Zealand related news briefs:
New Zealand - high smoking pollution outdoors of hospitality venues, smoking pollution by far the worst inside cars with children present.;
New Zealand - New Plymouth central business district - councillors against smoking ban..;
New Zealand - study quitting results when smokers receive nicotine from a source other than cigarettes..;
New Zealand - are roll-your-own cigarettes more addictive than factory-made??;
New Zealand - more on smoking cessation - does it always require a drug(s)??;
New Zealand - massive push to get smokers to quit..;
New Zealand - cigarette display ban passes first reading..;
New Zealand - price goes up number of smokers goes down..;
New Zealand - Māori Affairs Committee Report released - November 2010..;
New Zealand - non-smokers offered incentives to test cigarettes..;
New Zealand - phase out tobacco sales over the next decade..;
New Zealand - Scandinavian Tobacco granted clearance to merge its cigar and pipe tobacco businesses with Swedish Match..;
New Zealand - tobacco industry whistleblower addresses the Maori select committee..;
New Zealand - a third of patients seeking treatment in the ED were smokers..;
New Zealand - the majority of New Zealanders support an end to commercial tobacco sales by 2020 - can it happen??;
New Zealand - study revives interest in keeping tobacco hidden..;
New Zealand - health board says no to psychiatric hospital smoking ban..;
New Zealand - report on illicit trade and options to control growth of illicit trade..;
New Zealand - ASH Year 10 Snapshot Survey - Dramatic youth smoking decline..;
New Zealand - plain cigarette and tobacco packs could turn teenagers off smoking..;
New Zealand - Tobacco companies target women..;
New Zealand - lobby group of small retailers formed to protest tobacco price hike..;
New Zealand - more than half of the people want to end tobacco sales by 2020..;
New Zealand - revenue department has begun a review of BAT financial transactions..;
New Zealand - increase in tobacco excise forced through Parliament by the Government..;
New Zealand - Christchurch prepares for meeting with tobacco select committee..;
New Zealand - biggest drop in smoking rates seen in a decade..;
New Zealand - Maori affairs committee continues to gather information..;
New Zealand - study quit-smoking products that are acceptabe and effective..;
New Zealand - smoking ban results in decrease in heart attacks..;
New Zealand - BAT attends Maori Affairs select committee meeting on tobacco..;
New Zealanders want cigarettes banned by 2020..;
New Zealand - Maori women - almost 50% smoke..;
New Zealand - more and more teenagers turned off by smoking..;
New Zealand - loophole in the law banning tobacco sponsorship..;
New Zealand - University of Auckland to go smokefree - 1st university in country..;
New Zealand - smoking ban in bars results in less smoking at home..;
New Zealand - study, tobacco displays leads to increase in youth smoking..;
New Zealand - graphic warnings cigarette maker selects less offensive images..;
New Zealand - Maori committee to investigate smoking..;
New Zealand - Tairawhiti Board wants tobacco sold only on prescription..;
New Zealand - health researchers calling on government to ban importation of tobacco..;
New Zealand - 1st trial ever of e-cigarettes..;
New Zealand - BAT reducing prices discouraging people from quitting..;
New Zealand - stop smoking campaigns NOT working..;
BAT awarded worst corporation in New Zealand..;
New Zealand - government may NOT support tobacco display bans..;
New Zealand More Evidence Needed to Ban Tobacco and Cigarette Displays..;
More evidence - tobacco displays increase the risk of teens smoking..;
Horror photos go on New Zealand cigarette packs..;
Country to Eliminate Smoking - The South Pacific nation of Niue;
Ireland to ban tobacco displays..;
Smokefree NZ within 10 years..;
By law, oral snuff cannot (but nasal snuff is allowed) be sold in New Zealand and can be imported only for personal use..
Read more...