Kretek - crackling sound of burning cloves. 
Kretek cigarettes were banned by the US Food and Drug Administration on September 21st on the grounds that their sweet flavor encouraged young people to take up smoking.
Mari said previously that the ban was highly detrimental to this country’s clove farmers and was in breach of WTO rules. Particularly galling to the Indonesian side, observers say, is the fact that menthol cigarettes were exempted from the ban on flavored cigarettes on the grounds that to prohibit them would only encourage bootlegging.
The US ban is clearly being taken seriously here. As the world’s largest maker of kretek cigarettes, the country exports about $500 million worth a year, with about a fifth going to the US market, according to Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, Indonesia’s ambassador in Washington. In total, Indonesia supplied an estimated 99 percent of the US market for kretek.
However, all may not be lost. In the immediate aftermath of the ban, a canny California importer, Kretek International, attempted to get around it by relabelling the pungent sticks as cigars, only to be firmly told by the FDA that they were still cigarettes and still banned. (U.S. - Importer tries to get around clove cigarettes ban..)
The company, which imports Djarum-brand tobacco products, gave the kreteks a makeover by wrapping them in tobacco leaves, rather than thin papers and marketing them in packs of 12 cigarettes, rather than 20. Rather tellingly, the price worked out as the same cost as a pack of normal kretek cigarettes.
The Wall Street Journal reported on October 28 that the FDA “reminded the public that its ban applies to anything that fits a cigarette’s profile, even if it’s labeled as a ‘cigar’.” The US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce announced that it would conduct an investigation to discover whether the clove cigars were in fact nothing more than relabeled clove cigarettes, the Journal reported. (Clove cigars close but not cigarettes..)
Kretek International is apparently not going to take the issue lying down and is now seeking a declaratory ruling from the US District Court in Washington that its cigars are not cigarettes and can therefore be freely sold. In its petition, it accused the FDA of “deliberately obfuscating” the definition of cigarette,” adding that “If a product is a cigar, it is not a cigarette, and vice versa.”
Reference: Indonesia Seeks to Clear the Air Over US Kretek Ban, Dian Ariffahmi, Jakarta Globe, 11/3/1009.
Indonesia related news briefs:
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Indonesia - missing tobacco regulation in approved Health Law..;
Indonesia - section on tobacco in health bill disappears..;
Indonesia - Constitutional Court by close vote rules that tobacco ads can continue..;
Indonesia - parent smoking can negatively affect the nutrition of children..;
Indonesia - new council member suspect in cigarette fraud case..;
Indonesia - an NGO commission assists cigarettes must be banned in films..
Indonesia - a paradise for tobacco companies..
Indonesia - after buying cigarettes very little left for food..;
Indonesia - will they ratify the first world public health treaty..;
Indonesia - last paradise to smoke in public places in Southeast Asia..;
Indonesia - Industry minister to close tobacco to new foreign investment..;
Indonesia Finance Ministry to cap tax deductions for tobacco companies..;
Indonesia - Smoking hits poor families the hardest, making the poor even poorer..;
Indonesia - Cigarette makers defy crisis, grows stronger..;
Indonesia - government may raise cigarette excise tax next year..;
WHO - Indonesia is crying out for your help..;
Indonesia - dispute with U.S. over banning the use of clove in cigarettes..;
Indonesia 'cash cow' for Philip Morris International..;
Tobacco industry has long targeted young people as "replacement smokers";
Indonesia - district court dismisses request to ratify FCTC..;
Asean Countries - Tobacco Industry Blocking Global Treaty On Tobacco..; Indonesia - farmers hold rally protest tobacco controls..;
Indonesia - tobacco farmers reject Islamic council's edict..;
Indonesia - Ulema Council - debate results is split on smoking..;
Indonesia - Withdraw Sponsorhip of Another Rock Concert..;
Indonesia to increase tax on tobacco products..;
Semarang, Indonesia - Cigarette Smoking Areas to be Prepared..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - Malls help enforce non-smoking ban..;
Indonesia - federal anti-smoking laws in one year - MAYBE..;
Indonesia - NGO's (non-government organizations) Demand the Government Ratify WHO's FCTC.;
Indonesia to raise cigarette tax by 6 to 7% in 2009..;
Surabaya, Indonesia - anti-smoking bylaw 10/2009 - FOR REAL??
Indonesians smoking more than ever before..;
Indonesia further rise in the excise tax would hurt the cigarette industry..;
Alicia Keys - Jakarta Concert (July 31st) tobacco companies forced to withdraw sponsorship.. and
Most Indonesians support moves to ban tobacco advertisements...
Read more...
Indonesia - trade minister officials want to meet with US counterparts to discuss ban on clove cigarettes..
Smoking while pregnant linked to behavioral problems in children..
PAPER: Smoking in pregnancy and disruptive behaviour in 3-year-old boys and girls: an analysis of the UK Millennium Cohort Study, J Hutchinson K E Pickett J Green L S Wakschlag, J Epidemiol Community Health 2010;64:82-88, ABSTRACT..
The findings are based on more than 14,000 mother-and-child pairs drawn from the millennium cohort study, a population-based study of children born between 2000 and 2001 whose families are receiving child benefit. The research was carried out by Professor Kate Pickett, at the department of health sciences at Hull York medical school, University of York.
Mothers, who were categorised as light or heavy smokers, depending on how many cigarettes they smoked every day during pregnancy, were asked to score their children's behaviour.
The questionnaire, assessing three-year-olds, focused on behavioural problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Parents were asked to record and rate their child's temper, the frequency of physical fights with, and bullying of, other children, and whether they were argumentative with adults.
Hyperactivity and inattention were deduced from the levels of restlessness and fidgeting/squirming a child displayed, and the extent to which the child was easily distracted or their attention wandered.
Almost one in 10 of the mothers said they smoked heavily throughout their pregnancy; a further 12.5% said they smoked lightly during this period, and 12.4% said they stopped smoking while pregnant.
Having discounted differences in the mother's age at the child's birth, her level of education and socioeconomic status, family stability and problematic parenting, boys whose mothers smoked throughout pregnancy were found to be significantly more likely to have behavioural problems, be hyperactive and have low attention spans than boys whose mothers did not. Boys whose mothers smoked heavily throughout pregnancy were almost twice as likely to display behavioural problems, the report claimed.
The sons of light smokers (fewer than 10 cigarettes a day during pregnancy) were almost 80% more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, while the daughters of both light and heavy smokers were significantly more likely to display behavioural problems by the time they were three years old than girls whose mothers did not smoke.
The study suggests smoking while pregnant may damage the developing structure and function of the foetal brain, a link already demonstrated in animals. The foetal development of boys may also be more sensitive to this kind of chemical assault, the authors speculate, which could explain why boys are more likely to have behavioural problems than girls.
Reference: Smoking while pregnant linked to behavioural problems in children, Owen Bowcott, The Guardian, 11/3/2009.
Some pregnancy related news briefs:
Maternal Smoking - important risk factor in the development of psychotic experiences in their children..;
England - program to pay pregnant women not to smoke seems hopeful..;
Pregnant women who quit smoking before the 15th week reduce risk of premature birth and small babies..;
Pregnant women exposed to passive smoke greater chance of child will have respiratory distress..;
Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy Alters Maternal and Fetal Thyroid Function..;
Read more...
South Africa - new anti-smoking laws have to be enforced..
These tough new anti-smoking laws have not filtered down to Cape Town's smokers, who are still puffing away in clubs and pubs. Amendments to the Tobacco Control Act came into effect on September 4, banning smoking in entertainment areas, including bars, clubs, restaurant patios and walkways, balconies and even in parkades.
The amendments also banned smoking in cars in which children younger than 12 are passengers and put a stop to the sale of products such as sweets and chocolates by cigarette vendors. 'Smokers are just being targeted...'
While some smokers and restaurant owners claim ignorance of the new laws, others admit that they are aware of the laws and the consequences if caught contravening them.
A snap survey by the Cape Argus showed that many establishments still allow people to puff in walkways and on patios and balconies, while others even allow patrons to smoke indoors.
Paul van Staden of Pretoria, who was smoking outside the Red Moon coffee shop in Long Street, said he was aware of the new legislation but had chosen to ignore it as it was "offensive" to smokers. "I'm aware of it, but it sucks. Smokers are just being targeted... The government should focus on bigger issues such as drug smuggling and prostitution instead of wasting resources targeting smokers," he said.
David Stewart, of the Bo-Kaap, echoed Van Staden's sentiments. 'I don't understand why smoking outdoors is such a crime' "I think smokers should be given more input when these laws are created," he added.
Irish tourist Laura Brennan, who was smoking outside the Dubliner at Kennedy's in Long Street, said she did not know about the amendments and none of the establishments had told her about the new rules. "In Ireland, no smoking is permitted indoors, but I think it's still fairly reasonable of the South African government to ban smoking at restaurants and pubs because passive smoking can be very irritating for non-smokers," she said.
A manager at the Red Moon said most businesses found the new legislation confusing. "I don't understand why smoking outdoors is such a crime. "In my coffee shop, customers smoke in a walkway that is open on three sides. No one is affected by passive smoke," he said, adding that he couldn't stop customers from smoking. "Most people who support my coffee shop are smokers... If I tell them not to smoke outdoors, that will mean the end of my business," he said.
A manager at the Purple Turtle bar, where smokers were smoking inside, said that although his establishment had made changes to comply with the law, businesses like his would battle to survive if they did not allow smoking.
City Health head Dr Ivan Bromfield said the city was monitoring compliance very closely.
Republic of South Africa - TOBACCO PRODUCTS CONTROL AMENDMENT BILL..
More - Tobacco in South Africa..
Reference: New law 'offensive' to smokers by Sipokazi Maposa Health Writer, IOL.co.za
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Swedish Match finalizes sale of South African operation to PMI..;
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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...
Click to enlarge image - the South African Coat-of-Arms..
Read more...
Don't let this be your daughter..
November 3, 2009 -
The British Museum unveiled its “Day of the Dead” altar, by Mexican artist Adriana Amaya, Thursday in London. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Reference: Picture of the Day - Photo Journal, The Wall Street Journal - Blogs, 10/29/2009.
Read more...
India - still confusion pictorial warnings on cigarette packs..
Watch video the politics of tobacco - pictorial warnings...
Initially, there were some gruesome pictures that depicted the worse possible effects of tobacco on the human body. These pictures were first notified by the Health Ministry in July 2006 as pictorial warnings for cigarette and gutka packets. But these pictures were shot down by the Group of Ministers (GoM) as 'objectionable'.
Former Union Labour Minister, Oscar Fernandes said, "If we're talking about making the pictures harsher, we may as well shut down the industry. There are several districts in West Bengal where poor bidi workers earn their livelihood from this."
In a meeting of the GoM chaired by Pranab Mukherjee in July 2007, it was decided that the picture of the dead body be replaced with a 'suitable' one.
The minutes of the meeting available with CNN-IBN show that in the GoM, Pranab Mukharjee said, "A number of representations have been received from the bidi industry that employs a large number of workers from the weaker sections of society. The basic issues raised by the bidi industry relate to the size, colour and obnoxious nature of the pictorial warnings. Keeping this is view, the pictorial warnings may be modified."
The GOM also asked the Health Ministry to consult the Ministry of Law and remove the 'skull and cross bone' as a warning sign.
On February 26, 2008 the GoM finalized the pictures in which the pictorial warnings were completely watered down from the graphic ones to ones that make one wonder if the warnings are in fact serious enough or not.
Pranab Mukhejee won from the Jangipur constituency. It is notable that the Jangipur constituency has a sizable population of bidi workers. Votebank politics may well affect the way the smoke blows in the bidi, cigarette warning.
Reference: Pictoral warnings on cigarette packs watered down, Seemi Pasha / CNN-IBN, 11/2/2009.
India - some related news briefs:
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...
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