Brunei - govt raises tobacco tax effective November 1, 2010.

November 1, 2010 - $5 duty per pack of 20 cigarettes effective today.. Travellers banned from bringing in duty free cigarettes. Under the second schedule of the order, travellers entering the country will no longer be allowed to bring in duty free cigarettes. Up till now those above the age of 17 have been allowed to bring in up to 200 sticks duty free.

According to a Ministry of Finance press release, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has consented amendments to excise duties for cigarettes, tobacco and tobacco products through the Customs Import Duties (Amendment) Order 2010 and Excise Duties (Amendment) Order 2010. The Ministry of Finance, announcing this through a press release yesterday, said by the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the amendments were implemented in the interests of the health and well-being of the people, especially in helping to reduce the risk of chronic diseases related to smoking.

Under the new amendments, cigarettes will be subjected to $0.25 tax per cigarette stick compared to the previous $60 per kilogramme whilst non-manufactured tobacco and tobacco refuse will be subjected to duties totalling $60 per kilogramme compared to the previous $30 per kilogramme. This means that the excise duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes will be $5.

Cigar, cheroots and cigarillos will also see an increase in duties from $60 per kilogramme to $120 per kilogramme and from $100 per kilogramme to $200 per kilogramme.

The press release also stated that those arriving in the Sultanate from any point of entry into the country, who is over the age of 17 and carrying with them not more than 200 sticks of cigarettes, will be exempted from import duties.

This move comes in the wake of recent enforcement conducted by the Ministry of Health officers in curbing public smoking that aims to safeguard the health of the citizens from contracting chronic diseases related to smoking.

Under the Customs Order 2006, the press release further said, the Royal Customs and Excise Department will undertake appropriate legal action upon any violations under the new amendment such as the failure to declare tobacco products at entry points into the country and other related offences.

As for "unmanufactured tobacco and tobacco refuse" the duty will be raised from $30 per kg to $60 per kg. For other "manufactured tobacco" the duty will be raised to $35 per kg. This refers to manufactured tobacco blended for cigarette making but not finished products. For tobacco blended for retail sale, duty is raised from $60 per kg to $120 a kg.

References: Govt raises tobacco tax to curb smoking, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, The Brunei Times, 11/1/2010; Steep Rise In Cigarette Prices, Borneo Bulletin, 11/1/2010.

Related news briefs:
Brunei - briefing on hazards of smoking for Department of Youth and Sports officers..;
Brunei - seems like smokers to avoid fines want designated smoking area..;
Brunei - smoking ban looks like it will work - ENFORCEMENT STRONG..;
Brunei - An imam blasts tactics to keep people addicted to nicotine..;
Brunei - smoking top cause of cancer death..;
Brunei - national tobacco control panel to create smoke-free society..
Read more...

VietNam - number of smokers falls slightly but tobacco still kills 40,000 each year. .

November 1, 2010 - A NOI - A national survey released in Ha Noi yesterday, October 29th showed that the number of smokers across the country has fallen slightly, but tobacco related illness and deaths continue to be a major problem. The survey, conducted among almost 10,000 people earlier this year, revealed that 47.4 per cent of male respondents smoke, down from 56.1 per cent in 2002. The survey also found that 1.4 per cent of female respondents smoked, down from 1.8 per cent in 2002.

More than 15 million adults smoke tobacco in Viet Nam (the population of Vietnam is approximately 87,375,000, wikipedia), according to the survey, which also noted that while most Vietnamese were aware of the dangers of passive smoking, exposure to it remained very high at home, work and in public places.

Speaking at a workshop co-organised with the World Health Organisation yesterday, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said the survey results would help the ministry develop tobacco control policies.

According to the survey, services to treat tobacco dependence are not easily accessible by smokers in Viet Nam. The survey proposed improving enforcement of smoke-free areas and expansion of services to help people quit smoking while raising public awareness on the dangers of the drug. Regulations on raising taxes on tobacco and banning tobacco advertisements are needed for controlling tobacco in Viet Nam, according to the survey's recommendations.

Statistics from the health ministry note that Viet Nam has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. Nearly 40,000 deaths were attributed to smoking in 2008 - an annual death toll set to rise above 50,000 deaths by 2023.

Reference: Smoking declines but still kills 40,000 a year in Viet Nam, asiaone.news, 10/30/2010.

Some Vietnam related news briefs:
Viet Nam - over million signatures obtained during an anti-smoking campaign..;
Vietnam - cigarette smuggling increases from year-to-year..;
Viet Nam - smokers, vendors think tobacco control measures are a joke..;
Viet Nam - WHO increase cigarette tax to lower smoking rate..;
Vietnam - who will enforce smoking ban to start January 1, 2010??;
Vietnam - national campaign launched calling for smoking ban..;
Third Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam smokefree..;
Viet Nam - to ban smoking and increase tax..;
PMI's Future: From Remarks by Louis C. Camilleri, Chairman and CEO-elect and Andre Calantzopoulos, Chief Operating Officer-elect after the spin-off of..; (Viet Nam)

Viet Nam is a member of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (Seatca).
Read more...

New York City - decreases in tobacco related disease..

NYC Mayor Bloomberg in October 5, 2008
received the European Lung Foundation award.

November 1, 2010 - Just a couple days ago we reported New York City - smoking-related deaths drop by 17% in 8-years oinciding with a tough anti-smoking campaign by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Dr. Thomas Farley, city health commissioner, says the biggest reductions in smoking-related mortality occurred in cardiovascular disease, which was down 27 percent. Cancer was down 9 percent and respiratory disease was down 12 percent.

From 2002 to 2009, the smoking rate in New York City dropped by 27 percent, saving an estimated 6,300 lives, city health officials say.

New York state had banned smoking in public places since 1987, but smoking areas were allowed in some places such as bars, restaurants and bowling alleys. In 2002, the city Smoke-Free Air Act eliminated smoking in virtually all New York City workplaces, including bars and restaurants. Since 2003, the city distributed nicotine patches and gum to 250,000 New York City smokers helping some 80,000 to quit smoking, Farley says.

Since 2006, the city has highlighted harmful effects of tobacco smoke. "We have reduced the number of adult smokers by 350,000 and prevented thousands of premature deaths," Farley says in a statement.

"This is good news, but smoking still kills more than 7,000 New Yorkers each year, and thousands more will suffer smoking-induced strokes, heart attacks, debilitating lung diseases and cancers. It's never too late to quit smoking. We want to help smokers to do just that."

Reference: NYC smoking rate drops 27 percent, UPI.com, 11/1/2010.

NYC directly related:
New York City - smoking-related deaths drop by 17% in 8-years..;
New York City - does it the RIGHT WAY, bans most forms of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - City Council moves one step closer to extending smoking ban to parks and beaches..;
New York City - Poospatuck Reservation stores (2) caught selling cigarettes to bootleggers..;
New York City - smoking ban enforced, club fined and closed for letting patrons smoke inside..:
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg still mulling over smoking ban at NYC parks, beaches..;
New York City - Department of Health cracking down on smoking at outside areas at bars and other places....;
New York City - more on the anti-smoking signs lawsuit against Department of Health..;
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg still considering smoking ban in parks and beaches.. - Get It Done Already!!;
Big tobacco companies file lawsuit contesting NY City's anti-smoking signs..;
New York City - federal judge rejects plaintiffs attempt to stop the law that blocks the sale of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - moving closer to closing a nighclub that flouted smoking ban..;
New York City - VIDEO: starting March 1, 2010 stores, anti-smoking signs..;
NYC Lawsuit against Online Cigarette Vendor Dismissed..;
NY City - smokers kicking the addiction and living longer than ever..;
NY City Council not backing down as US Smokeless Tobacco files lawsuit against city..;
New York City - ban on flavored tobacco products becomes law..;
New York City bans the sale of flavored tobacco products..;
New York City - Mayor Bloomberg pushing ahead to ban smoking in city parks and beaches..;
New York City - all retailers selling tobacco will be required to post warning signs..;
New York City - to ask public opinion - smoking graphic warning signs; New York City - proposed pictorial warning signs to show the sickness and suffering caused by tobacco use.;
New York City - may ban smoking in parks and beaches..;
New York City - can't sue Internet cigarette retailers for lost taxes..;
New CDC Chief Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH..;
New York City Council ban candy-flavored tobacco, smoking outside of hospitals..;
New York - city and state officials back off plans to crack down on cigarette black market..;
New York City - nonsmokers exposed to cigarette smoke..;
New York City - cigarettes more than $10- a- pack..;
NYC can move forward with reservation cigarette lawsuit..;
Michael Rubens Bloomberg - ELF Award winner 2008;
NYC sues reservation smoke shops over bootlegging..;
NYC Fights Smoking With Reality Images in Matchbooks..;
NY City Can Proceed With Lawsuits Against 10 Online Cigarette Vendors..;
NYC Warns Parents of Smoking Lawsuits...
Read more...

France - National Committee on Tobacco Control has banned all forms of tobacco advertising ..

Click to enlarge..
October 31, 2010 - If you have ever been to France, you will immediately notice that many Frenchmen and Frenchwomen smoke. It has become somewhat cultural for the French. Which is why the recent action by the country’s National Committee on Tobacco Control is so radical.

According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the National Committee on Tobacco Control has banned all forms of tobacco advertising after discovering than more than 80% of tobacco shops in France violate France’s current advertising laws for tobacco products. Up to this point, tobacco shops were the only type of business permitted to advertise tobacco products in the country; however, the ads were required to be informative, could not exceed 60″ X 80″ in size.

At the initiative of French Ministry of Health, the Committee checked 400 stores. According to reports, the Committee conducting the audit found numerous violations and concluded that most advertising was targeted at young people and did not warn the audience about the dangers of smoking.

Since last November, the price of cigarettes in the country has increased by 6% and the cheapest cigarettes now cost 5.40 euro (7.53 USD).

A further 6% increase in average price of cigarettes and tobacco, scheduled for November 8, 2010 will get the best selling package to 5.90 Euros (8.23 USD) instead of 5.60 (7.81 USD), just one year after the previous increase. (Tobacco: cigarette prices increase by 6% on November 8, Written by Sandeep, Pisqa.com, 10/10/2010)

Last year in France, 60,000 people died from smoking-related illnesses or disease. As a result of these astonishing numbers, the country has deployed a large-scale anti-tobacco campaign.

Euromonitor - Tobacco in France..

References: A Step in the Right Direction: France Bans Cigarette Advertising, Reported by: Emon Middle East correspondent, TechWeek.org, 10/28/2010; Tabacs flouting advert rules, ConnexionFrance.com, 10/27/2010.

France - a few related news briefs:
France - parliament member proposes to impose new taxes on tobacco..;
France - BAT cuts cigarettes prices, also Drum - fine-cut handrolling tobacco (shag);
France - decree signed, graphic warnings on cigarette packs next year..;
France - number of cigarettes sold starts to rise again..;
France - anti-smoking shock ad aimed at teens..;
France - some smokers are flaunting the ban on smoking..;
Cigarette sales in France dropped to a record low in 2008..;
French researchers announced a striking 15% decrease in admissions of patients with myocardial infarction to emergency wards since the public ban on smoking came into effect..;
France - cheaper cigarettes close by in Belgium...
(French)
Read more...

Sri Lanka - flood of counterfeit cigarettes reduces the effectiveness of tobacco control program..

Prof. Fonseka..
October 31, 2010 - The diseases caused due to smoking kills 20,000 persons every year (population about 20 million), said Chairman of National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA). Prof. Carlo Fonseka. He said that trafficking of counterfeit cigarettes into the country has increased and it has become a big problem. Prof. Fonseka said that with this increase the number of smokers has also increased.

According to the latest WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008, in Sri Lanka 29.9% of male and 2.5% of female adults are current smokers. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in 2007, 5.1% youth (13 – 15 years) ever smoked tobacco cigarettes, 39.5% of them smoked cigarettes before age 10, 8.6% are current users of other tobacco products and 69.5% are exposed to second hand smoke in public places. (NATA-Bloomberg Project..)

"One-hundred million people died of smoking related diseases in the world in the last century, if this trend continues the death rate would increase to 1,000 million this century. Giving up smoking is the best way to avoid this unfortunate situation" the Prof. said.

Due to the efforts of the Government local cigarette consumption has declined sharply. Contrary to Government regulations a massive haul of illicit cigarette consignments is being brought into the country for sale at a low price. According to statistics 75 percent of counterfeit cigarettes are being smuggled to the country from Dubai, Prof. Fonseka said. He said that the tax income of the Government has also decreased due to trafficking of counterfeit cigarettes.

According to Customs Department statistics 245.3 million cigarettes were brought into the country in 2004, 82 million in 2005, 33.5 million in 2008 and 40 million in 2009, Prof. Fonseka said.

WHO may have a solution to the contraband problem..

Reference: Smoking kills 20,000 annually- NATA Chief by Mohammed Naalir, Sri Lanka's Sunday Observer, 10/31/2010.

Sri Lanka - related news briefs:
March 8, 2010 - International Women's Day..;
Sri Lanka - ambiguity in Alcohol and Tobacco Act..;
Sri Lanka - NATA to advise government and tobacco industry..;
Sri Lanka - Industry gimmick to entice youth to smoking..;
Sri Lanka - huge drop in tobacco smoking..
(contraband, black market, smuggling)
Read more...