Canadian Cancer Society - wants Alberta and all other remaining provinces/territories to ban smoking in cars with children..

January 20, 2011 - Alberta is among four provinces and two territories that haven't made it illegal for drivers to smoke in vehicles carrying children under the age of 18. All provinces have laws prohibiting smoking in public places. However, only six provinces and the Yukon territory have legislation banning smoking in vehicles with children.

"It's unfortunate to see Alberta falling behind on tobacco when even our neighbours, British Columbia (B.C.) and Saskatchewan, have moved forward with legislation," said Ashley Jensen, the cancer society's regional community engagement co-ordinator. "This is about protecting kids from preventable death, disease and disability." British Columbia (B.C.) brought in regulations in 2009 and Saskatchewan in 2010.

Directly related news brief:
January 15, 2011 - This is a FACT: Children's exposure to second-hand smoke is dangerous, especially in cars..

The Canadian Cancer Society says children exposed to tobacco smoke face an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infection, middle ear disease and an increased severity of asthma.

Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky wasn't available for comment Tuesday, January 18th but Howard May, spokesman for Alberta Health and Wellness, said municipalities are free to develop their own bylaws. "We have no plans to bring forward any amendments to the Tobacco Reduction Act at this time," said May.

Two Alberta communities have bylaws against smoking in vehicles with kids. Okotoks passed its legislation in 2008, and Leduc's bylaw takes effect in July. Leduc Mayor Greg Krischke said the cancer society sparked the regulation change during a Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference last year in Toronto.

For the health of your children it is important to have this law on the books but it is also important to enforce the law. Alberta is second-worst in Canada when it comes to refusing tobacco sales to teenagers.

Where is Les Hagen, executive director for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), when you need him??

Reference: Cancer society calls for Alberta-wide ban on smoking in cars with children by Lea Story (lstorry@calgaryherald.com), Calgary Herald, 1/19/2011. (kids, child, teen, youngster) Read more...

Greece - govt takes stand - this smoking ban is going to work..

January 19, 2011 - Greece said on Tuesday, January 18th it will enforce a largely ignored smoking ban with hundreds more inspectors, the third time in recent years it has tried and failed to stop the EU's heaviest smokers flouting the ban.



"The Greek state cannot continue to be made a laughing stock," Health Minister Andreas Loverdos told reporters. "We are starting tomorrow -- the ban will be fully implemented."



Most cafes and restaurants had shrugged off the latest, September 1, 2010 ban and taxi drivers smoke with impunity while driving. Loverdos said the government would launch a fresh campaign against smoking and hire hundreds of additional inspectors to slap fines on business owners and smokers. (More - Greece- September 1st embarks on 4th attempt in eight-years to ban smoking in public places..)

Greeks ‘unhealthy but happy’.. Greeks hold one of the worst records in the European Union for smoking and child obesity but they are also among the most optimistic citizens in the region, according to a joint report by the European Commission and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The report, whose findings were made public in Brussels yesterday, showed that four in 10 people in Greece (39.2 percent) aged over 15 smoke every day. Greeks have the highest rate for smoking in the 27-member EU, followed by the Bulgarians with 29.1 percent smoking daily and the Irish with 29 percent, just over the EU average of 24.2 percent. The findings came just two weeks after the Greek government heralded the launch of a campaign to discourage children from picking up the habit of smoking by informing them early on about the associated risks. Health Ministry figures show that some 50,000 young Greeks join the ranks of the country’s smokers each year.

Another health risk faced by Greek children, according to the joint report by the EC and OECD, is obesity. Greece has the worst record in the EU for child obesity after Malta, the report showed. A total of 18.9 percent of Greek children aged between 11 and 15 are obese, significantly above the EU average of 13.3 percent but also much lower than the Maltese with 29.5 percent.

However, despite these unhealthy habits, Greeks appear to be among the least depressed citizens in the bloc. The most recent figures available, for 2008, show Greece to have the lowest rate of suicide, with 2.8 suicides per 100,000 residents recorded in that year, compared to an EU average of 12 suicides per 100,00 residents. In Cyprus, the rate in 2008 was 4.3 suicides per 100,000 residents and in Italy 5.2 suicides per 100,000. The highest rates were recorded in Lithuania with 30.7 suicides per 100,000 residents and Hungary with 21.5 suicides per 100,000.

Greeks ‘unhealthy but happy’, ekathimerini.com, 12/8/2010.

Inspectors can impose up to 10,000 euros ($13,350) in fines on bar and restaurant owners tolerating smoking and up to 500 euros ($672.04) for smokers who break the law. But only a handful of penalties have been imposed despite widespread violations.
Most restaurants have kept ash-trays on their tables despite the ban or put them back after losing costumers to more smoker-friendly places. Some organised street protests against the ban, saying applying it would drive customers away at a time when business was already hit by recession. (November 22, 2010 - It had been mentioned that Greece - may lighten smoking ban in bars and cafes..)

"This decision comes at a time when the economy is in deep recession, it will lead to shutting down thousands of businesses and at least 80,000 jobs will be lost," said Yiorgos Kavathas, general secretary of the Greek restaurant owners federation.

Smoking-related health costs are two billion euros a year, health ministry data says, about 60 percent of total tobacco tax revenues in 2009. Greece has increased excise tax and VAT on tobacco to 23 from 19 percent as part of EU and IMF (International Monetary Fund) austerity steps.

In pictures: Greece smoking ban..

Reference: Greece to police ignored smoking ban more strictly, Reporting by Ingrid Melander and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Louise Ireland, Reuters, 1/18/2011.

Some Greece related news briefs:
Greece - First Pan-Hellenic Congress on Tobacco Control, Athens, Greece December 2-4, 2010..;
Greece - may lighten smoking ban in bars and cafes..;
Greece/Bulgaria - governments opposed to WHO's attempt to ban blended tobacco..;
Greece - bar and restaurant owners openly defying smoking ban..;
Greece - smoking ban - 4th attempt in 8-years failing..;
More - Greece- September 1st embarks on 4th attempt in eight-years to ban smoking in public places..;
Greece to go smoke free startng September 1, 2010 this time with the help of Harvard School of Public Health..;
Harvard SPH to help Greece with smoking ban..;
Greece - to try again to ban smoking in all indoor public places..;
Greece - another increase in tobacco taxes can be expected..;
Greece - trusty kiosks to shut in tobacco tax protest..;
Greeks smoke in defiance of ban..;
Greece - latest attempt at a smoking ban failing..;
Greek Farmers Renew Bulgaria Border Blockade..;
E-cigarettes - scientists want more safety studies before use..;
Greece - to increase tax on tobacco and alcohol..;
Greece - smoking ban, re-examining the legal framework supporting it..;
Pregnant women exposed to passive smoke greater chance of child will have respiratory distress..;
Greek betting firm - July 1st smoking ban has resulted in a further fall in sales..;
Greece - will the July 1st smoking ban work??;
Greece - ban on smoking in workplace starts July 1, 2009..;
Greece starts anti-smoking campaign..;
Greece May Have the Highest Cigarette Consumption Per Person in the World...(Hellenic Republic, Greek) Read more...

PAPER: Do smoke-free laws affect revenues in pubs and restaurants?..

January 19, 2011 -

Abstract
In the debate about laws regulating smoking in restaurants and pubs, there has been some controversy as to whether smoke-free laws would reduce revenues in the hospitality industry. Norway presents an interesting case for three reasons. First, it was among the first countries to implement smoke-free laws, so it is possible to assess the long-term effects. Second, it has a cold climate so if there is a negative effect on revenue one would expect to find it in Norway. Third, the data from Norway are detailed enough to distinguish between revenue from pubs and restaurants. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) intervention analysis of bi-monthly observations of revenues in restaurants and pubs show that the law did not have a statistically significant long-term effect on revenue in restaurants or on restaurant revenue as a share of personal consumption. Similar analysis for pubs shows that there was no significant long-run effect on pub revenue.

Conclusion
Our results indicate that smoke-free laws do not affect restaurant revenue directly or as a share of private consumption even in a country known for its harsh climate. There is some evidence for a short-run effect on pub revenue as a share of private consumption, but there is no evidence of a short-run effect on the absolute level of pub revenue and no evidence for a long-run effect using either measure.

PAPER: Do smoke-free laws affect revenues in pubs and restaurants? Hans Olav Melberg and Karl E. Lund, The European Journal of Health Economics, Online First™, 19 November 2010 ABSTRACT.., FULL TEXT..

Going smokefree does not damage profits, global report shows Thursday 2 June 2005, Cancer Research UK Press Release..

SMOKE-FREE LAWS HELP THE ECONOMY AND DO NOT HARM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Read more...

Raleigh, N.C. - city council to develop no smoking ordinance for city parks..

January 19, 2011 - The City of Raleigh on Tuesday, January 18th moved a step closer to banning smoking in public parks. The City Council voted 6-2 to develop a no-smoking ordinance, which it will vote on at a later meeting. The ordinance will prohibit smoking in city parks, but not in downtown’s Nash and Moore squares, which are owned by the state and operated by the city.

November 29, 2010 - Raleigh, NC - may ban smoking in city parks..

Mayor Charles Meeker proposed the measure. If approved, it would call for roughly $25,000 worth of no-smoking signs. It would ban smoking products, but not other tobacco. Council members John Odom and Thomas Crowder voted against the proposal. Odom said there are too many unanswered questions, such as the cost of enforcement.

Reference: Raleigh will create ordinance banning smoking in parks by Ray Martin - Staff writer, NewsObserver.com, 1/18/2011.
Read more...

India - health ministry formulating policy that is smokeless tobacco specific..

Click to enlarge..



January 19, 2011 - The India Union Health Ministry revealed that it will be introducing a new policy against chewing smokeless tobacco which is being used by more than 25 percent of the population.









Speaking at the inauguration of a block at HSJ Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital of Panjab University, Speaking at the inauguration of a block at HSJ Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital of Panjab University, health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that while the focus of the government’s anti-tobacco programmes have been on cigarettes and beedis, the rising number of tobacco chewing population has forced his department to try and come up with a policy specific to chewing tobacco.

Azad said that while recent figures reveal around 35 percent of the population is using tobacco, less than 9 percent use cigarettes or beedis with nearly 26 percent chewing tobacco. According to the health minister, more than 80 percent of oral cancer cases occur due to chewing tobacco.

“With the smokeless tobacco having the potential to create 80 percent of oral cancer, the Health Ministry is formulating a policy which is smokeless tobacco specific”, he added.

India has the highest number of oral cancers in the world after a group of entrepreneurs known locally as “gutka barons” turned a 400-year-old tobacco product hand-rolled in betel leaves into a spicy blend sold for 2 cents on street corners from Bangalore to New Delhi. Sales of chewing tobacco, worth 210.3 billion rupees ($4.6 billion) in 2004, are on track to double by 2014, according to Datamonitor, a branch of the international research firm based in Hyderabad, India. Gutka - chewing tobacco..

India had almost 70,000 diagnosed cases of cancers of the mouth in 2008, the highest in the world ahead of the U.S. at 23,000 cases, according to statistics compiled by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. (India - govt releases results of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)..)

Two-Cent Chewing Tobacco for Kids Spreads Oral Cancer in India by Adi Narayan, Bloomberg.com, 11/29/2010.

Smokeless Tobacco: Challenges and Threat for India, Hemant Goswami, Health for the Millions 36(1) - Apr-May 2010.

Reference: Policy Against Smokeless Tobacco on the Anvil by Kathy Jones, Source-Medindia.net, 1/18/2011

India - some related news briefs:
^*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...
Read more...