Saskatchewan - Pharmacies banned from selling tobacco starting April 1, 2011..

March 31, 2011 - New regulations aimed at reducing tobacco use in the province come into effect April 1, 2011. Starting Thursday, the sale of tobacco and tobacco-related products will no longer be allowed in pharmacies.

The ban also extends to retail stores that have a pharmacy located within the store or if customers can access the area where tobacco or tobacco-related products are sold.

“Pharmacists play an important role in promoting good health in the community, through education and encouraging healthy lifestyle practices,” said Health Minister Don McMorris, adding that the “focus on health conflicts with selling a product that is known to cause significant health problems.”

According to Dawn Martin, Executive Director of the Pharmacists’ Association of Canada, most pharmacists currently don’t sell tobacco and the legislation ensures pharmacies will “continue to be consistently recognized as trusted places to go for help and advice on medications and healthy lifestyle choices.”

The ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies is part of the Building a Healthier Saskatchewan strategy to reduce tobacco use and to help people quit smoking.

The fine for selling tobacco in prohibited places is $500.

Refereence: Pharmacies banned from selling tobacco starting April 1, 2011, David Giles, Global Saskatoon, 3/31/2011.

Saskatchewan - some related news briefs:
Saskatchewan, Canada - ban on smoking in cars with child passengers now in force..:
Saskatchewan, Canada - tobacco tax increase begining April 1, 2010..;
Saskatchewan - proposed legislation to ban people from smoking in cars carrying kids plus..;
Saskatchewan - stores mull options on tobacco law..;
Saskatchewan - new anti-tobacco legislation expected soon..;
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Bulgaria to Finalize Bulgartabac Privatization in 3 Weeks..

March 31, 2011 - The privatization deal for Bulgaria's state cigarette-maker Bulgartabac Holding,


Emil Karanikolov, head of Bulgaria's Agency for Privatization and Post-Privatization Control told the Bulgarian National Radio Wednesday that the deal is close to being finalized.

"We can't say that the main thing in this privatization deal will be the price. If that was the case, I think that Bulgartabac would have been privatized a long time ago," Karanikolov said, adding that the government has to balance between the price and the social commitments in order not to scare away the investors.

One of the provisions to be included in the future privatization deal currently mulled by the Bulgarian government is prevent the buyer from making a drastic number of layoffs at least in the first 2-3 years, and from renegotiating the labor conditions.

Karanikolov further said the government is considering including clauses for a deadline and volume of buying Bulgarian-grown tobacco.

Bulgaria's state cigarette maker Bulgartabac Holding, which is about to be privatized, completed 2010 with a net profit of BGN 20 M. Bulgartabac's 2010 profit is 16.5 times larger than it was in 2009. The consolidated income from cigarette sales grew 22% year-on-year. In 2010, 80% of the produce of Bulgartabac Holding was exported, compared with 53% in 2009, and only 31% in 2008. (Bulgaria - Bulgartabac 2010 profit 16.5 times larger than it was in 2009..)

In addition to its growing exports, the Bulgartabac Holding Group occupies 37% of the Bulgarian domestic tobacco market. 3.5% of Bulgartabac's income for 2010 came from the sales of tobacco leaves.

The Bulgartabac Holding Group features two cigarette plants – Blagoevgrad-BT and Sofia BT – and a tobacco processing plant, Pleven-BT.

About a dozen strategic and financial investors have declared interest in the privatization of Bulgaria's state cigarette producer Bulgartabac Holding, according to Economy Minister Traicho Traikov. (Bulgaria - about a dozen investors declared interest in the privatization of Bulgartabac Holding..)

Unofficial information reported in the Bulgarian media says that the bidders seeking to purchase Bulgartabac include companies from Bulgaria, Greece, and South Korea.

Bulgartabac, whose state management has been questionable in the recent years, is being put on the privatization table after its privatization has been mulled for years.

In January, Finance Minister Simeon Djankov reiterated earlier announcements that Bulgaria's government is determined to go ahead with the planned sale of the country's tobacco company, the biggest military plant and the minority stakes in electricity distributors.

The Economy Ministry revealed in January that the consultant Citibank has made preliminary inquiries with about 100 potential strategic and financial investors from around the world with respect to Bulgartabac's privatization in order to make sure that all "serious" investors that are not aware of the sale of the Bulgarian cigarette company.

According to the Ministry, there is a sufficient number of companies interested in the privatization of Bulgartabac because it is an attractive asset even in a time of crisis.

The consultant for the Bulgartabac sale, Citigroup Global Markets Ltd, was picked by the Bulgarian government in February 2010. (Bulgaria - Citigroup chosen as consultant for sale of Bulgartabac..)

The two less profitable cigarette plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 through the Sofia Stock Exchange – for BGN 31 M and BGN 18 M respectively; the holding still owns the two larger and more consolidated factories in Sofia and Blagoevgrad as well as a number of commercial brands. he holding still owns a number of commercial brands (The most popular domestic brand is Victory.) Two of the less profitable plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 on Sofia Stock Exchange. (Bulgaria - investor shows interest in state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac..)

Bulgaria’s Economy Minister Traicho Traikov has assured that a strategic investor is eyeing the privatization of the state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac. "There is a strategic investor for Bulgartabac and the bidding will be opened by the end of the autumn,” Traikov disclosed in an interview for Standard daily.

Bulgaria’s Privatization Agency hopes to complete the sale of state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac in 2010. The privatization procedure has reached a phase in which the state is preparing its sale together with the consultant it picked in February, Citigroup Global Markets Ltd. Citigroup was picked winner after bidding EUR 1.018 million and 1.6% of Bulgartabac’s selling price in case of sale.

Bulgartabac Holding currently operates two cigarette factories compared with nine in 2004 and its market share has shrank to some 40% from 60% a year earlier. The holding still owns a number of commercial brands (The most popular domestic brand is Victory.) Two of the less profitable plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 on Sofia Stock Exchange.

Bulgartabac sale is part of Bulgaria’s center-right government plans to angle for strategic investors for key majors, such as the tobacco monopoly and a few energy companies, in which the state owns higher than a 50% stake.

The decision was taken earlier this year after the cabinet was urged to sell on the stock exchange shares in companies, which are part of the Bulgarian Energy Holding, in a bid to put the local capital market back on track.

Reference: Bulgaria to Finalize Bulgartabac Privatization in 3 Weeks, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency), 3/30/20

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Bulgaria - Health Ministry to Increase Smoking Ban Checks..;
Bulgaria - Major Tobacco Companies Back Bulgaria's Excise Policies..;
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..;
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Bulgaria - WHO upset with Bulgaria's weakened smoking ban..;
Bulgaria - weakened smoking ban, just added minors can't be in disco clubs after 10pm..;
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Bulgaria - Bulgartabac buyer may be chosen by end of year..;
Bulgaria - prime minister not happy with giving tobacco growers subsidies..;
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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..";
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Bulgaria - leadership of tobacco fund to be replaced..;
Bulgaria - illegal trade in cigarettes will reach 40% of total trade in 2010..;
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Bulgaria - government, tobacco growers reach subsidy agreement..;
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Bulgaria - cigarette contraband, government loses BGN 920M yearly..;
Bulgaria - one third of the tobacco products sold are illicit..;
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Bulgaria - Fake Victory Light cigarettes..;
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Bulgaria is marking Tuesday, November 10, 2009, the 20th year since the internal coup at the Bulgaria Read more...

Jury decides in favor of Philip Morris USA in Engle trial in Clay County..

March 31, 2011 -- A jury today, March 28th decided in favour of Philip Morris USA and RJ Reynolds in the first Engle case to go to trial in Clay County, Florida.In a press release Philip Morris USA said that this verdict marks the seventh win for the company in the last ten Engle cases tried in Florida state courts.

“We believe that, once again, the jury appropriately decided the company was not responsible for the plaintiff’s decision about whether to smoke or when to quit,” said Murray Garnick, Altria Client Services senior vice president and associate general counsel, speaking on behalf of Philip Morris USA. “Although Philip Morris USA won this trial, we continue to believe that the trial courts are violating Florida law and due process by allowing the plaintiffs to rely on general findings from a previous jury with no connection to the specific circumstances of these cases.”

Engle cases are a series of cases allowing individual smokers to sue tobacco companies after the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit in 2006 by the Florida Supreme Court.

Background: In December 2006 the Florida Supreme Court breathed new life into a case against the tobacco industry that had worked its way through the courts since 1994. The case is known as the Engle case (landmark 1994 lawsuit filed by Dr. Howard Engle that produced a $145 billion judgment against cigarette makers six years later). On July 6, 2006, the Florida Supreme Court cleared the path for hundreds of thousands of Florida residents to file individual lawsuits against the nation's largest tobacco manufacturers for injuries sustained from smoking cigarettes. The Court set a strict deadline for injured persons to file a lawsuit: July 6, 2007; which is one year from the date the Court issued its opinion. The Court ruled that individual plaintiffs can use previous jury findings against the tobacco industry in the newly filed lawsuits. (Cigarette Makers Face Thousands of New Florida Lawsuits..; Dr. Howard A. Engle, the veteran pediatrician who lent his name to a landmark class action suit against Big Tobacco, dies..)

Reference: Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds win another Engle case, Tobacco Journal International, 3/28/2011

Some related news briefs from Florida court cases:
Florida - First smoking case appealed to Fla. Supreme Court..;
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...
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Passive smoking is the leading preventable cause of childhood death in developed countries..

Passive smoking is the leading preventable cause of childhood death in developed countries", Guadalupe Ortega, lead author of the research study and coordinator of the Atenció Primària Sense Fum programme at the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Cataluña (Catalonia regional government) tells SINC.

The data show that babies who sleep in the same room as their parents exhibit nicotine levels three times higher than those that sleep in another room. These figures show that they suffer from what is known as "third-hand smoke", in other words the harmful smoke particles that impregnate their parents' skin, clothes and hair.


Known as BIBE (Brief Intervention in Babies. Effectiveness) "the study highlights exposure to tobacco smoke among this very vulnerable age group in private spaces, where no specific programmes are yet in place", says Ortega.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, the results of which are currently being studied, involved the participation of 96 primary healthcare centres in Catalonia. The experts interviewed the parents of 1,123 babies (under 18 months of age), who had at least one smoking parent. They analysed hair samples from 252 babies in order to determine their nicotine levels, and carried out follow-up visits three and six months later.

The parents' statements largely coincided with the results obtained from the hair analysis - 73% of the adults said they smoked or allowed smoking in their homes, while 83% of the hair analysed showed up high nicotine levels.

The myth of ventilation

The hair nicotine analyses also showed that smoke toxins are not eliminated even if parents regularly carry out actions to protect their children's health. This was the case with ventilating bedrooms after smoking, smoking at the window, or when the baby is not in the house or in a different room. "The only way of keeping the place smoke-free is to smoke outside the house", the expert stresses.

The study also shows that parents' influence varies according to their gender. As mothers generally spend most time with babies, it is they who expose their children to the greatest levels of tobacco smoke. They were also found to breast feed for less time than non-smoking mothers.

Anti-smoking law helps children

According to the study, children are most heavily exposed to smoke in private places, such as at home and in cars, as well as in bars and cafés, where smoking was allowed in 2009 (when the fieldwork was carried out).

"The tightening of the law to control smoking is important because of its indirect effect on raising awareness among the public at large", the researcher explains. In her opinion, the application of this law has led to an increase in people requesting help to give up smoking.

The experts are now preparing a study to identify the factors that most strongly influence children's exposure to smoke. This information will provide paediatricians with a scale to help them detect the risk of passive smoking in childhood.

Guadalupe Ortega, Cristina Castellà, Carlos Martín-Cantera, Jose L Ballvé, Estela Díaz, Marc Saez, Juan Lozano, Lourdes Rofes, Concepció Morera, Antònia Barceló, Carmen Cabezas, Jose A Pascual, Raúl Pérez-Ortuño, Esteve Saltó, Araceli Valverde, Mireia Jané y el grupo de estudio BIBE. "Passive smoking in babies: The BIBE study (Brief Intervention in babies. Effectiveness)". BMC Public Health. 10. 20 de diciembre de 2010. Doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-772.


References: Babies who sleep with smoker parents exhibit high nicotine levels Scientific Information and News Service (Servicio de Información y Noticias Científicas - SINC),3/28.2011; Babies Who Sleep With Smoker Parents Exhibit High Nicotine LevelsMedcompare, Source: FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, 3/30/2011. Read more...

Doctor has called for more research into "electronic" cigarettes following the death of one of his patients..

March 30, 2011 - A UK doctor has called for more research into electronic cigarettes following the death of one of his patients, according to a BBC online story.

Dr. Rob Allcock made his call after an inquest recorded an open verdict in respect of the death of Terence Miller of Gateshead.

Miller, who is said to have used ‘large quantities of the substitutes’, suffered from the lung disease, severe lipoid pneumonia.

Allcock, who treated Miller at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, believes the disease could have been associated with his use of electronic cigarettes.

He said that the brand Miller had been using seemed to involve a mixture of nicotine and oil.

"There's extensive literature in the medical world on damage to the lungs due to inhaling oil, which looks very similar to his disease," he said.

Reference: Gateshead doctor calls for research into 'e-cigarettes', BBC.co.uk, 3/28/2011.

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E-cigarettes - scientists want more safety studies before use..;
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