New Zealand - Maori affairs committee continues to gather information..

March 23, 2010 - Back on September 23, 2009 the Maori Affairs parliamentary select committee announced it would hold an inquiry into the impact of tobacco use on Maori. [The inquiry of this select committee is ongoing.] (The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, they are Polynesian and comprise about 14 percent of the country's population.)

Tauranga General Practice physician Dr. Jethro LeRoy in a written submission, says smoking is the biggest cause of health disparities between Maori and non-Maori. (To the Māori Affairs Select Committee, Chair – Tau Henare MP. (Tauranga City is the centre of the fifth largest urban area in New Zealand, with an urban population of 118,200 (June 2009 estimate))

A Christchurch company selling cheap high-nicotine cigarettes faces a grilling before a Government select committee on smoking. Maori MP (member of parliament) Hone Harawira said he would be asking the NZ Tobacco Group to appear before a Maori Affairs select committee hearing on the tobacco industry in Christchurch in about six weeks.

The business, based in Papanui offices, distributes two cigarette brands, Ashford and Easy, said to be big sellers in low socio-economic areas. The Press found 20-cigarette Easy packs being sold in Christchurch stores for as little as $7.70, and about $9 for the Ashford brand. All convenience stores contacted by The Press stocked at least one of the brands. The average cost of a Dunhill or Benson & Hedges pack is about $12. Figures show the nicotine content of Ashford Full Flavour is 1.25 milligrams compared with 0.9mg for Benson & Hedges Classic and 0.8mg for Dunhill Premier. NZ Tobacco company records show it imported about 2.5 million Easy Full Flavour cigarettes and 3.2 million Ashford Full Flavour into New Zealand in 2007.

Tobacco-related illness kills about 5000 Kiwis, including 600 Maori, a year. The Canterbury District Health Board says the mortality rate for Canterbury Maori is 45 per cent higher than non-Maori.

MP Hone Harawira: "I'm bloody horrified, but not surprised at their tactics," he said. "There's now overwhelming support from New Zealanders to get rid of tobacco in this country and companies are doing their best to hook as many people as possible now, so they're lowering prices and upping nicotine and marketing into places like Aranui and Otara." "What they are doing is maximising their profit before their demise and they don't care that they're killing New Zealanders to achieve it," he
said.

References: Grilling due over cheap cigarettes by REBECCA TODD, stuff,co.nz (The Press), 3/20/2010; Family tells of smoking death pain
By Martin Johnston, NZHerald.co.nz, 3/12/2010; Smoking a key risk factor for Maori oral health, Press Release: Smokefree Coalition, SCOOP, Health, 3/10/2010.

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New Zealand - study quit-smoking products that are acceptabe and effective..;
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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..;
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New Zealand - health researchers calling on government to ban importation of tobacco..;
New Zealand - 1st trial ever of e-cigarettes..;
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New Zealand - stop smoking campaigns NOT working..;
BAT awarded worst corporation in New Zealand..;
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By law, oral snuff cannot (but nasal snuff is allowed) be sold in New Zealand and can be imported only for personal use..
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New York State - retailers win freeze on higher tobacco registration fees..

March 23, 2010 - On March 12, 2010, State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Feinman reinstated an increase in the retail tobacco dealer registration fees enacted by Governor David Paterson and the legislature last year. Under the law, convenience store operators who previously paid $100 annually now face registration fees of $1,000 to $5,000 per location per year, based on the store's annual gross sales of all products -- a 900-percent to 4,900-percent hike, according to the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS). (Judge Confirms New York Tobacco Retail Fee Hikes, Convenience Store New, 3/15/2010)

On March 19 convenience store operators in the state of New York won a temporary reprieve as the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court restored a restraining order once again blocking an enormous increase in the tobacco dealer registration fees they pay the state, according to the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS).

Under the increase in the retail tobacco dealer registration, 24,000 retailers who in the past paid $100 annually would instead face registration fees of $1,000 to $5,000 per location per year depending on their annual gross sales of all products.

In a legal challenge filed by five retail trade associations, Feinman had issued a temporary restraining order last September pending his ruling on their motion for a more permanent freeze. On March 12, without ruling on the merits, he declared the trade groups lacked "standing" to bring the action, denying the motion and reinstating the new fee schedule.

The trade associations filed an immediate appeal, and on Friday, Appellate Division Associate Justice John Leventhal restored the order, "staying" enforcement pending a decision on their new motion for a preliminary injunction, a process expected to take at least four to six weeks. A hearing is scheduled for March 31. (In New York's civil court system, the Supreme Court is the lowest level, the Appellate Division the middle level, and the Court of Appeals the top level.)

"That means retailers should not pay any additional fee amount to the Tax Department until further notice," said James Calvin, president of NYACS. "The $100-a-year fee remains in effect. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

In the meantime, the trade associations continue to lobby the state Legislature to approve the more modest fee increase proposed by state Senator William Stachowski and Assembly William Magee. It would set the fee at $200 per store plus a $100 surcharge for each active point on the store's tobacco enforcement record, to a maximum $400 fee per store per year.

Reference: N.Y. Retailers Win New Freeze on Higher Tobacco Registration Fees $100-a-year fee remains in effect after challenge leads to temporary reprieve, Convenience Store/Petroleum (CSP) Daily News, 5/23/2010.

Related news briefs:
New York State - reduction in number of tobacco vendors could be coming soon..;
New York State - Fee to sell tobacco may climb..;

Read more...

California - State Assembly approves smoking ban at state parks and beaches..

March 23, 2010 - California lawmakers approved a groundbreaking smoking ban Monday, March 22nd that, if signed into law, will prohibit smoking at nearly all state beaches and parks.

Directly related news brief: California - vote tomorrow, nation's most far-reaching smoking ban in state parks..

The bill is believed to be the nation's most far-reaching smoking ban in state parks. It aims to cut down on litter, secondhand smoke and forest fires at California's 278 parks and 64 beaches by imposing a $100 fine on people who violate the ban, according to its author, Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach. Smoking at many parks and beaches in California is already prohibited through laws enacted by more than 100 cities and counties, Oropeza noted.

Last year, Maine adopted a smoke-free law for beaches and parks, but no other state has outlawed cigarettes in its entire park system as California is proposing to do, according to the group Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, which tracks such measures.
Four other states, Oropeza said - including New York and Hawaii - are weighing similar bans.

The state Assembly voted 42-27 in favor of the ban. Anti-smoking groups say the bill would make California the first state to ban smoking throughout its entire park system if it is signed into law. The legislation faces one more vote in the Senate before it can be sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not indicated whether he will sign it. The Senate passed it previously but must agree to amendments made in the Assembly.

Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights in Berkeley, said the law would be useful even if it's not strictly enforced - but it does need to be publicized. Roy Stearns, a spokesman for the state parks system, said there is no extra money to post signs or for additional manpower. In fact, most of the state's parks are closed during either all of some of the weekdays to save state money on staffing them.

References: Ban on smoking at parks, beaches moves forward,Marisa Lagos, San Francisco Chronicle Sacramento Bureau, 3/23/2010; California lawmakers take step to ban smoking at state parks, beaches under landmark bill by SAMANTHA YOUNG , Associated Press, StarTribune.com, 3/22/2010; Assembly approves smoking ban at state parks and beaches, by Patrick McGreevy, The Los Angeles Times, 3/22/2010.

Related news briefs:
California - vote tomorrow, nation's most far-reaching smoking ban in state parks..;
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Japan - 7 governors consider measures against passive smoking..

March 22, 2010 - YOKOHAMA — Seven governors of prefectures [Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, and each is further divided into municipalities] are considering mapping out their own measures to prevent secondhand smoking, a Kyodo News survey showed Saturday, March 19th. The survey was conducted earlier this month before Kanagawa Prefecture introduces Japan’s first ordinance in April (ordinance will come into force in April 2010) banning smoking in public facilities such as hospitals, schools and government offices. (Japan - Kanagawa - bans smoking in public places starting April 2010..)

Among the seven, the governors of [prefectures] Kyoto and Nara responded that they will study if it is necessary to introduce penal regulations for that purpose, according to the survey.

It also indicated that 18 governors said they expect the central government to enact laws with penalties to prevent passive (second hand, shs, involuntary, environmental tobacco smoke, ets, sidestream) smoking, with Shizuoka Gov Heita Kawakatsu saying Japan, as a signatory of the Treaty.WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, needs to enhance the legal system.

Meanwhile, 10 governors expressed cautious views over state control with punishment, with Hiroshima Gov Hidehiko Yuzaki responding it would be difficult to introduce penalties as people are guaranteed the freedom to smoke.

Reference: 7 governors consider measures against passive smoking, Japan Today, 3/21/2010.

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Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture to ban smoking on beaches..;
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Tokyo, Japan - smokers find haven on smoke-free streets..;
Japan Tobacco - reacts angrily to governments decision to raise cigarette tax..;
Japan - tax increase, a pack of 20 cigarettes will increase by an average of 33%..;
Japan - cigarette taxes increase may be less than expected..;
Japan - prime minister calls for tobacco tax increase..;
Japan Tobacco growing popularity of its British cigarette brands..;
Japan - new government administration considering raising cigarette taxes..;
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Japan - tobacco control people upset with smoker-only cafes..;
Japan - Tokyo smoking cafes, people with children, those under 20 NOT allowed..;
Japan - Kanagawa - bans smoking in public places starting April 2010..;
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Japan Tobacco Starts Petition To Fight Tax Increase..;
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Vending Machines - Japanese protecting their children from becoming life-long nicotine addicts...
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U.S. - HHS awards $372 million in health-related grants..

March 22, 2010 - Back on March 20th we reported that Orange County, Florida Health Department just received a $6.6 million federal grant to prevent tobacco usage.

This federal grant was one of the Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS) $372 million in grants to 44 communities to help reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition. Funded by last year's stimulus bill, the awards are part of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative.

Of the communities receiving the awards, 23 communities have received grants for obesity prevention; 14 for tobacco cessation; and seven others for both obesity and tobacco cessation. According to HHS, the awards vary in size, with the average grant being about $17.3 million for each large city grantee; $7.7 million to urban areas; $4.7 million to small cities or rural areas; and $1.3 million to tribes. State health departments in nine states will administer the small city and rural awards, which will be provided to 16 rural communities.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work Grant Information.

Reference:
HHS awards $372 million in health-related grants by Jessica Zigmond, ModernHealthcare.copm, 3/20/2010.










HHS has awarded $372 million in grants to 44 communities to help reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition. Funded by last year's stimulus bill, the awards are part of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative. Read more...