South Korea Before Price Hikes

Why a sudden increase of blows at South Korea’s many convenience stores in the run up to the government’s sweeping measure to hike tobacco prices starting January 1st of next year?

Hint: Convenience stores are the most favorite destination for smokers to buy cigarettes in South Korea.

With Seoul nearly doubling the price of cigarettes in its aim to lower the nation-wide smoking rate while raising tax revenue, a growing number of smokers are rushing to nearby convenience stores – apparently hoarding cheap tobacco products before the price increases go into affect.

As the demand for tobacco at lower prices surged, many display stands stood empty, resulting in government’s latest guideline to limit the number of cigarette packs per customer.

This lead to bickering between store clerks and customers who wanted to stock up on their cigarettes in advance, and in some cases, they ended up exchanging blows.

On December 22 in Miah-dong in northern Seoul, a customer surnamed Kim wanted to buy cigarettes at a local store only to find there were none available. When the store staff’s apologized for the inconvenience, saying, “All sold out,” he was driven to fury and hit the store manager in the face two times.

A similar incident also occurred in northern Seoul on December 15, when a customer surnamed Jeong resorted to violence upon hearing about cigarette purchasing limits at a local convenience store.

While there is much upheaval in the tobacco industry in the run up to the nation-wide price hikes, it seems that the electronic-cigarette or e-cigar manufacturers might enjoy benefits due to the policy shift.

City Council in Gadsden, AL, Reconsidering Smoking Ban

In June 2014, authorities in the city of Gadsden, Alabama, passed an ordinance which prohibits smoking in all enclosed working spaces. Now the city council consider to make some ajustments to the ordinance. Councilman Ben Reed participated in creating the initial version of the ordinance. He says that new council members want more time to

Hookah Popular Among Students

A new study found that American college students think that using hookah is safer than smoking cigarettes. Scientists from the University of South Florida College of Public Health analyzed hookah use among young people and described behavioural and social factors connected to hookah smoking among students. Jaime Corvin, USF assistant professor of global health and

Altria and Reynolds American; Report 2014

Altria and Reynolds American, the maker of Winston cigarettes http://cigarette-deals.com/winston-cheap-cigarettes regularly raise their prices to offset declining cigarette shipment volumes. Bearish arguments against both companies usually declare that rising prices, exacerbated by higher excise taxes, will hit a ceiling and cause revenues to decline.

That argument initially makes sense when we compare the price of cigarettes in the U.S. to other nations. Forty percent of adults smoke in Russia, where a pack of cigarettes costs $1.74 with taxes included. By comparison, 18% of adults smoke in the U.S., where an average pack of cigarettes (averaged across all states) costs $6.36.

But when we calculate the price of cigarettes as a percentage of average monthly income (based on UNECE and ILO statistics), the average Russian spends 0.17% on one pack of cigarettes, compared with 0.14% for the average American.

Meanwhile, smokers in the U.K. spend $10.99 (0.32% of their monthly income) on a pack of cigarettes, yet the country has a higher smoking rate of 19%. In Australia, where a pack of cigarettes costs $12.14 (0.47% of monthly income), 17.5% of adults still smoke. These comparisons suggest that Altria and Reynolds American can probably afford to nearly double their U.S. prices over the next decade without any noticeable impact on smoking rates.

However, increased health awareness and public bans against smoking could reduce the nationwide smoking rate. Higher federal and state excise taxes, which rose over 120 times between 2000 and 2013, could also throttle tobacco companies' ability to raise their own wholesale prices.

South Korea approves cigarette price hike

South Korea's parliament has approved an 80% hike in the price of cigarettes, a move aimed at curbing consumption.

A rise from 2,500 won ($2.25; £1.43) per pack to 4,500 won from 1 January was part of the 2015 budget adopted late on Tuesday.

South Korea has among the highest male smoking rates among OECD countries at 43.7%, according to the Health Ministry.

The government hopes the hike will bring that down to 29% by 2020.

South Korea has one of the lowest prices of cigarettes in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) group of countries and it has remained unchanged since 2004.

The government has also won approval to link cigarette prices to consumer price rises so that cigarette prices move with inflation growth.

Previous measures to try and curb consumption have included banning lighting up in public places, pictures of the harm caused by smoking on packaging and a ban on tobacco ads in retail stores.

University of Alaska Anchorage Considers Smoking Ban

The University of Alaska Anchorage wants to adopt an anti-smoking policy which would prohibit use of tobacco on all university property. It is proposed to ban use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. The proposed policy will be discussed this week by the University of Alaska Board of Regents at its meeting in Anchorage.

Less Smokers Reported in the USA

New data released by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrates that in 2013 in the USA the number of adult smokers achieved a record low level. Today only 17.8% smoke which makes 42.1 million adult Americans. Health experts say that numbers of today are a great progress since 18.1% smoked in 2012 and 20.9%

Research on tobacco usage at San Jose leads to campus change

Change is coming to San Jose State University's campus, with President Mohammad Qayoumi issuing a directive Nov. 20 to make San Jose State a smoke- and tobacco-free place by Aug. 1, 2015. There are many smokers in the university who oppose the ban. All of them choose cheapest cigarettes http://www.cigarettestrade.com/buy/blood

This directive was based on research and a survey that Milpitas High School class of 2009 graduate Isra Ahmad worked on as part of Campuses Organized & United for Good Health, or COUGH, at San Jose State while she was a student. The research involved asking students, staff and administration about their attitudes toward smoking and whether they would support a smoke-free campus. She said 65 percent of the 2,300 participants favored a campus without smoke.

In January 2013, shortly after graduating as a health science major, Ahmad was named one of four youth activism fellows for Legacy, a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing tobacco usage among youth and helping smokers quit.

Since then she has been working to gauge student, staff and faculty opinion and awareness of new and emerging tobacco product usage on campus. Between April and June 2014 she returned to San Jose State and worked with COUGH to question students and staff using paper and online surveys.

The data collected from 1,160 individuals on the campus of 23,881 undergraduates indicated that hookah, a waterpipe used to pass charcoal-heated air through a tobacco mixture and a water-filled chamber, and electronic cigarettes, are growing in popularity.

Of those polled, 9.85 percent said they smoked cigarettes; 6.33 percent smoked small cigars/cigarillos; 8.79 percent said they smoked hookah (water pipe, shisha); and 10.73 percent said they smoked e-cigarettes.

About 40.72 percent of respondents said they used tobacco products because they are experimenting; 36.49 percent said they used it for flavor; 33.76 used it as a stress reliever; 11.10 percent used it because of peer pressure; and 3.95 percent used it because of family influence.

Smoking Ban in Beijing

Authorities in Beijing, the capital of China, want to introduce a smoking ban in all indoor public spaces, thus smokers will have to seek other places to light up. Also cigarettes will be banned from advertising in magazines, movies, newspapers and public transport. Data shows that today in China there are around 300 million smokers.

Alberta to phase in flavoured tobacco ban legislation

Alberta has exempted menthol from its flavoured tobacco ban law that health groups once held up as an example for other governments to follow.

Health Minister Stephen Mandel said Thursday the legislation — to be phased in — will still protect young people from the dangers of other flavoured tobacco.

After a year of study since the law was passed, the government decided that banning the popular minty weed wouldn’t be cool with adults who enjoy menthol, Mandel said.

“You need to deal with the realities of the world and we made an effort to deal with flavoured tobaccos and I think that we are quite restrictive in that area.

“The decision was made that menthol would be one we leave out at this point in time.” It is well known fact that young people prefer menthol cigarettes http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/cheap-cigarette/glamour/glamour-superslims-menthol

Health, medical and anti-smoking groups say exempting menthol is a mistake, because the flavour is the most popular with young people.

There are studies that say menthol soothes the throat, opens the airways and increases nicotine absorption into the bloodstream.

Angeline Webb of the Canadian Cancer Society said Alberta’s decision was very disappointing and thousands of young people will pay the price.

“Menthol is the most insidious flavour of tobacco products. It leads to addiction. It leads to initiation and youth who smoke menthol are much more likely to become long-term smokers than their non-menthol smoking peers,” she said.

“From a public health perspective, menthol is the most important flavour to focus on with reference to protecting kids.”

On Sept. 30, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Lung Association urged all health ministers across Canada to join Alberta in banning flavoured tobacco products, including menthol.

The federal, Ontario and Manitoba governments have balked at including menthol in flavoured tobacco ban legislation.

The Ontario Medical Association recently urged Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government to ban menthol cigarettes.

Graphic labels are seen as key to anti-smoking campaign

Those who buy cigarettes in Australia get to see packaging unlike anything that meets the gaze of American smokers. Some packs contain a large photo – front and back – of a bloodshot eye propped open, and the words, “Smoking causes blindness.” Others show a bloodied and ulcerated foot, with the warning, “Smoking causes peripheral vascular disease.” And still others show an abscessed mouth and warn. All include the phone number for a smoking quitline.

Through a legal challenge that hinged on their First Amendment rights, cigarette companies have been able to ward off a Food and Drug Administration effort to require such graphic images on cigarette packs in the U.S.; the FDA is looking to tamp them down but still require more prominent warnings than the ones that have run on one thin side of packs since 1985 – and are far easier to ignore.

The packaging difference matters, according to Maansi Bansal-Travers, a research scientist with the Department of Health Behavior at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

“A pack-a-day smoker sees their pack 7,000 times a year and they don’t want to constantly be reminded with a graphic image that might be disturbing that smoking causes all these diseases,” she said.

Canada has packaging similar to Australia, said Bansal-Travers, and research shows that more smokers have quit since the labeling changes were made. “In Canada,” she said, “one of my colleagues at the University at Waterloo has found in focus groups that women do not like to carry the warning about harm to a fetus because they find the image disturbing, and men do not like their girlfriends to carry the impotence warning because they find that disturbing.”

Bansal-Travers, who grew up in Williamsville, works in the Carlton Building on the Roswell campus. She focuses her research on tobacco advertising and promotion. Her husband, Mark Travers, works in the office next door. He specializes in tobacco-related air pollution research, particularly on the impact of secondhand smoke.

International cigarette advertising research has shown that “smokers have misperceptions about their products,” Bansal-Travers said, “and colors and labels on packs communicate misperceptions to smokers. Smokers consider that Davidoff has most stylich cigarette packs http://www.cigarettesplace.net/davidoff-cigarettes

How have you determined tobacco companies have been most effective in getting people to buy cigarettes? They’re using packaging to communicate, which is largely exposed at the point of sale. We have determined through our research that both smokers and nonsmokers do look at the cigarette pack display in the retail environment.

Great American Smokeout is Coming

This week in the USA will take place the Great American Smokeout as it is held on third Thursday of November. On this day smokers are encouraged to quit smoking at least for one day and make a plan to quit for good. The latest New York statistics shows that despite smoking rates drop in

Decline in Cigarettes Use among Youth in Minnesota

Latest 2014 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey shows that use of cigarettes among school students has declined significantly, but use of e-cigarettes is increased. Data shows that more than a quarter of high school students have tried electronic cigarettes. Health care officials say that e-cigarettes contain nicotine which causes dependence. This may make young people want

Tobacco ban in Westminster would do more harm than good

Calls for limiting tobacco sales have been commonplace in recent news, but a small town in central Massachusetts might take the national tobacco conversation to a whole new level. The 7,700-person town of Westminster could become the first town in the nation to implement a ban on all tobacco product sales within municipality and town limits.

Though the proposal to implement a total ban on the city’s tobacco sales is designed with the aim of improving health in the town, its enactment will only hurt local business and drive tobacco consumers to neighboring suppliers.

Under the proposal, made public Monday by the Westminster Board of Health, the draft regulations of the tobacco ban would ultimately prohibit the sale of any product containing tobacco or nicotine, including cheap OK cigarettes, chewing tobacco and nicotine-laced electronic cigarettes. The plan has unsurprisingly garnered significant criticism from local business owners who argue that such a law would ultimately send their customers to nearby communities and threaten to drive their stores out of business. Several Westminster business owners have begun circulating petitions against the proposal. Store owner Brian Vincent’s has already accrued several hundred signatures.

The primary arguments in favor of the city-wide tobacco ban emphasize the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles, especially for the town’s young population. Though the goal is laudable on its face, it fails to acknowledge the fact that banning tobacco outright will not miraculously cure nicotine users of their dependency, nor effectively discourage buyers from purchasing products.

The fact of the matter is, in addition to a legal age limit prohibiting the selling of tobacco to minors, there are already state regulations in place which prohibit smoking in public areas — including the workplace, restaurants and bars. Some communities have even implemented smoking bans in public parks. Such laws, which restrict youth access to tobacco products and put an emphasis on public health and safety, are exactly what are needed to ensure that Westminster’s health concerns are met.

Proposed city smoking ban to get second look

Changes likely will be made to a proposed citywide ban on smoking in Montgomery, the mayor and city council members said. A proposed ordinance currently would ban smoking in all enclosed public places, including bars and private clubs.

It also would ban smoking in outdoor public places such as recreational areas and parking lots. It also would limit smoking to 20 feet or more from business entrances, playgrounds, outdoor public events and public transportation stations.

Mayor Todd Strange said the ordinance as it exists is the "first pass" of an effort to cut down on secondhand smoke in the city.

"I'd be shocked it is passed the way it is written," Strange said.

The ordinance is on the agenda to be voted on at Tuesday's meeting, but Councilman C.C. Calhoun, the ordinance's sponsor, said the council won't be voting on it.

"Right now, in its present form, the council is not 100 percent behind it," Calhoun said.

He said he will wait for more feedback from other council members, and a City Council committee will hammer out the details.

"We're not going to be restrictive where we limit businesses," Calhoun said.

There also is a question of how it will be enforced, he said.

"We're not going to have the Police Department enforce it," Calhoun said.

The ordinance currently includes exceptions for cigar bars and hookah bars.

Bud Skinner, owner of the Cloverdale nightclub Bud's, said he does not understand why traditional bars are not also exempt.

Skinner also owns Jubilee Seafood, and he said that while an earlier ordinance restricting smoking in restaurants helped that business, he was not sure if it would be the same story at a bar.

"We have customers (at Bud's) who appreciate the fact that they can enjoy an adult beverage and a cigarette," Skinner said, adding that people know to expect there to be smoking at the bar. Tom, the smoker of Viceroy Red cigarettes, is against smoking ban in bars.

Dr. Stephen Davidson, a medical oncologist and president of the American Cancer Society leadership council in Montgomery, said the ordinance will benefit the city both medically and economically.

Westminster Wants to Ban Sale of Tobacco Products

The Board of Health in Westminster, a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, is examining the proposal to totally ban sale of products containing nicotine or tobacco. In case such a law will be adopted, Westminster will become the first town in the USA who banned all tobacco sales. The proposed law prohibits sale of regular

Anti-tobacco campaign urges youth to avoid smoking

National Commission on Tobacco Control education and community empowerment division head Fuad Baradja said young people in Indonesia remained vulnerable to cigarette marketing activities, as tobacco companies frequently sponsored youth sporting events to advertise products, and added that the impact of smoking ran in complete opposition to the purpose of sporting activities.

He said Indonesia was one of the countries with the slowest progress in terms of prohibiting the advertisements, promotions, sponsorship and corporate social responsibility activities of cigarette companies that aimed to bolster their public image, with the youth as their main target.

Government Regulation (PP) No.109/2012 on tobacco control, which still allows cigarette advertisements, promotions and sponsorship via all types of media in Indonesia, had made children targets of exploitation of cigarette companies’ marketing activities. Most popular brand among young people is LD cigarettes http://www.mydiscountcigarette.net/buy/ld

“Children have become a marketing target of the cigarette industry because they are potential consumers that will probably remain tobacco-addicts for life, preserving the existence of the industry,” said Fuad on the sidelines of the Handball Bogor Open in Bogor, West Java, on Saturday.

“One of most effective strategies getting young people addicted to tobacco is through advertising, promotions and sponsorship at events like sporting events,” he went on.

The 2013 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) data shows that more than 60 percent of smokers started their habits when they were still under 20. Meanwhile, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey data revealed a rapid increase in the prevalence of young smokers aged between 13 and 15-years-old from 12.6 percent in 2006 to 20.3 percent in 2009.

Heri Isnaeni, head of the 2014 Handball Open Bogor organizing committee, said sporting event attendees were mostly young people who were vulnerable to cigarette advertising exposure.

“That’s why we picked ‘A cool handball, a handball without a cigarette’ as the theme of this year’s Handball Open. This aims to encourage young people to achieve at sporting events without cigarette smoking,”

Ypsilanti Bans Smoking at Three Children’s Playgrounds

City Council in Ypsilanti, Michigan, last week approved an ordinance that would prohibit smoking at all three children’s playgrounds in the city. According to Bob Krzewinski of the Ypsilanti Parks and Recreation Commission, they have no intention to make this policy a priority and no one will be sitting out there and writing tickets. The

Montana: Smokers to Move to Designated Area

When workers in Yellowstone County, Montana, want to smoke during their break, they frequently go outside to a place called “the cave” that is a hole in the wall on the southwest corner of the building. The room under the skybridge located on North 27th Street has an exit-only door, a can for litter and

Paris bans smoking in playgrounds

Smokers will no longer be allowed to spark up in the playgrounds of one Paris park after a trial smoking ban was introduced for a year. The initiative, which is likely to now be extended to other outdoor public spaces, was introduced over the weekend as part of an official campaign cut smoking deaths in France. Most popular French cigarettes brand is Gauloises http://www.cigarettestrade.com/buy/gauloises

Smoking is already technically banned in all inside public places in France, including cafes, restaurants, stations and museums. But terraces and other places outdoors are not included in the ban, because the chances of smokers harming those sitting around them are considered minuscule.

Now the three playgrounds in the Parc de Montsouris, southern Paris, are off limits to smokers for the next 12 months. Paris deputy mayor Pénélope Komitès said breaches would be punished with a yet to be introduced system of formal warnings and fines.

'For now, we're focussing more on persuading people than on punishing them,' she was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. After the trial, the city authorities 'will determine whether the measure should be made permanent and extended to other Paris parks,' Ms Komitès said.

The decision to begin the process of banning smoking in the public parks of Paris comes after the mayor of UK capital London, a rival metropolis which competes with Paris in standards wealth, culture and opportunity, called similar proposals 'bossy and nannying'.

Boris Johnson set himself at odds with a health panel he set up after it recommended thousands of acres of London parkland and landmarks including Trafalgar Square should go smoke free.

'This idea in my view, as a libertarian conservative, comes down too much on the side of bossiness and nannying,' said Mr Johnson.

'One feature of life in London is that we are a city that allows people to get on with their lives within the law provided they are not harming anyone else.

'I think smoking is a scourge and it's right to discourage it (but) I am very sceptical at the moment.'

New Mexico: No Smoking in Patios

In restaurants in the state of New Mexico it is not permitted to smoke cigarettes in restaurants and now they are considering banning smoking at patios. The move is voluntary and not imposed by law. Recently the New Mexico Health Department made a survey in which were involved almost 3,000 participants. They were asked their

Graphic Health Warnings Introduced in 77 Countries

Canadian Cancer Society released a report which shows that there is increasing number of countries where cigarette packs should have graphic health warnings. Canada was the only country in 2001 to implement such policy. Today the talk is about 77 countries that require graphic health warnings.on cigarette packs. By the end of 2012 there were

Kuwait introduces hefty fines for smoking indoors

Importing or storing nuclear substances could lead to the death penalty under a new environmental law that came into effect in Kuwait on Sunday.

The controversial legislation also includes a KD250 ($860) fine for picking flowers, while littering or causing the death of marine and land fauna will incur a KD500 fine for each penalty, and smoking in closed and semi-closed public areas a KD100 fine. Smokers in Kuwait choose premium cigarettes brands such as Dunhill http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/cheap-cigarette/dunhill

Other violations include noise and sea pollution.

A new police force division also has been established to monitor the new rules.

The legislation was approved by the previous parliament and came into effect on Sunday.

The Environmental Protection Authority’s deputy director for technical affairs, Mohammed Al Enezi, said the body also had new powers to refer government organisations for investigation if they were believed to be negligent or lenient in enforcing the new rules.

“Violators will be severely punished as well,” he said, according to Kuwait Times.

New Online Tool for Quitting

In England there was developed a new interactive website to help low-income people to quit smoking. The talk is about StopAdvisor. Health experts say that low-income people may be left out when it comes to innovations in wellness and health. From the new online platform poor people do benefit more than those with high income.

Americans drink less when cigarettes cost more

In the U.S., higher cigarette taxes and strict smoke-free policies not only curb smoking but also lower alcohol consumption, a new study shows.

On a national level, the effect is relatively modest. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes leads to a 1 percent decrease in per capita alcohol consumption. But states with the highest prices and most restrictive anti-smoking policies, such as New York and Illinois, saw the greatest declines in alcohol consumption.

The study is published online in the October 2014 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. Smoking and drinking often go together. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to drink alcohol, and heavy smokers are more likely to be heavy drinkers. But while raising cigarette taxes and implementing smoking bans are known to deter smoking, it hasn’t been clear how such policies affect alcohol use. However, cheapest cigarettes are found in online cigarettes shops.

“One of the implications here is that reduced drinking may be yet another health benefit related to tobacco-control policies,” said co-investigator Richard A. Grucza, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry. “It appears that one way to control alcohol consumption is to target tobacco.”

The researchers analyzed changes in cigarette prices and public smoking policies from 1980-2009 and looked at per capita alcohol consumption during that same time period.

“In the last two decades, smoking rates dropped among young people and adults in the U.S., at least partly in response to rising prices and stricter smoke-free air policies,” said first author Melissa J. Krauss, a senior statistical data analyst in the Department of Psychiatry.

Americans consume an average of 2.28 gallons of pure alcohol per person each year. That’s the equivalent of about 486 12-ounce bottles of beer, 5-ounce glasses of wine or 1.5-ounce shots of hard liquor. A standard beer is about 5 percent alcohol, while most wine is about 12 percent and spirits such as bourbon or vodka are about 40 percent alcohol.

Allegheny County Housing Authority Bans Smoking at Five Units

Housing Authority in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, told last week about its intention to prohibit smoking in five of its units. According to county authorities, up to date totally 330 units were designated as smoke-free in the county. The talk is about G.W. Carver Hall in Clairton, Ohioview Tower in McKees Rocks, Andrew Carnegie Apartments in

Slim Cigarettes Represent Lower Health Risks

A new study suggests that the exposure to nicotine and tar tend to be lower for smokers who use slim cigarettes than regular ones. Today slim type of cigarettes is very popular in several countries worldwide. A number of earlier studies demonstrated that levels of certain chemicals in smoke of slim cigarettes are much lower

Push to stop selling cigarettes to Australians born after 2000

A generation of Australians could be on the brink of living a tobacco-free existence if a move to ban the sale of cigarettes to young people is successful. The 'tobacco-free' generation bill is set to be introduced into Tasmanian parliament this year, which would make it illegal for people born after the year 2000 to buy cigarettes and for retailers to sell tobacco-laced products to them.

The law would come into effect in 2018 and would mean people aged 14 this year would not be able to buy cigarettes online once they turn 18. Harsh penalties would also be imposed on anyone caught supplying tobacco to the 'tobacco-free generation' whether they're a retailer or an individual.

Tasmanian Independent Member of the Legislative Council Ivan Dean is the brains behind the idea and will put the motion to the Tasmanian parliament in the next two months. He said the move is not designed to penalise individuals but to better the health of young Australians.

'What we are saying is that anyone who turns 18 in 2018 will not be able to buy cigarettes and eventually when older smokers die out in 20, 30 years time the sale will end,' he said.

'The important thing is that this is not about criminalising the smokers - it's ensuring retailers and suppliers can't sell to anybody born after the year 2000.'

The idea has received backing from the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association, whose president Tim Greenaway said any effort to reduce levels of smoking in the community is well supported.

Mr Dean will bring the private members bill before parliament in November, at the latest, and then open up the conversation for debate next year. If successful, the legislation would be implemented by 2018 making it illegal for people aged 18 and under to buy tobacco in Tasmania. Although this particular law would only imply to that state, Mr Dean said he hopes other Australian states and territories would follow suit.

New Bill Increasing Cigarette Tax in Philadelphia

On Monday, House of Representatives in Pennsylvania voted 114-84 a bill which gives the Philadelphia authorities the right to impose $2 per pack tax on cigarettes and direct these money to fund city schools. The bill was sent to state Senate for the approval and it will vote for it this week. If it passes

Reynolds hires PepsiCo exec as next president

Reynolds American Inc, the manufacturer of Winston Classic cigarettes. has raised the diversity level on its executive leadership team again with the hiring of Debra Crew as president of subsidiary R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., effective Oct. 1.

Crew currently serves as president and general manager of PepsiCo North America Nutrition, a job she had been appointed to earlier this year. She also has served as president of PepsiCo Americas Beverage and of the Western Europe region of PepsiCo Europe.

The company said Friday that Andrew Gilchrist, president and chief commercial officer of R.J. Reynolds, will become an executive vice president with the parent company, also on Oct.

1. The company said Gilchrist's future role on the 12-member leadership team will be announced at a later date.

Crew will make $620,000 a year, according to a Reynolds regulatory filing Friday. She will get a signing bonus of $525,000 after Jan. 1. She will be eligible for an annual incentive plan payment estimated at $162,750. She has been made eligible for a long-term incentive grant of $1.5 million, vesting March 3, 2017.

Another part of Reynolds' incentive to Crew is agreeing to make her eligible for up to $6.7 million in restricted Reynolds stock units, some of which become fully vested Sept. 30, 2016, and the others Sept. 30, 2018. The restricted stock units are offered "to offset forfeiture of equity incentive grants at your previous employer."

Reynolds has a history of placing female executives into the R.J. Reynolds president role.

Lynn Beasley retired from the post after five years in January 2007 at age 49. Beasley was the highest-ranking officer left from the R.J. Reynolds team thatbought Brown & Williamson Corp. in 2004 to create Reynolds American.

Susan Cameron, Reynolds American's president and chief executive, said in a statement Crew's experience with some of America's best-known consumer brands "is extraordinary."

Fewer Students Smoking Cigarettes in North Carolina

Latest Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in North Carolina found that fewer middle and high school students in the state are smoking cheapest cigarettes. The bad news is that more students use other tobacco products and here the talk is about pipes, snuff, hookah and e-cigarettes. The doctors are worried much about youth interest towards e-cigarettes

Calaveras County to Eliminate Tobacco Smoke from Apartments

In an attempt to protect its residents from secondhand smoke, Calaveras Multiunit Housing Workgroup in the state of California said it wants to make its apartments smoke-free. Last week, on September 10, they presented a 12-minute video called “Share Walls, Not Smoke” which features interviews with an apartment owner and several residents. The Workgroup includes

Philip Morris Products S.A. Celebrates 50 Years of History in Switzerland

Philip Morris International (PMI) today celebrated the 50th anniversary of Philip Morris Products S.A. (PMP SA) at their historic factory site in Serrières, Neuchâtel, Switzerland at an event attended by cantonal and local officials from Neuchâtel and Vaud.
“We are extremely happy to celebrate 50 years in Switzerland, notably here in Neuchâtel, where the PMP SA factory was founded in 1964. I am particularly grateful to our employees, business partners and the communities of Neuchâtel and Lausanne, who have always been an integral part of our success. We are proud of this track record which we look forward to continuing in the future,” stated André Calantzopoulos, CEO of Philip Morris International. “Few companies can take pride in such a history, growing from the family-owned Fabriques de Tabac Reunies founded in 1925, to a manufacturing facility at the forefront of technology, Marlboro production quality, industrial development and innovation, now standing next to our global R&D Center.”

“The 50th anniversary of Philip Morris in Neuchâtel highlights the heritage of one of the largest international companies in our region – proof that Switzerland, and particularly Neuchâtel, offers a positive environment for economic development. I would also like to commend the company for its excellent integration and economic, social and cultural participation in our Canton,” stated Alain Ribaux, President of the State Council of Neuchâtel.

With manufacturing and innovation in Neuchâtel, and at its global Operations Center in Lausanne, PMI in Switzerland employs over 3000 people representing roughly 50 nationalities. Since 2008, the company has invested approximately CHF 700 million in Switzerland, primarily in its global R&D Center. On an annual basis, PMI’s activities in Switzerland represent an economic impact of more than CHF 1.4 billion in terms of human resources expenditures and the purchase of goods and services, in addition to CHF 1 billion in excise tax on tobacco.

The company’s 50th anniversary celebrations will conclude on Saturday with a special event for employees and their families, as well as retired staff, all of whom have helped in making PMP SA a contributor to the Swiss economy.

Smoking Ban in Chicago Extended to Parks

Last week District Board of Commissioners in Chicago with the majority of votes adopted an ordinance which prohibits smoking in city parks and harbors. The ordinance comes into action immediately. Previously smoking ban ordinance was adopted in 2007 and it prohibited smoking on playgounds, beaches and buildings situated on Park District. The change came right

Smoke-Free Campuses Trendy in American Universities

Before adopting a smoke-free policy, the University of Minnesota discussed the subject for years as it raised particular controversies. However, the smoke-free policy was adopted and in July 1, 2014, it came into action. Smoke-free policies in campuses of American universities and colleges gain popularity in the country and more and more educational institutions join

It may be time for a comprehensive indoor smoking ban

Arsenic. Benzene. Formaldehyde. Hydrogen Cyanide. Toluene. One ingredient is found in gasoline. Another is found in paint thinner. A third is used in embalming fluid. And all, along with at least 4,000 other chemicals, are found in tobacco smoke. Needless to say, the health effects of inhaling such toxins are many.

Most Americans also are well aware of the health risks to smokers. What is perhaps less well known are the many risks of secondhand smoke, or “passive smoking.” Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and lung cancer by 25 to 30 percent compared to those not exposed. An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths and as many as 45,000 heart attack deaths per year, are attributed to secondhand smoke exposure.

Efforts have long been in place to curb passive smoking exposure. The 1994 Pro-Children Act prohibits smoking in federally-funded facilities providing services to children. And Healthy People 2020, a comprehensive nationwide health promotion program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, includes a goal of reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure.

Nationally, many bans on smoking in all indoor public places exist. In Lubbock, an effort is afoot to eliminate the exceptions that exist to a public indoor smoking ban. Establishments like bingo parlors and sports bars are currently exempted from the ban. While opinions vary on the proposed comprehensive ban, here are a few more facts to consider from a medical point of view:

Research confirms only truly comprehensive smoking bans (with no exemptions) are effective. In a broad sampling of communities where such bans went into effect, hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke dropped by 15 percent, while admissions for acute respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and asthma were reduced by 25 percent within one year of the legislation taking effect. In communities in which bans with exemptions were enacted, no significant drop in hospitalizations was seen.

Worries about adverse economic impact on businesses affected by such bans may be unfounded. Studies of the Texas communities of El Paso and Arlington showed no slowing of bar or restaurant business once comprehensive legislation was passed.

Smokers in Texas are against smoking ban because they say it breaks their rights and freedoms. Most popular brand of cigarettes in Texas is L&M.

Pleasant Hill to Expand Smoking Ban

In 2013, Michael Harris, the Council Member of Pleasant Hill proposed to prohibit smoking in the downtown shopping district, but the proposal did not gain any support. So the ban was not adopted. Harris considers it was not a perfect moment to come with such a proposal as City Council had on its agenda the

Chinese Passengers Smoked in Airplane Despite Ban

Recently a group of passengers told that they were on-lookers of a case when a budget airline did not stop passengers from smoking their cheapest cigarettes during a flight. The talk is about passengers from China United Airlines (CUA) flight 5216 who told they saw people smoking cigarettes in the toilet during the flight from

Wilmington could expand smoking ban in public places

Wilmington City Council could vote this week on a bill that would extend a smoking ban for some public spaces to include city parks, playgrounds and sheltered bus stops.

An ordinance amending the city's smoking law cleared the council's Health, Aging and Disabilities Committee last week. The bill could receive a full vote on Thursday.

The legislation expands the reach of an existing law that already allows police to fine smokers who light up cigarettes online in areas like city government offices, classrooms, libraries and museums. Offenders face a $100 penalty.

Councilman Bob Williams (D-District 7) said the bill is aimed at cutting down on the amount of second-hand smoke sometimes present in some Wilmington parks.

Williams, the primary sponsor on the bill, said many smokers are generally courteous toward those around them but also occasionally inconvenience non-smokers.

"You can walk across the street, do what you gotta do and come back," he said. "It's just that in these public gathering places, we're trying to keep it as environmentally friendly as possible for all the participants."

Though he intends to bring the bill to the floor on Thursday, Williams said an administrative issue regarding signage in non-smoking areas may prompt him to hold the bill for a couple of weeks.

Ocean City Wants to Restrict Smoking on Beaches

During their town Council meeting, authorities in Ocean City, Maryland, voted for adopting a new anti-smoking law that would ban smoking on beaches and along the boardwalk. However, smoking will be allowed in designated areas. The law was approved with 4 votes for and 3 against it. The authorities of the city expalin that smoking

Sun International recovers from Chile’s smoking ban

The smoking ban was implemented in Chile in March 2013 and had knocked one of Latin America’s best casinos, Monticello’s, revenue down by 22 per cent for the half year. Sun International Limited 0.07% which now has a 98.9 per cent stake in Monticello since July this year, therefore opened four new smoking decks in September and October, resulting in revenue growth of ten per cent for the second half of the year.

“The recovery in revenues in recent months and a comprehensive restructure of the business resulted in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) in the second half of the year increasing by 56 per cent to 9.5 billion Chilean pesos on last year at an EBITDA margin of 24.8 per cent, which creates a positive outlook for the year ahead,” said the group in a statement.

Total group revenue for the period increased by 5.4 per cent to 10.8 billion rand while EBITDA was up five per cent at 3.1 billion rand, reflecting a significant turnaround in the second half of the year in which revenue was up 7.4 per cent compared to 3.6 per cent in the first half of the year.

Adjusted headline earnings and diluted adjusted headline earnings per share both however declined by six per cent to 683 million rand and seven per cent to 655 cents respectively. A final dividend of 155 cents was declared, bringing the total dividend for the period to 245 cents, a decline from last year’s 265 cents.

In Sun International’s South African operations, Grand West Casino’s revenue increased by eight per cent to 2 billion rand while Sun City’s revenue was nine per cent higher at 1.4 billion rand with the casino division’s profits up 16 per cent to 519 million rand. Sibaya Casino’s revenue grew by five per cent to one billion rand while Carnival City’s revenue declined by two per cent to one billion rand due to increased competition from Electric Bingo Terminals and Limited Payout Machines. 

In the groups’ hotel operations, the Table Bay Hotel achieved revenue growth of 29 per cent to 233 million rand driven by a 40 per cent increase in international room nights sold which accounted for 73 per cent of rooms’ revenue.

Chilean smokers who did not quit smoking, love to smoke cheap Nistru cigarettes http://www.cigarettesplace.net/nistru-cigarettes

Anti-Smoking Initiative in Alamo Heights

The authorities in Alamo Heights, Texas, soon will organize public hearing to find out resident’s opinion on smoking ban inside public buildings. Louis Cooper, Mayor of Alamo Heights, asked city staff to include the subject into the schedule on the next meeting of City Council, which will take place next Monday, 5:30 p.m. Mayor says

Mississippi doctors want statewide smoking ban

Eighty-four towns and cities across Mississippi have banned smoking in public places, just like Southaven did recently. Now doctors want to extend a ban on smoking to everyplace in the state.

Southaven’s Country Skillet restaurant has always been the place where people could enjoy a cup of coffee and a smoke, but when Southaven banned smoking, smoking customers had to go somewhere else. Fortunately, Theresa Gilliom says they still came here to eat.

”A lot of people that smoke, they just come in, eat their food, go outside, smoke, come back in and that’s it,” she said.

Dozens of cities have banned smoking over the last several years, but the idea never caught on statewide. That’s why the Mississippi State Medical Association wants to force the issue and have voters speak for themselves. The group hopes to get 50,000 or 100,000 signatures on a petition asking lawmakers to set a referendum on smoking.

Doctors say less than 25 percent of Mississippians are covered by smoke-free workplace laws, and with Mississippi having the sixth highest rate of smokers in the country, a ban would make the state healthier.

Those same doctors say a smoking ban could cut heart disease here by 25 percent. And while Gilliom supports the local ban, she’s not sure it’s a good idea statewide.

”It would be kinda iffy, It’d be iffy because there’s a lot of smokers but it may be worth a try, it’s worth a try,” she said.

Polls paid for by the medical association show statewide support for a smoking ban. Either way, the doctors behind the bill hope they can at least get the attention of Mississippi lawmakers to take another look at taking action.

Do not wanting to quit? Searching for a quality cigarettes? Try http://www.cigarettestime.com/karelia

Kent County Discusses Smoking Ban in Parks

In the Kent County, Michigan, there was proposed to ban smoking in all parks. At the moment the proposal is under the review of Council. According to Keith Mumford, the county’s parks and recreation director, the smoking ban is going to touch only 6 city parks including Browns Branch Park in Harrington, Brecknock Park in

Big Tobacco Tries to Don A New Look: Are You Buying?

ig Tobacco wants to reclaim the hearts and wallets of most adult Americans by rebranding its tarred image — pitching “smokeless” e-cigarettes, embracing the mantra “harm reduction,” and funding science that could turn tobacco plants into life-saving medicine. That tactical shift, not surprisingly, has cultivated cynics like anti-tobacco crusader Patrick Reynolds, grandson of R.J. Reynolds, who calls the moves mere “window-dressing PR campaigns."

Even at Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) — maker of Camel cigarettes online and creator of the slogan “transforming tobacco” — spokesman Rob Dunham admits the strategy is “not without its challenges; there’s a lot of history to overcome.”

But amid perhaps the most ambitious image makeover in corporate history, Reynolds American’s new direction got a timely boost Tuesday. Its recently acquired subsidiary, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), emerged as a key player in developing emergency Ebola treatments used on two American missionaries. The medium to produce that medical breakthrough: tobacco plants.

“We embarked on a transformation agenda that, at its heart, is envisioning a tobacco industry that, at some point in the not-too-distant future, looks very different than the one we see today — or the one we’ve seen historically,” Dunham said.

“I’m not sure we would use the word 'rebranding.' The only reason I would balk at that (word) is it almost suggests we’re trying to somehow re-position as a PR exercise to get people to think differently,” Dunham added. “This is at the very core of our business strategy.”

At Reynolds American, top planks in that platform include “our commitment to reduce the harm caused by cigarette smoking,” curbing youth tobacco use, and “migrating historical cigarette smokers to other forms of tobacco that have the potential for far less risk,” Dunham said.

For RAI — and for its top competitor, Philip Morris USA — much of that migration is toward the industry’s fastest rising niche: electronic cigarettes. The battery-operated vaporizers deliver inhaled nicotine without the tar and combustion of traditional cigarettes. Some Wall Street analysts predict e-cigs alone may eclipse the traditional cigarette market within the next 10 years.

Frisco Included E-cigarettes in Smoking Ban

Yesterday City Council in Frisco, Texas, voted 3-2 to expand its smoking ordinance in order to protect the health of its citizens. The ordinance bans not only use of regular cigarettes but also e-cigarettes in all city parks. However, the law would allow to use chewing tobacco, as the authorities did not build a consensus

ITC raises cigarette prices

Cigarette manufacturer ITC has hiked the prices of select cigarette brands like Classic and Gold Flake Kings by up to Rs 10/pack in light of the rise in excise duty on cigarettes in the Budget.

An ITC spokesperson said that the prices of select ITC Cigarette brands have been increased and the stocks with increased prices will hit the market in the coming weeks. Prices of Classic and Gold Flake Kings have been revised from Rs 85 to Rs 95 for packs of 10, the spokesperson added.

Further, prices of Bristol Filter have been increased from Rs 45 to Rs 47, Capstan Filter from Rs 39 to Rs 47, Flake Filter from Rs 39 to Rs 48 and Flake Excel Filter from Rs 39 to Rs 45.

However, prices of brands like Navy Cut at Rs 69, Gold Flake Filter at Rs 59, Gold Flake Premium Filter at Rs 58 , and Scissors Filter and Flake Premium Filter at Rs 50 remain unchanged. ITC's main rival Godfrey Phillips, however, preferred not to comment on price hike on its products.

In the Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced an increase in excise duty on cigarettes in the range of 11 per cent to 72 per cent.

Besides manufacturing cigarettes, ITC also has business interests in various verticals including FMCG, hotels, paperboards and packaging, tobacco products and information technology.

Mydiscountcigarette.net offers cheap Classic online at lowest price!

University of Delaware Banned Smoking on Its Campus

The University of Delaware, located in Newark (state of Delaware), told that all its campuses are going to become tobacco-free starting from this month. The initiative came from students who want to have a healthy environment on their campus. The new policy, which came into action on August 1, bans the use of all tobacco

Anti-Smoking Tour in Kentucky

63-years-old Cline spends most of his spare time working with Smoke-Free Kentucky, a coalition consisting of organizations and individuals who support smoking ban in all public and workplaces in the state. At the beginning of the week, on July 28, the coalition started in Ashland a statewide tour to gather support the anti-smoking law that

Taxes on cigarettes help reduce number of smokers

Science and experience have demonstrated conclusively that cigarette tax increases are highly effective at reducing smoking, especially among kids. Thus, the conclusions in a Gallup poll The Hill recently wrote about (“High cigarette prices aren’t stopping smokers,” July 18) are inconsistent with what happens in the real world every time cigarette taxes are increased. Yeah, smokers just start looking for cheap cigarettes in online cigarettes shop.

The most recent surgeon general’s report on tobacco concludes that “raising prices on cigarettes is one of the most effective tobacco control interventions.” The report called for additional cigarette tax increases “to prevent youth from starting smoking and encouraging smokers to quit.” The Congressional Budget Office has also reviewed the evidence and concluded that an increase in the federal cigarette tax would significantly reduce the number of adult smokers.

In the year after a 62-cent increase in the federal cigarette tax in 2009, cigarette sales declined by a historic 11.1 percent. Adult and youth smoking rates also declined. “This single legislative act — increasing the price of cigarettes — is projected to have reduced the number of middle and high school students who smoke by over 220,000 and the number using smokeless tobacco products by over 135,000,” the surgeon general’s report noted.

Even the poll The Hill wrote about reported that more than a quarter of adult smokers surveyed said they smoked less due to tax increases. As there are 42 million smokers in the United States, this translates into millions of smokers whose behavior is affected by cigarette tax increases. And this survey of current smokers would not have included former smokers who have already quit due to increased tobacco taxes.

Tobacco tax increases don’t have to cause every smoker or even a majority of smokers to quit or cut back in order to have a big impact on public health. As the scientific evidence and even the new Gallup poll show, such tax increases will impact the behavior of large numbers of smokers, saving many from a premature death.

University of New Orleans Goes Smoke-Free

Soon colleges and universities in Louisiana will become smoke-free due to adoption of anti-smoking law in 2013 which imposes post-secondary institutions to do this. However, some universities not just prohibit smoking cigarettes on their campus but ban use of all kinds of tobacco. Experts say that due to this approach New Orleans could siginificantly reduce

No More Smoking on New Jersey Beaches

If you are a smoker, you should know that you no longer can light up your cigarette on the beach in Belmar. The famous Monmouth County beach previously permitted smoking in designated zones only, but now the use of cigarettes and cigars everywhere on the beach is banned. The same change may occur soon on

Philip Morris Cigarette Shipments Fall 3.5%, Profits Tumble 13%

Inc. (NYSE: PM) reported second-quarter 2014 results before markets opened on Thursday. The tobacco products firm posted quarterly adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.41 on revenue of $7.8 billion. In the same period a year ago, the company reported EPS of $1.30 on $7.92 billion in revenues. Thomson Reuters had consensus estimates for EPS of $1.24 and revenue of $7.52 billion.

Currency translation effects cost the company $1.22 billion in quarterly revenues. Operating income totaled $5.8 billion, down 13.4% year-over-year. The company forecast full year EPS in a range of around $5.72 to $5.83, compared with a full-year 2013 EPS of $5.40. The forecast includes a $0.61 per share reduction due to currency exchange rates and a charge of $0.25 per share related to the closing of Philip Morris plants in Australia and the Netherlands. The consensus estimate had called for full-year EPS of $5.14 on revenues of $29.91 billion.

The company’s CEO noted:

    For the second half of this year, we anticipate more challenging quarterly comparisons, particularly in the fourth quarter — which, in 2013, saw currency-neutral adjusted diluted earnings per share grow by 19.4% — due to known business challenges, particularly in Asia, the timing of investments behind the commercialization of our Reduced-Risk Products and the roll-out of Marlboro Red 2.0, as well as costs related to our manufacturing footprint optimization initiatives.

Philip Morris, the manufacturer of cheap Marlboro cigarettes, pays a quarterly dividend of $0.94 for a dividend yield of 4.1%. The company also repurchased 11.6 million shares of its own stock in the second quarter at a cost of $1 billion. Philip Morris plans to spend $18 billion on share repurchases in a three-year program that began in the third quarter of 2012. So far the company has spent $11.1 billion on share buybacks.

The proposed merger between Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) and Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) will create a stronger competitor to Philip Morris internationally, as well as to the domestic seller of Marlboro cigarettes, Altria Inc. (NYSE: MO). The company’s shares traded up about 1.1% at $85.50 in Thursday’s premarket session. The stock’s 52-week range is $75.28 to $91.81. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $88.70 before this report.

Millhouses of Adams Becomes Smoke-Free

The 98-unit Millhouses of Adams apartment complex decided to ban smoking in its building and thus join the growing smoke-free trend in the USA. During several months Millhouses received recommendations of Berkshire Area Health Education Center in the course of Tobacco-Free Community Partnership regarding smoke-free environment. The new anti-smoking policy came into action from July

New Jersey may become first state to ban smoking on beaches

New Jersey could become the first state in the nation to ban cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products in all public parks and beaches if Gov. Chris Christie signs into law a sweeping anti-smoking bill approved by lawmakers. The bill passed both houses of the state Legislature with strong bipartisan support and was sitting on Christie's desk Friday, but the Republican presidential hopeful would not indicate his intentions.

The legislation would completely prohibit smoking in all state, county and municipal parks. Public beaches also would be smoke-free, though local officials can opt to save 15 percent of beach land as a designated smoking section.

"This is definitely groundbreaking," said Karen Blumenfeld, executive director of Global Advisors on Smokefree Policy, a proponent of the New Jersey bill.

"We would be the first state to impose such a wide ban in all public outdoor spaces and the legislation will continue the trend of New Jersey being a model for other jurisdictions' anti-smoking policies," she said.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and secondhand smoke exposure has been linked to asthma, lung cancer and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least one beach town restricts it on the boardwalk. Supporters say the ban will allow New Jersey residents and visitors to enjoy parks and beaches without the distraction of wafting cigarette smoke and would drastically reduce litter, fire risks and children's exposure to smoking.

"No one needs to sit in an ashtray when enjoying the beach," state Sen. Joseph Vitale, a sponsor of the bill, said.

Blumenfeld said the measure has a "critical mass" of support in the state. But some residents said the measure would trample on personal liberties.

"I don't think the government needs to be involved," said Bryan Adamson, 32, of Blairstown. "As a smoker, I use common sense and respect for the environment and those around me."

Others said it's time to put an end to the outdoors as a last sanctuary for those who choose to light up.

"Even when I smoked and was on the beach next to a smoker, I would be frustrated because frankly, I don't want to be stuck around [smokers] if I don't have to be," said Lauren DiGenova, 26, of Waldwick.

New Jersey has some of the strictest anti-smoking policies in the country. It was the first state to prohibit smoking in college dormitories in 2005, Blumenfeld said. A year later, Trenton banned indoor smoking in bars and restaurants. More than 200 New Jersey cities, towns and boroughs have passed their own restrictions on cigarette and tobacco use in parks and beaches. The legislation would cover outdoor public spaces across the state.

Offenders would face a $250 fine for the first offense, $500 for the second and $1,000 for each additional citation. Coastal towns up and down the Atlantic Coast are targeting certain behaviors on behalf of visitors: Ocean City, Md., has posted "no profanity" signs this summer, Wildwood, N.J., has banned saggy pants, and Dewey Beach, Del., has increased fines for public urination.


However, smokers will buy online cigarettes and smoke in designated areas on the beaches.

New Jersey to Ban Smoking in All Its Parks and Beaches

In case Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey, signs new anti-smoking bill into a law, the state would become first in the USA who banned smoking cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products in all public beaches and parks. Both houses of the New Jersey legislature showed their support for the initiative and approved the

Study Found Connection Between Mother’s Smoking and Kid’s Obesity

A new study found that children of females who smoke cigarettes during their pregnancy and are overweight, are more likely to become obese as toddlers, and remain obese in their teenage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the past years in the USA the rates of obesity have significantly increased among

Quitting Smokeless Tobacco May Boost Survival After Heart Attack

A new study suggests that heart attack patients who stop using snus -- a specific type of moist chewing tobacco that is popular in Sweden -- could greatly reduce their risk of dying within a couple years. The findings don't directly prove that stopping the use of this type of smokeless tobacco actually affects cardiac health, and ethical constraints may prevent researchers from ever understanding the full value of quitting. There are other caveats, and it's not clear that quitting the main kinds of smokeless tobacco used in the United States would have the same potential effect.

Still, the study "indicates that quitting snus use after a heart attack might be as equally beneficial as quitting smoking after a heart attack," said study author Dr. Gabriel Arefalk, a cardiologist at Uppsala University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden.

The health risks of smokeless tobacco have been in the news over the past week because of the death of baseball legend Tony Gwynn at the age of 54. Gwynn blamed his initial salivary gland cancer on a long history of chewing tobacco, although doctors say there's no definitive link between that kind of tobacco and that type of cancer. It's clear, however, that smokeless tobacco poses major risks to health and causes other kinds of cancer.

Smokeless tobacco comes in a variety of forms, including traditional chewing tobacco (which may come in loose leaves or "plugs") and snuff (finely cut or powdered tobacco), according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. The new study examines snus (rhymes with "moose"), a kind of moist snuff that doesn't need to be spit out because users typically swallow the tobacco juices.

"Snus is very different from American chewing tobacco such as Red Man or American moist snuff such as Skoal or Copenhagen," explained Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine and psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. "Snus is pasteurized by steam, while American smokeless tobacco is cured in a heated environment over time. Curing generates more cancer-causing agents, so some tobacco experts argue that snus is safer and want tobacco companies to be able to market snus as safer."

Snus is especially popular in Sweden, where 20 percent of adult men and 3 percent of adult women use it. The researchers tracked almost 2,500 snus users, mostly men, who were younger than 75 and had heart attacks between 2005 and 2009. Only about one-fourth -- 675 -- quit using snus, while the rest continued.

Dislike smokeless tobacco? Try hookah. The delicios tastes of hookah tobacco are amazing! Buy hookah tobacco at http://www.verycheapcigarettes.biz/cheap-cigarette/al-fakher-hookah-tobacco

Indonesia Refuses to Sign Convention on Tobacco Control

The Government in Indonesia took a decision not to sign Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in order to protect the countrys tobacco industry. According to Faiz Ahmad, the chief of beverage and tobacco industries at the industry ministry, the decision is very effective because it will work due to existence of the agency which

“Be Marlboro” Campaign Aimed at Youth?

Recently BBC released a new documentary movie called ” The Seduction of Smoking” , in which it says that Philip Morris International created a marketing campaign for its Marlboro cigarettes to target young people. The talk is about “Be Marlboro” ad campaign which is proved to be aimed particularly at youth. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free

End all smoking in casinos

Casino company executives and industry experts recently met to discuss issues such as rapid expansion and competition in the regional gaming market at the 18th annual East Coast Gaming Congress, held in Atlantic City. Unfortunately, one item left off the agenda was a public-health issue of great importance: the thousands of workers and patrons being exposed to secondhand smoke inside Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos. The time has come to move toward smoke-free casinos to create a healthier environment for employees and patrons.

Workplace exposure to secondhand smoke at places like casinos remains a top preventable cause of rising health-care costs, chronic disease, and premature death. In January, the U.S. surgeon general issued a report adding stroke to a long list of health effects caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. Exposure for as little as 30 minutes causes immediate effects on blood and blood vessels that raise the risk of a heart attack. In 2006, the surgeon general reported that there is no known safe level of exposure, and the only known way to fully protect health is to have 100 percent smoke-free indoor air.

A recent journal article by a senior scientist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that casino workers employed where indoor smoking is permitted have a significantly higher risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and lung cancer - even when smoking is limited to certain casino areas or when high-tech ventilation is employed. With about 50,000 employees working at Atlantic City casinos and those across Pennsylvania, this is a significant workplace safety issue. If the dangerous health impacts of exposure are not compelling reason enough for casinos to be smokefree, casino companies and state decision makers should consider the disadvantages of allowing secondhand smoke in Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos when it comes to their regional gaming competition. Most casino patrons do not smoke, just as 82 percent of the U.S. population does not.

Casino expansion is heating up as nearby states compete for the same pool of patrons. A recent Econsult report to the legislature, "The Current Condition and Future Viability of Casino Gaming in Pennsylvania," suggests that while the state's casinos have made gains "cannibalizing" patrons from New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia, they are open to this same risk of losing patrons to Ohio, Maryland, and New York, which all have smoke-free casinos.

Today cheapest cigarettes online at available in online cigarettes stores.

Residents Want to be Protected from Secondhand Smoke

Tuolumne County Public Health Department along with Calaveras Public Health Services revealed the results of a new survey which demonstrated that the majority of residents in multi-housing units do support the reduction of exposure to secondhand smoke. 59% of Tuolumne County and 64% of Calaveras County residents favored smoking bans in outdoor common areas of

Ireland Leads EU on Plain Packaging of Cigarettes

The Irish government approved draft laws which make tobacco companies use plain packs on tobacco products sold in the country. This is a great and important step towards the improvment of public health, which will improve country’s reputation as a global leader in tobacco control. If the law will be adopted, it will prohibit use

Secondhand Smoke and Pregnancy

Every time, a pregnant woman is exposed to smoking, her foetus is precariously exposed to meet with intra-uterine deaths, say experts. The pulmonologists testify that in a state like Kerala where the prevalence rate of smoking is high, such premature deaths will definitely be a recurring phenomenon.

“Around 1.5 lakh people die of passive smoking in the country. Hence, it will not be wrong to presume that intra-uterine deaths are happening in the state which has topped the country with high prevalence smoking rate than the national average,” said Dr Babu John Mathew, consultant general physician, Medical Trust Hospital.

Intra-uterine deaths usually happen when the mother is an excessive smoker. “But here, the scenario is different. Here, the prevalence of smoking in women is not as high as it is in other parts of the country. But if the child’s father is an active smoker, it is beyond doubt that the mother will be highly exposed to smoking,” he pointed out.

Dr Praveen Valsalan, secretary, Cochin Thoracic Society, pointed out that, when the world scenario is taken into account, almost half of the children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places. “Over 40 per cent of children have at least one smoking parent and active smoking causes more than 6,00,000 premature deaths a year.

The scenario will not be much different in the state which is known for smoking. The curse of our state is that an in-depth study has not been initiated here so far,” he said. The medical literature states that intra-uterine foetal demise can happen due to smoking, said Dr Sheila Scaria, a gynaecologist based in Kochi . “Though we cannot identify such incidents easily, the chances of premature deaths in babies are high due to both active and passive smoking. The scenario will not be different in any part of the world which is exposed to smoking,” she said.

Asked if such deaths have been reported in any parts of the state, they said: “It is not easy to identify such deaths which is a major hurdle. No research or studies have been undertaken in this regard so far. Besides, it is a long-winding procedure. If any such death happens, the whole family history will have to be traced,” said Dr Babu John. He added that while most of the smokers are honest about smoking in Western countries, Keralites try to cover it up when it comes to initiating any study in this regard.

New Jersey to Increase Age to Buy Cigarettes

State committee in New Jersey proposed to increase to 21 legal age to buy tobacco products and e-cigarettes. If the proposal will be approved, the law will make New Jersey the first state in the USA who requires this age to buy cigarettes. Back in 2006 the state increased minimum age to buy cigarettes, cigars

Tax Increase Will Not Reduce Tobacco Use

British American Tobacco Zimbabwe asked governments in Southern Africa to pay attention to the consequences of high taxes on tobacco products which were increased in order to reduce tobacco use among population. On May 31 the world celebrated No Tobacco Day and with this regard BAT Zimbabwe released a statement which says that the company

BAT Dislikes Increasing Tobacco Taxes

On World No Tobacco Day, British American Tobacco (BAT) called on governments across Southern Africa to carefully consider the unintended consequences of increased taxes on tobacco products with the intention of reducing tobacco consumption.

BAT, the maker of Dunhill cigarettes, says it does not believe that an increase in taxes on tobacco products will result in decreased  consumption, instead smokers may continue to look for cheaper,often illicit products. What’s more is that the call for increased taxation on tobacco products is being made from within a context of already high tobacco taxes across Southern Africa, and an economic environment in which the disposable income of consumers remains stretched.

“Often, with an increase in taxes on tobacco products, a knee-jerk reaction by consumers under severe economic pressure is to unwittingly purchase cheaper cigarette brands in order to save money. Regrettably, these brands are often illicit brands that have a severe economic and social impact

We have observed a dramatic increase in the incidence of illicit trade in countries with higher excise rates on tobacco products, many of which are struggling to curb the problem despite concerted efforts from law enforcement authorities. Some research indicates that up to 660 billion cigarettes a year are illegal – smuggled, counterfeit or tax-evaded in other ways. That’s up to 12 percent of world consumption. Closer to home, illicit cigarettes are already widely available throughout both formal and informal retail channels across Southern Africa. In some countries, such as South Africa, the illicit cigarette incidence is nearly three times the global average, which is alarming,” read a statement from BAT.

BAT therefore urged governments seeking to reduce tobacco usage to broaden the scope of their considerations beyond increases in tax. “Public health objectives cannot be the sole aspect of consideration when determining fiscal policy. The unintended consequences as a result of increases in tax on tobacco products may, in fact, jeopardise the achievement of these public health objectives,” said BAT.

The WHO itself estimates that there are currently one billion smokers across the globe and that by 2050 this number could increase to 2.2 billion. Said BAT: “Given this estimation, we believe that it is going to be important for regulators to separate the issues around the sale of a legal, regulated but risky product and the unintended consequences that may arise from bad policy decisions. While we acknowledge the risks associated with smoking, we believe in a sensible approach to tobacco taxation that takes into account all the potential unintended consequences such as the illicit trade in tobacco products.”

Durango Celebrating Smoke-Free Public Areas

On Saturday, May 31, the entire world celebrated No Tobacco Day. With that ocassion in Durango city, Colorado, local health activists organized a party. No Tobacco Day is celebrated to encourage smokers to refuse from their cheap cigarettes at least for 24 hours. Recently Durango City Council adopted an anti-smoking ordinance which prohibits smoking cigarettes

WHO Calls for Tobacco Taxes Increase

On May 31 the world would celebrate No Tobacco Day. In connection with this the WHO calls the countries in the entire world to increase taxes on tobacco in order to encourage smokers to quit and prevent youth from becoming smokers. The WHO estimated that increasing tobacco taxes by 50% in all countries worldwide will

Cuba in bid to halt tobacco package plans

Plans in this country to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products have been challenged by Cuba. Ireland wants to follow in the footsteps of Australia by having non-branded cigarette and cigar packets.

But Cuba, famous for its cigars, has complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that the move would violate the body’s protection of trademark rights. While Cuba acknowledges Ireland’s right to protect “the health of its people”, it cannot compromise its WTO commitments, the Caribbean country has argued.

Cuba stated it is difficult to understand the increasing numbers of countries planning to introduce plain packaging while challenges are under way. Last March, the WTO granted Indonesia the right to take on Australia’s plain packaging laws, it was reported.

Indonesia was disputing legislation requiring all cigarettes sold in Australia to have uniform green packets with white labelling. It made Indonesia the fifth country after Ukraine, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Cuba to be granted the opportunity to challenge the policy.

They argue the rules breach trade and intellectual property regulations. Now, Cuba wants Ireland to delay introducing its own laws until the WTO adjudicates.

Health Minister James Reilly said in December he expects the tobacco industry to take him to court over his plan to introduce plain packaging. He said he believes tobacco companies would argue that their intellectual property rights are infringed by graphic photographs on cigarette packets.

He said the strength of the opposition is a sign it will be effective. “I’ll be astonished if there isn’t a legal challenge,” he said.

But he said it would be an “extraordinary society” that put the intellectual property rights of an industry over the health of its citizens. If it goes to court, the Government will argue graphic photographs are “an appropriate measure to protect public health”, Mr Reilly said.

If you dislike the idea of plain packs, you may buy cigarettes online in normal packs at http://www.cigarettestrade.com/

Anti-Tobacco Sign Campaign in India

Due to upcoming World No Tobacco Day that is celebrated on May 31, the District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) in India has launched a signature campaign to support a proposal to raise taxes on tobacco products. Health care providers are worried by the fact that these days a great number of adult population in Assam

Washington To Increase Cigarettes Tax By $1

Authorities in Washington want this autumn to increase the state cigarette tax by $1 per pack. This will help to create a $1 billion fund for cancer research and prevention. The idea (Initiative 1356) was proposed by Fred Hutchinson from Cancer Research Center and former Governor Chris Gregoire who worked over proposal for more than

Egypt seeks to discourage tobacco use

The Egyptian government's recent decision to prevent the country from hosting an international shisha competition highlights its efforts to reduce smoking among Egypt's nine million smokers.

The Shisha Masters World Contest was expected to take place in Cairo on April 24th and 25th, with the participation of shisha manufacturers from around the world. However, the Ministry of Health banned the event, calling it "a clear violation" of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, signed by Egypt in 2005.

The event's competitions were to have included prizes for the best shisha design and best tasting shisha tobacco. "The decision to ban the event stems from the ministry's keenness on not breaching the terms of the WHO Framework Convention, which aims to reduce the spread and consumption of tobacco in addition to protecting people from passive smoking," said Abdul Hadi Mustafa of the Ministry of Health.

The agreement also prohibits tobacco advertising and promotion, Mustafa said. The government is fully compliant with the agreement, especially with regard to preventing the sale of tobacco to minors, preventing tobacco advertising, adding warning labels about risks of tobacco on packaging, and mounting regular national campaigns to educate the public about the consequences of smoking addiction, he said.

The ministry will review the laws relating to exhibitions and competitions and modify them so this situation will not be repeated in the future, Mustafa told Al-Shorfa.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics in a 2013 report, there were 9.4 million smokers in Egypt in 2011, representing 17% of the total population older than 15 years of age. A recent joint study by the WHO and the Ministry of Health documented around 170,000 smoking related deaths per year in Egypt.

The planned shisha event was a clear public promotion of shisha smoking, said Dr. Fathi Karim of the Egyptian Doctors Syndicate committee on anti-smoking and addiction.

Shisha is considered more dangerous than cigarette smoking, as "one shisha contains the nicotine equivalent of 25 cigarettes", he said. "It has been scientifically proven that smoking shisha can cause lung cancer, chronic infections to the bronchial tubes" and other diseases.

"Unfortunately, shisha is widespread in Egypt, and it is not limited to adults, but also young people are drawn to it because they see it as fashionable despite all the harm it causes," he told Al-Shorfa.

If you love hookah, you may buy cheap hookah tobacco online at http://www.cigarettestime.com/al-fakher-hookah-tobacco

Garden City to Ban Smoking in Bars

Garden City Mayor John Evans said in 2012 that smoking ban in bars must be citizen’s decision. In January 2012 smoking ban in Boise came into action. At the beginning of the week, Council of Garden City unanimously voted for adopting an ordinance prohibiting smoking inside local businesses and other establishments. The initiative came from

Cigarette Companies Fall in Line With Price Increases

Altria's Philip Morris USA on May 7 announced to the trade a decrease in off-invoice promotional allowances of six cents per pack on Marlboro and L&M cigarettes, reducing the effective off-invoice promotional allowance to two cents per pack on Marlboro and 15 cent per pack on L&M, said Nik Modi, tobacco analyst at RBC Capital Markets, Chicago, in a research note Wednesday night.

Richnond, Va.-based PM USA is also taking a list price increase of $1.10 per carton on Parliament and 60 cents on the remainder of its portfolio, added Modi. The changes are effective on shipments on or after May 11, 2014.

"This price increase came roughly one month earlier than the price increase last year (which was on June 5th, 2013)," he said. "We expect [Lorillard and Reynolds American] to follow with their respective price increases by week's end. We see [the] announcement as a positive for our bullish thesis on the tobacco pricing environment. As has been the case historically, we expect the Big Three tobacco players to continue their trend of taking price increases on cigarettes twice a year and maintaining healthy net price realization of 3% to 4%."

They didn't wait that long. Greensboro, N.C.-based Lorillard [on May 8] announced to the trade a 60-cents-per-carton (six-cents-per-pack) increase on its entire portfolio, including on Newport and Maverick, Modi wrote in a followup note. Lorillard's price is effective on orders on or after May 9, 2014.

Also on May 8, Winston-Salem, N.C.-based RJ Reynolds Tobacco announced price increases on its cigarette brands. In line with PM USA's promo reduction and Lorillard's price increase, RJ Reynolds is raising prices across its entire portfolio by 60 cents per carton (six cents per pack). Reynolds price increase is effective on orders on or after May 8, 2014.

New York City-based Wells Fargo Securities analyst Bonnie Herzog wrote, "Overall,the cigarette promo decreases/list price increases that [PM USA] and [Lorillard] have taken are positive and indicate continued pricing power, in our view. Given that consumption will likely continue to decline in the midsingle-digit range, pricing is necessary to drive top-line growth."

And following the Big Three, Morrisville, N.C.-based Liggett Vector Brands also took a list price increase on Liggett Select, Eve, Grand Prix and Pyramid of 60 cents per carton (six cent per pack), Modi wrote. Liggett's price is effective on orders on or after May 12, 2014. "We expect the next round of price increases to come late fall 2014," he concluded.

Meanwhile, on April 30, Altria's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco announced that it is taking list price increases on straight stock SKUs across its moist smokeless tobacco (MST), snus and dry snuff portfolio, Modi said.

Effective May 11, 2014, Copenhagen, Cope, Skoal, Husky, Red Seal will see list price increases per roll of 30 cents and six cents per can, and WB Cut will see list price increase of 36 cents per carton and six cents per pouch.

People looking to buy cheap cigarettes online visit http://cigarette-deals.com/

Lorillard To Participate In The Goldman Sachs Global Staples Summit

The representatives of Lorillard Inc., the third largest tobacco company in the USA declared this week that Murray S. Kessler, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, together with David H. Taylor, Chief Financial Officer, will take part in the Goldman Sachs Global Staples Summit that will be held in New York. The manufacturer of Kent

Smokefree Maori, New Zealand

Winnie Tanginui knows the effects smoking has on an unborn child which is why she quit smoking during both pregnancies. Through Quitline, Me Mutu, Winnie is now represented in the decreasing Māori smoking rates and enjoying her status as a proud Smokefree Māori. Of Waikato, Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri descent, Winnie says she has tried a million times to quit: “I gave up smoking in 1999 when I got pregnant with my eldest daughter. I lasted through the pregnancy and a few months after.

“I quit in 2009 when I found out that I was pregnant with my wairua taonga. But I kept falling off the waka.

“I signed up with Quitline in July, 2013, bought my last packet of Bond cigarettes in August and became a non-smoker,” Winnie says.

Te Ara Hā Ora, the National Māori Tobacco Control Service and national stop smoking service Quitline, Me Mutu are hearing many success stories just like Winnie’s and they are thrilled to see a significant decrease in Māori smoking rates.

The 2013 Census found that smoking prevalence among Māori had dropped from 42.2% in 2006 to 32.7% in 2013. The recent Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Year 10 smoking surveyshowed that smoking amongst Māori Year 10 is also continuing to show rapid decline. Daily smoking amongst Māori Year 10 has declined to 8.5% in 2013 compared to 26.9% in 2003 and 30.3% in 1999.

“Cessation and public health workers across the country can pat themselves on the back for their determination to support Smokefree whānau and the Smokefree 2025 goal” says Zoe Hawke of Te Ara Hā Ora.

Te Ohu Auahi Mutunga - a stop smoking service in Palmerston North – is also noticing an increase in Māori wanting to stamp out smoking. Quit coach Marilyn McKay’s client says money is a huge motivator for her wanting to quit. “My client has been auahi kore for the past three months and she’s saved $920. She checks her account every day and she feels great.”

Quitline CEO Paula Snowden says every year Quitline, Me Mutu helps about 12,000 Māori to quit smoking. “We know you have a better chance of successfully quitting if you use a support service,” she says. Winnie celebrates over 290 Smokefree days. “I know a journey to a thousand miles begins with one step. I use Quitline’s blogs, texts and phone support. I support 981 bloggers on Quitline’s website too,” she says.

“I am doing this for my seven children and my future. “I am proud to be Smokefree as I am a visionary leader living a healthier and wealthier lifestyle.” Quitline, Me Mutu and Te Ara Hā Ora warn that “we must maintain momentum!”

Both organisations urge action in areas such as the reduction of duty-free allowance on cigarettes and tobacco; Smokefree cars; increased investment in cessation and new nicotine replacement devices; increased taxation; and unbranded packaging.

Reynolds American Overall Sales Rose 2.8%

Reynolds American Inc overall sales rose 2.8 percent to $ 1.93 billion, with all operating divisions reporting increased revenue. However, the revenue gain was offset by the cost of products jumping 34 percent year over year to $930 million. Other expenses were up 37.2 percent to $413 million.

Camel edged back ahead of Pall Mall for third place in cigarette market share at 10 percent to 9.5 percent, respectively. Both cigarette brands gained market share year over year even as their combined shipment volumes barely increased. The brands continue to trail Philip Morris USA's Marlboro and Lorillard Inc.'s Newport brands.

Overall shipments were down 3.8 percent year over year to 14.3 billion cigarette sticks. Reynolds' overall share of the cigarette market rose 0.1 percentage points to 26.7 percent compared with a year ago, including Camel and Pall Mall who have a combined 19.4 percent market share.

Market share for Grizzly was up 1.1 percentage points to an industry-leading 31.5 percent. American Snuff Co.'s overall moist-snuff market share rose 0.8 percentage points to 34.6 percent. Natural American Spirit had a 10.7 percent gain in shipments to 800 million cigarette sticks. It has a 1.5 percent market share.

Reynolds said a portion of the market share gains likely came from a decision by the group that measures market share to put more emphasis on sales from convenience stores and gas stations, where the majority of tobacco products are bought.

Bonnie Herzog, an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities, said she was not concerned about Reynolds missing earnings projections because of the market share growth in its four growth brands." "Reynolds' growth brands appear to be on solid footing," Herzog said. "Santa Fe and Grizzly continue to generate impressive results.

"We remain very optimistic that Cameron will be able to lead Reynolds into its next generation of growth, possibly global." Pope said the jockeying in promotional prices by the top three manufacturers could be in Reynolds' favor at the top end."Customers seeking a specific flavor or cachet are not fickle, flaky or ultra-price sensitive," Pope said.

Reynolds reaffirmed its fiscal 2014 adjusted earnings guidance range of $3.30 to $3.45 a share. Reynolds did not comment about a potential deal with Lorillard Inc., which has been speculated for two months. Reynolds did list among its investment risks the July 30 ending of the 10-year moratorium on British American Tobacco buying more Reynolds stock. BAT owns 42 percent of Reynolds as part of Reynolds' $4.4 billion purchase of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. — then a BAT U.S. subsidiary — that was completed July 30,2004.

Residents divided on smoke ban proposal

Health, choice and rights dominated recent discussions before the City Commission on Mayor Chris Boswell’s proposal to extend the smoking ban to all workplaces, including bars, hotels and private clubs and organizations, such as the Elks Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

“The current ordinance doesn’t guarantee a 100 percent smoke-free environment,” Boswell told a standing room only crowd of interested persons at Wednesday’s commission meeting that included cancer survivors, friends of people who died of cancer or are suffering from it, a lobbyist from Austin for the American Cancer Society, and the medical community.

The proposed extension would ban not only cheapest cigarettes but also e-cigarettes from the workplace. Youth of the community through an organization called Harlingen Smoke Busters also joined proponents of the smoke-free workplace for all employees. The organization is composed of middle school students. Teens Michael Garza and Joshua Delgado addressed the commission, pointing to the number of people who die from secondhand smoke, encouraging the commission to extend the ban and to educate youth and the community.

Bar owners, smokers, non-smokers and former smokers also attended the meeting, touting a person’s, an organization’s and a business’ right to choose. Amid some concerns, the commission voted for the mayor’s proposal, but a second vote is required. Commissioners expect that city staff will address their concerns before the proposal is presented to the commission for the second vote.

Referring to private organizations, Commissioner Danny Castillo questioned what the implications of the proposal would be when the workers at these organizations are volunteers. Boswell said that the intent is to limit exposure to workers who don’t have a choice of where they work. However, he said, some of the organizations do have employees. “If volunteers, that might make a difference,” he said.

Commissioner Victor Leal also expressed concern about the ban extending to private clubs. He pointed out that the Elks Lodge has a public area where bingos are held. It also has a private area where smoking is allowed and it is a “contained area,” Leal said.

Leal also said that he had received calls from the hotel industry, and pointed out that in Brownsville, hotels are allowed to have 20 percent of their rooms for smokers. Leal, a former smoker, said that more research is needed before the commission can make a decision and suggested that other smoking ordinances be reviewed.

Philip Morris Earnings Preview

On April 17, Philip Morris International will present its 2014 first quarter earnings. Experts do expect data from Philippines, where an increase in indirect taxes implemented in 2013 affected negatively tobacco industry. Experts say that Philip Morris business in European Union, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa was affected by numerous anti-tobacco regulations. Russia is

Lorillard to Release First Quarter 2014 Results on April 24, 2014

Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), the maker of cheap Kent cigarettes, announced that it will release first quarter 2014 results on Thursday, April 24, 2014.

A conference call for analysts and investors will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, April 24, 2014, which will be hosted by Murray S. Kessler, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and David H. Taylor, Executive Vice President, Finance and Planning and Chief Financial Officer. Investors can participate in the conference call by dialing (888) 239-6824 (domestic) or (706) 902-3787 (international). The passcode for this event is: 28927750.

The news release and a live webcast of the conference call will also be available under the Investor Relations section of Lorillard's website. The conference call will be available for replay in its entirety through May 1, 2014. If you wish to listen to the replay of this conference call, please visit Lorillard's website at www.lorillard.com or dial (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and enter passcode: 28927750.

About Lorillard, Inc.

Lorillard, Inc. (NYSE: LO), through its Lorillard Tobacco Company subsidiary, is the third largest manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States.  Founded in 1760, Lorillard is the oldest continuously operating tobacco company in the U.S.  Newport, Lorillard's flagship premium cigarette brand, is the top selling menthol and second largest selling cigarette in the U.S.  In addition to Newport, the Lorillard product line has four additional cigarette brand families marketed under the Kent, True, Maverick and Old Gold brand names.

These five brands include 43 different product offerings which vary in price, taste, flavor, length and packaging.  Lorillard, through its other subsidiaries, is also a leading global electronic cigarette company, marketed under the blu eCigs and SKYCIG brands.  Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, Old Gold, blu eCigs and SKYCIG are the registered trademarks of Lorillard and its subsidiaries.  Lorillard maintains its corporate headquarters and manufactures all of its traditional cigarette products in Greensboro, North Carolina.