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News: Driver throws can full of tobacco spit in another car’s window  

A man was traveling east on U.S. Highway 98 near Hurlburt's main gate when the driver of a black Mitsubishi Mirage began acting reckless and rude, according to an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office offense report.

The man called the Sheriff's Office and reported the reckless driver threw a Dr. Pepper can full of "dip juice" into his car and the liquid got on his passenger's Polo brand shorts on Aug. 7.

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Probe Sought Vs Philip Morris for ‘Organizing’ Eraserheads Concert 

Devious.

That's how tobacco control advocates today described the ploy of Philip Morris Incorporated (PMI) in sponsoring the upcoming Eraserheads Reunion Concert even as they call on the band to sacrifice for the sake of their multitude of non-smoking fans.

"Like millions of Filipinos, we want to watch the reunion concert. But when we look for ways to get the tickets, we are redirected to www.marlboro.ph. This is clearly tantamount to advertising," said Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP).

Amid this, FCAP asked the Inter-Agency Committee-Tobacco (IAC-T) to immediately investigate the tobacco company's "devious advertising tactics."

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Pact may help settle Oklahoma tobacco dispute  

A new tobacco compact between Oklahoma and the Lawton-based Comanche Nation may soon affect many tribal tobacco agreements and settle a long-running fight between the state and many of the tribes.

Under the compact, tribal smoke shops and retailers can sell cigarettes bearing a 51.5-cent tax stamp, or half of the state's tobacco tax rate. The tribe is required to charge a 15-cent tribal tax per-pack, as well.

The combined tax of 66.5 cents is about 20 cents less per pack than those sold at many Tulsa-area tribal stores.

The Comanche compact, which went into effect July 1, gives many tribes that have tobacco agreements with the state an opportunity to get out of their current compacts.

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The 'Red List' is dangerous to your health 

Don't get trapped in Philip Morris' "Red List". It's dangerous to your health, according to tobacco control advocates.

The "Red List" is cigarette manufacturing firm Philip Morris' new way of promoting their products through the Internet. Those who register on the "Red List" get invited to special events that give away cigarettes and drinks to guests.

"The lives of people, especially the youth who will sign up on the Red List will definitely be in the red, meaning stepping into the danger zone," Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP), told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Limpin said getting your name on the "Red List" will make you "an easy target" of tobacco advertisements and promotional materials of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc., manufacturer of Marlboro filter cigarettes.

The registration site is being used for the reunion concert of the Eraserheads this August. Fans who wants to get hold of free simply register on the "Red List".

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• Philip Morris' advertising tactics devious, says tobacco control group  

Philip Morris Philippines (PMI) is using "devious advertising tactics" to promote the Marlboro brand in the guise of organizing a reunion concert of Pinoy rock band legend Eraserheads, a tobacco control advocate group said Wednesday.

"Like millions of Filipinos, we want to watch the reunion concert. But when we look for ways to get the tickets, we are redirected to Marlboro.ph. This is clearly tantamount to advertising," said Dr. Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP).

The website www.marlboro.ph or ‘The Red List" was put up by Philip Morris only this year especially for the Eraserheads concert.

Fans who want to avail of tickets to the concert need to register on the website by providing PMI personal information including names, home address, email address, mobile phone and home phone numbers.

Limpin said the adults-only registration site will eventually be used by the tobacco company to promote its products through the Internet.

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KTCIF S KOREAN TOBACCO CO KT&G ANNOUNCES US$166 MLN SHARE BUYBACK PLAN 

KT&G Corp. (KSE:033780), South Korea's largest tobacco company, said today that it plans to spend 173 billion won (US$166.4 million) in buying back and canceling its shares in order to boost shareholder value.

In a regulatory filing, the company said it will buy 1.95 million shares from August 18 to November 17.

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• Scientists Tap Tobacco Plants To Detect Landmines  

Morning Edition, August 13, 2008 The red that normally colors the flower of a tobacco plant may now be put to use to signal "stop" in the presence of deadly land mines. South African scientists along with a Dutch biotech firm have engineered a tobacco plant with leaves that turn red when grown near land mines. Its roots detect the nitrogen dioxide leaching from the mines.

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BAT share listing shake-up dashes bid hopes  

Shares in British American Tobacco (BAT) fell by as much as five per cent today after it announced it was seeking a secondary listing on the South African stock exchange.

BAT lost 49p to £18.27 before recovering after luxury goods company Richemont and investment group Remgro, which are controlled by South Africa's billionaire Rupert family, said they would spin off a combined 27 per cent stake in BAT to shareholders.

The shake-up, which is being driven by impending tax law changes in Luxembourg, would place BAT in the top three companies on the South African exchange

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Tobacco Cessation Benefit Provides Major Return On Investment 

In its first six months, a new insurance benefit to offer more tobacco cessation assistance to state employees has helped an estimated 570 state workers successfully quit using tobacco.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health estimates this action has resulted in about $2.2 million in annual savings, or $3,800 per successful quitter, through reduced health care costs and increased employee productivity.

The new benefit became effective on Jan. 1 this year when the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board (OSEEGIB) began offering expanded tobacco cessation coverage

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Tobacco money helps Va. research energy solutions  

A commission created to distribute state tobacco settlement money is providing more than $36 million for research centers in southwest and Southside Virginia.

The research centers in Abingdon, Danville, Halifax and Wise will study so-called clean coal, nuclear power and biomass.

Commission chairman Charles Hawkins said centers could be a gateway for other research that could ease the nation's reliance on foreign oil.

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Wilson tobacco market opens 

Wilson opened its 119th tobacco market season Monday. The traditional leaf auctions are long gone, and farmers now sell directly to tobacco companies.

"It was very exciting. Everyone (was) excited," Rick Smith, with Independent Leaf Tobacco, said of the tobacco auction days.

Back then, Wilson got a lot of attention. . . .

When the federal quota system ended in 2004, so did the auctions. Most tobacco warehouses in Wilson closed.

"It's really a piece of Americana that we've lost, and I really regretted to see go," Smith said.

These days, tobacco farmers contract directly with manufacturers in advance. Farmers still bring in their crops for pricing, but the fanfare is gone.

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Tobacco Farmers Struggle This Summer 

"With fuel prices and high fertilizer prices and weather conditions and the drought, it's been kind of a tough year," said Stilley.

He says they are just starting to harvest their first tobacco crop and admits, "I think the tobacco crop is going to be a little short this year with the drought." The cost of fuel just to dry it will be around $125,000

He will take the final product and try to sell to a company this week but what he thinks is a fair price they might not and it all adds to the uncertainty.

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Department of Health Unveils New DC Quit Line Media Campaign Featuring NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green 

Today the DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign (DCTFF) unveiled its new quit line media campaign starring former Washington Redskin and NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green. The new campaign includes television, radio, metro and print ads that also feature DC's own go-go band, Mambo Sauce; Nakia Sanford of the Washington Mystics; Caron Butler of the Washington Wizards; and WPGC radio personality, Justine Love. DCTFF is committed to ensuring that all DC residents who smoke have access to the latest evidence-based smoking cessation treatments to ensure long-term success at remaining tobacco free.

The program offers DC residents access to free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and counseling through 1-800-Quit-Now services and community-based programs.

The two PSAs feature Darrell Green educating residents about the 250 deadly poisons contained in tobacco smoke and encouraging smokers to call the quit line to receive free counseling and NRT to improve their chances of quitting for good. . . .

"My family suffered when my father-in-law died from lung cancer due to smoking," said Darrell Green. "If you are smoking at home or in the car around your family, your loved ones are breathing the same poisons as you. I want to do what I can so my families' tragedy doesn't become yours too."

DC has some of the highest rates of tobacco-related cancers and heart disease in the United States.

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Rothmans reports loss after smuggling settlement  

Rothmans Inc (ROC.TO), which is being bought by Philip Morris International Inc (PM.N), reported a first-quarter loss on Tuesday, hurt by expenses after it admitted to helping tobacco smuggling.

Canada's No. 2 cigarette maker said it lost C$354.4 million ($334 million), or C$5.20 a share, compared with a profit of C$33.8 million, or 49 Canadian cents a share, a year earlier.

Rothmans said its profit was hit by expenses relating to a settlement involving its unit Rothmans Benson & Hedges Inc, which in late July admitted to aiding the contraband tobacco trade.

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LETTER: Clamp down on real killer  

I just read that in San Luis Obispo County, Morro Bay and Pismo Beach, and soon to follow Atascadero, have passed smoke-free air polices at beaches, piers, city parks and sports fields.

Santa Maria is a "All America City." Why can we not see the need to protect our citizens, more important our children, from second-hand smoking in these areas?

I think Santa Maria should be the first city in Santa Barbara County to lead the way in improving the health of our citizens. What do you say, City Council members?

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