Tobacco.org

Smoking riskier to women's hearts than men's  

Women typically get heart disease much later than men, but not if they smoke, researchers said Tuesday.

In fact, women who smoke have heart attacks more than a dozen years earlier than women who don't smoke, Norwegian doctors reported in a study presented to the European Society of Cardiology. For men, the gap is not so dramatic; male smokers have heart attacks about six years earlier than men who don't smoke.

"This is not a minor difference," said Dr. Silvia Priori, a cardiologist at the Scientific Institute in Pavia, Italy. "Women need to realize they are losing much more than men when they smoke," she said. Priori was not connected to the research.

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Mahoney schedules public hearing on tobacco law 

County Executive Joanie Mahoney has scheduled a public hearing on the Onondaga Tobacco 19 law for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at her conference room on the 14th floor of the John Mulroy Civic Center, 421 Montgomery St., Syracuse.

The county Legislature passed the measure Tuesday by a 10-8 vote. If Mahoney signs it, the law would forbid the county's merchants from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone 18 or younger, except for 18-year-olds in the military.

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• Indonesia Tobacco Sales Grow, Raising Health Fears 

Smoking rates in Indonesia have increased significantly in recent years, placing it with India and China as the nations with the highest smoking rates. Katie Hamann met with researchers at a recent tobacco conference in the capital, Jakarta. They challenge the government's position that the tobacco industry is vital to economic growth in Indonesia. . . .

Barber says tobacco consumes a disproportionate part of family income, with smokers spending more than five times as much on cigarettes than on health care and education.

"Households with smokers are dedicating a very, very large amount of money on tobacco and this has serious welfare implications for the rest of their family," added Barber. "We also know that paternal smoking is a positive predictor of malnutrition."

Barber's research also shows that the government would benefit considerably from an increase in taxes. The industry now contributes more than $4.5 billion in taxes, accounting for as much as 10 percent of revenue. Raising taxes, she says, could increase that amount.

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DIOTTE: Tobacco tax hikes just hurt the poor 

Smoking is an unhealthy, highly addictive behaviour that kills people.

Still, tobacco is a legal product and governments make more money from it than tobacco companies.

The hypocrisy is governments pass laws meant to stop people from smoking, and bow down to pressure from professional lobby groups such as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

That's the group that helped convince Alberta politicians to last year enact the toughest tobacco law in Canada.

Retailers must hide that legal product behind cabinets or curtains and people aren't allowed to puff in the outdoors within five metres of a building's entrance. . . .

Hagen contends the government could hike the taxes and then offset that by giving more grants for affordable housing and paying for smoking cessation drugs.

Yeah, like that's going to happen.

If governments were serious about wiping out smoking, they'd quit pimping the product. Until then, they shouldn't punish the poor with yet another tax hike.

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EDITORIAL: Our Opinion: Eateries unhurt by smoking ban 

Forget those gloomy predictions about bars and restaurants being driven out of business if their customers were not allowed to smoke.

An Arizona State University study found that the statewide ban on smoking inside businesses has had no impact on 96 percent of bars and restaurants surveyed. . . .

The voter-approved ban took effect in May 2007 with opponents saying it would bankrupt businesses.

Instead, bars and restaurants have added outdoor patios and adapted. Some businesses closed, but none blamed the smoking ban.

It now is healthier and more pleasant to eat and work in Arizona restaurants. So everyone has won.

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Biz finances survived AZ smoking ban 

A statewide smoking ban in bars and restaurants that took effect more than a year ago has not had a major financial impact on the industry statewide, according to a new report.

But the study acknowledges that some businesses were, in fact, hurt by the voter-approved law.

And the report does not show whether people are smoking less — or simply going to places where they can still light up.

The study, commissioned by the state health department, relies largely on sales-tax data to show that overall receipts at bars and restaurants have pretty much been as forecast. Will Humble, deputy state health director, said that shows that the measure is not killing the industry.

But the study, done by the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, drew some derision from Bill Weigele.

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Exclusive: KC's voter-approved smoking ban could be changed by City Council 

KC voters approved a tough smoking ban in April, but very quietly City Council members already are looking at changing it.

The City Charter says it would take just 9 of the 13 City Council members to alter what voters endorsed five months ago.

-- One change under consideration would weaken the voter-approved law and allow smoking in retail tobacco shops.

-- The other change, though, appears to reduce where a person may smoke on a casino. That would be a positive development -- if that's what the ordinance would really do.

The voter-approved ordinance prohibits smoking in a "casino gaming area."

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Boxer James Oyebola was 'killed over a ciggie' 

BOXING star James Oyebola was shot dead in a row over smoking, a court heard yesterday.

The ex-British heavyweight champ was allegedly blasted after asking clubbers to stub out a ciggie.

James, 46, was hit in the neck and leg and suffered brain damage from massive bleeding. . . .

Yesterday four men went on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his murder.

Jeremy Donne, QC, prosecuting, said: "The reason for the killing was senseless."

Five days after the national smoking ban, the 6ft 9ins star was drinking in the enclosed garden of the club, "politely" asking people to put out their cigs.

Four shots then rang out -- two hitting James, said Mr Donne.

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Four deny killing boxer in row over smoking ban  

A former British boxing champion was shot dead at a Fulham club after asking a group of men to stop smoking, the Old Bailey heard today.

James Oyebola, 46, was shot in the back of the neck and died in hospital without regaining consciousness, the jury was told.

One of his killers had smuggled a gun into Chateau 6 in Fulham Road by hiding it down his trousers, it was alleged.

Mr Oyebola, who won a bronze medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games after losing to Lennox Lewis, was described as being "pleasant, calm and happy" before the shooting.

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No Smoke Without 'Fine': Tobacco Ban On Under 18s 

It is now illegal in Northern Ireland to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18.

The change in the law came into effect today as part of the drive by NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to reduce the level of smoking in young people.

Stressing the importance of the change the Minister said: "Tobacco is known to be the leading cause of preventable death in Northern Ireland.

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• VCU worried about research for big tobacco 

Faculty and students told a Virginia Commonwealth University panel that they're concerned about the moral and ethical implications of entering research agreements with tobacco giant Philip Morris USA and other corporations.

Wednesday's meeting was the final one held by the task force, formed in the wake of a controversy over a consulting contract between VCU and Richmond-based Philip Morris USA.

The group is expected to consider whether to refuse research funding from tobacco companies, as several other schools have, and will issue its recommendations to VCU President Eugene P. Trani by Oct. 1.

A number of speakers told the task force that the university should rethink whether its researchers should sign "work-for-hire" agreements with Richmond-based Philip Morris, a unit of Altria Group Inc. The forum was open only to faculty, staff and students.

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• Bulgarian FC President Arrested in Greece over Cigarette Smuggling in UK 

The President of Bulgaria's Belasitsa football club Kostadin Hadzhiivanov, dubbed Kotse Matsa, was arrested Tuesday in Greece over cigarette smuggling in the UK. Photo by gong.bg

The President of Bulgaria's Belasitsa football club Kostadin Hadzhiivanov, dubbed Kotse Matsa, was arrested Tuesday in Greece over cigarette smuggling in the UK.

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• MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST CIGARETTE TAX EVASION GETS MAJOR BOOST 

In the latest development in Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's campaign against cigarette tax evasion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has reversed several March 2006 lower court orders and reinstated the City's lawsuits against numerous corporations and individuals who own or operate Internet websites selling cigarettes. The decision is the latest step forward in Mayor Bloomberg's efforts to reduce smoking in New York City, which have led to a 21 percent drop in adult smoking and a 52 percent drop in smoking among public high school students in the last five years.

"We will continue moving forward vigorously against those who break the law and deprive the City of vitally needed tax dollars - especially when such lawbreakers also undercut public health," said Mayor Bloomberg. "I once again urge Albany to take decisive action to crack down on cigarette bootlegging, beginning with collecting the state sales tax on cigarettes sold on Indian reservations."

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EDITORIAL: Plenty to fume about 

For a province doing so well in many statistical indicators, Saskatchewan can take no pride at all in one published recently.

According to Statistics Canada, around 24 per cent of Saskatchewanians are "current smokers" -- the highest rate in the country.

Nationally, 19 per cent of respondents described themselves as smokers; the lowest rate was in B.C., at only 14 per cent.

It gets worse. The survey indicates Saskatchewan has the highest proportion of youth (between 15 and 19) who smoke -- at 22 per cent. (The national average is 15.2 per cent).

That is particularly bad news because conventional wisdom in treating the addiction called smoking holds that it's in the teen years that lifelong smokers are created. . . . .

The best way to cut tobacco use is not by outlawing it (that would only lead to smuggling), but convincing people that it's in their best interest to quit using tobacco -- or never start.

So with the goal of reducing tobacco use -- and therefore future health-care costs -- the best approach today may be a focus on imaginative and persistent educational and advertising programs to warn off new users, and help long-time users to quit.

It may seem costly, but over the long term this will save us much health-care money, and many lives.

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• Minister of National Revenue unveils a new state-of-the-art excise stamp to combat contraband tobacco 

The Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of National Revenue, today unveiled a new state-of-the-art tool to target the market of contraband and counterfeit tobacco in Canada.

"Our Government takes the issues of tobacco contraband and counterfeit very seriously," said Minister O'Connor. "While the new tobacco stamp will not single-handedly resolve all those issues, it is a key element in the government's overall strategy to combat this illicit activity. We are all working together as a government to deliver on our commitment to keep our communities safe and secure."

"Illicit cigarette manufacturing and sales represent a significant threat to the safety and security of our communities and to our economy," said the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. "Trafficking in contraband tobacco fuels other illegal activities by organized crime, such as drug trafficking and gun smuggling. The new tobacco stamp will strengthen the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to prevent the production and distribution of illicit tobacco."

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