ASH Daily News for 30/09/2002
HEADLINES
ASH Daily News
30 September 2002
Imperial backs down over smuggling
Nicotine patches don’t last
UK tobacco giant to cut jobs
Lung cancer victim wins case against PM
PM profits warning
Hospital bans smoking
Smoking in restaurants
Cigar imports into US
Full Text
Imperial backs down over smuggling
Imperial Tobacco, Britain’s second biggest cigarette company has buckled
under pressure from the Government and is said to be co-operating
‘wholeheartedly’ in a major smuggling investigation.
This followed claims by Customs & Excise to the Commons Public Accounts
Committee that the company had repeatedly ignored advice not to deal with
foreign firms and individuals suspected of being involved in contraband.
However, a C&E spokesman has now said there had been a number of positive
meetings with Imperial executives. The company was providing all the
information required and a memorandum of understanding in respect of
anti-smuggling co-operation was on the cards.
Source: Mail on Sunday, 29 September 2002
Nicotine patches don’t last
The Express on Sunday continues the debate about the effectiveness of NRT,
saying a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association
confirms that aids to pack up smoking are over-rated and only prolong
nicotine addiction.
Elizabeth Gilpin, co-author of the Jama study, is quoted as saying that the
success of giving up is the same whether smokers used aids or not.
But Dr Chris Steele, who runs one of the UK’s biggest smoking clinics,
stressed it was important people using NRT were backed up by proper advice
to ensure success.
Attention is also drawn to whether drug companies over-state the
effectiveness of cessation aids. A GSK spokesman said it offered a free
support programme to people using its products so they can get all the help
they need.
Source: Express on Sunday, 29 September 2002
UK tobacco giant to cut jobs
Imperial’s £3.9 billion takeover of German group Reemtsma has triggered a
move to cut 800 jobs across the company’s global operations.
Some 37 jobs are to be axed from the firm’s corporate affairs division, with
a more streamlined team operating out of Imperial’s Bristol HQ.
The firm was quick to stress that no UK factories would close as part of the
shake-up.
Source: Western Daily Press, 19 September 2002; PR Week, 27 September 2002.
Lung cancer victim wins case against PM
A Los Angeles jury has awarded a 64-year-old woman $875,000 (£561,000) in
damages against tobacco giant Philip Morris.
Betty Bullock, who began smoking at 17 and is now dying from lung cancer,
sued the company for fraud, negligence and product liability.
A PM attorney said smokers knew the risks yet Ms Bullock ignored the dangers
of smoking for 30 years.
Source: Evening Standard, 27 September 2002; The Sun, 28 September 2002.
PM profits warning
Clearly not helped by Betty Bullock’s successful lawsuit, Philip Morris, the
world’s biggest tobacco company, issued a profits warning last week. All
three Footsie tobacco companies saw their shares drop amid concerns over
“challenging” US conditions.
Source: Evening Standard, 27 September 2002.
Hospital bans smoking
Bosses at the Christie Hospital, Manchester’s world-famous cancer hospital,
have kicked up a storm after applying for planning permission for two
outdoor smoking shelters.
Staff are not allowed to smoke on the premises but management say they want
to have greater control over where people smoke.
Critics say they may unwittingly be encouraging patients being treated for
cancer to carry on their habit. Catherine Davies of NW Ash
said: “Management need to look hard at the message they are sending out.”
Source: The Express, 28 September 2002.
Smoking in restaurants
A letter-writer to the Sunday Times challenges the papers’ wining and dining
correspondent Michael Winner to take up the case for banning smoking in
restaurants. Emphasising the harm caused by smoking and passive smoking
Stanley Silver of Hadley Wood suggests smoking restrictions would have no
effect on trade and urges Mr Winner to take up the case.
Source: Sunday Times, 29 September 2002
Marsha Williams
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk
30 September 2002
Imperial backs down over smuggling
Nicotine patches don’t last
UK tobacco giant to cut jobs
Lung cancer victim wins case against PM
PM profits warning
Hospital bans smoking
Smoking in restaurants
Cigar imports into US
Full Text
Imperial backs down over smuggling
Imperial Tobacco, Britain’s second biggest cigarette company has buckled
under pressure from the Government and is said to be co-operating
‘wholeheartedly’ in a major smuggling investigation.
This followed claims by Customs & Excise to the Commons Public Accounts
Committee that the company had repeatedly ignored advice not to deal with
foreign firms and individuals suspected of being involved in contraband.
However, a C&E spokesman has now said there had been a number of positive
meetings with Imperial executives. The company was providing all the
information required and a memorandum of understanding in respect of
anti-smuggling co-operation was on the cards.
Source: Mail on Sunday, 29 September 2002
Nicotine patches don’t last
The Express on Sunday continues the debate about the effectiveness of NRT,
saying a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association
confirms that aids to pack up smoking are over-rated and only prolong
nicotine addiction.
Elizabeth Gilpin, co-author of the Jama study, is quoted as saying that the
success of giving up is the same whether smokers used aids or not.
But Dr Chris Steele, who runs one of the UK’s biggest smoking clinics,
stressed it was important people using NRT were backed up by proper advice
to ensure success.
Attention is also drawn to whether drug companies over-state the
effectiveness of cessation aids. A GSK spokesman said it offered a free
support programme to people using its products so they can get all the help
they need.
Source: Express on Sunday, 29 September 2002
UK tobacco giant to cut jobs
Imperial’s £3.9 billion takeover of German group Reemtsma has triggered a
move to cut 800 jobs across the company’s global operations.
Some 37 jobs are to be axed from the firm’s corporate affairs division, with
a more streamlined team operating out of Imperial’s Bristol HQ.
The firm was quick to stress that no UK factories would close as part of the
shake-up.
Source: Western Daily Press, 19 September 2002; PR Week, 27 September 2002.
Lung cancer victim wins case against PM
A Los Angeles jury has awarded a 64-year-old woman $875,000 (£561,000) in
damages against tobacco giant Philip Morris.
Betty Bullock, who began smoking at 17 and is now dying from lung cancer,
sued the company for fraud, negligence and product liability.
A PM attorney said smokers knew the risks yet Ms Bullock ignored the dangers
of smoking for 30 years.
Source: Evening Standard, 27 September 2002; The Sun, 28 September 2002.
PM profits warning
Clearly not helped by Betty Bullock’s successful lawsuit, Philip Morris, the
world’s biggest tobacco company, issued a profits warning last week. All
three Footsie tobacco companies saw their shares drop amid concerns over
“challenging” US conditions.
Source: Evening Standard, 27 September 2002.
Hospital bans smoking
Bosses at the Christie Hospital, Manchester’s world-famous cancer hospital,
have kicked up a storm after applying for planning permission for two
outdoor smoking shelters.
Staff are not allowed to smoke on the premises but management say they want
to have greater control over where people smoke.
Critics say they may unwittingly be encouraging patients being treated for
cancer to carry on their habit. Catherine Davies of NW Ash
said: “Management need to look hard at the message they are sending out.”
Source: The Express, 28 September 2002.
Smoking in restaurants
A letter-writer to the Sunday Times challenges the papers’ wining and dining
correspondent Michael Winner to take up the case for banning smoking in
restaurants. Emphasising the harm caused by smoking and passive smoking
Stanley Silver of Hadley Wood suggests smoking restrictions would have no
effect on trade and urges Mr Winner to take up the case.
Source: Sunday Times, 29 September 2002
Marsha Williams
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk
