ASH Daily News for 15/11/2002

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ASH Daily News
15 November 2002

HEADLINES

Tobacco firms ‘ignored fire safe cigarettes’
Pressure mounting to ban public places smoking
‘Booze cruise’ boost boasts P&O


FULL TEXT


Tobacco firms ‘ignored fire safe cigarettes’

Tobacco companies could have made self extinguishing cigarettes decades ago,
preventing thousands of fires, but chose not to, researchers claimed
yesterday.

Instead they opposed moves and tried to delay laws that would have made
cigarettes safer and fireproof, the researchers said.

“A fire-safe cigarette was developed years ago, and the tobacco industry did
not place it on the market,” said the authors of a study reported in Tobacco
Control.

Cigarettes caused 4,000 house fires in Britain last year, in which 136
people died, and almost 2,000 were injured.

Source: Daily Telegraph, 15 November 2002



Pressure mounting to ban public places smoking

The Cater and Hotelkeeper reports that the pressure is mounting on the
government to follow the lead of the Irish Republic, which last week
announced that from next year it will outlaw smoking in all restaurants and
pubs where food is served.

Clive Bates, director of ASH, said he hoped the Irish example would shame
the government into action, as it had dragged its feet for four years over
the proposals to apply the Health and Safety at Work Act to passive smoking.

ASH is seeking support from MPs for a private member’s bill, sees a UK ban
progressing more slowly than in Ireland. The proposed bill will give local
authorities the right to ban smoking in restaurants and pubs as part of
licensing reform.

But Martin Couchman, deputy chief executive of the British Hospitality
Association said putting the matter into the hands of local authorities
would create inconsistencies around the country. He added that the BHA was
generally opposed to heavy-handed legislation.

Meanwhile, the BMA last week renewed its call for a ban on smoking in public
places in a report that concluded passive smoking is responsible for
thousands of deaths a year.

Source: Caterer and Hotelkeeper, 14 November 2002



‘Booze cruise’ boost boasts P&O

P&O, the container terminals and ferries group, yesterday said it had seen a
big rise in “booze cruise” traffic since Customs was told to relax its tough
stance on Channel-hop shoppers.

Peter Smith, P&O’s director of communication and strategy, said: “In the
last three weeks we’ve been benefiting from a big upturn in car traffic on
the ferries and our onboard sales of cigarettes are up 60pc.” P&O sells
tobacco at French duty rates.

But according to the Daily Telegraph, this upturn did not show up in
yesterday’s third quarter trading update for July to September, where
tourist car carryings were 4pc up with rates 6pc higher.

Source: Daily Telegraph, 15 November 2002


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Naj Dehlavi
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk