ASH Daily News for 12/11/2002
HEADLINES
ASH, 102 Clifton Street, LONDON, EC2A 4HW.
Tel 020 7739 5902 Fax 020 7613 0531
ASH Daily News
12 November 2002
HEADLINES
Ken Clarke faces embarrassment over Burma link
More cannabis coverage
FULL TEXT
Ken Clarke faces embarrassment over Burma link
Kenneth Clarke, former chancellor of the exchequer, was facing acute
embarrassment last night after saying he was "uncomfortable" with investment
in military-run Burma - overlooking the fact he is deputy chairman of
British American Tobacco (BAT), which has significant involvement there.
"The problem with Burma arises when companies start collaborating with an
extremely unpleasant regime which is totally contrary to our notions of
civil liberties and democracy," he breezily told one of his local Nottingham
constituents in a letter.
The gaffe was seized on by human rights activists who pointed out that BAT
pays workers 23p a day at a factory which it owns jointly with the
"unpleasant" government.
The Burma Campaign, which has already managed to force one British firm,
Premier Oil, out of the Asian country this year, said Mr Clarke must now
ensure the exit of BAT.
"Ken Clarke is absolutely right," said John Jackson, director of the Burma
Campaign in Britain. "BAT's collaboration with the regime is helping to keep
this brutal dictatorship in power. He should get them to pull out
immediately."
BAT has a Burmese subsidiary called Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar, which is
a 60/40 joint venture with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, a company
owned by the military government.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,838280,00.html
Source: The Guardian, The Financial Times, 12 November 2002
More cannabis coverage
The British Lung Foundations reported yesterday on the health risks of
cannabis use. Today, Paul MacInnes, writing for the Guardian says:
“according to the research, smoking three "reefers" a day does as much
damage to the lungs as a whole fat pack of 20 cigarettes. This is because,
on average, joint smokers mix tobacco with weed, smoke it without a filter,
and inhale more deeply and for longer than cigarette smokers. Next thing you
know they will be telling us that smoking drugs with disorientating
properties eventually turns you a bit silly.”
Full article:
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,3605,838143,00.html>
The leader in the Guardian weighs the pros and cons of cannabis use, its
decriminalisation and its health effects:
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,838164,00.html>
Source: The Guardian, 12 November 2002
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----------------------------------
Naj Dehlavi
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk
Tel 020 7739 5902 Fax 020 7613 0531
ASH Daily News
12 November 2002
HEADLINES
Ken Clarke faces embarrassment over Burma link
More cannabis coverage
FULL TEXT
Ken Clarke faces embarrassment over Burma link
Kenneth Clarke, former chancellor of the exchequer, was facing acute
embarrassment last night after saying he was "uncomfortable" with investment
in military-run Burma - overlooking the fact he is deputy chairman of
British American Tobacco (BAT), which has significant involvement there.
"The problem with Burma arises when companies start collaborating with an
extremely unpleasant regime which is totally contrary to our notions of
civil liberties and democracy," he breezily told one of his local Nottingham
constituents in a letter.
The gaffe was seized on by human rights activists who pointed out that BAT
pays workers 23p a day at a factory which it owns jointly with the
"unpleasant" government.
The Burma Campaign, which has already managed to force one British firm,
Premier Oil, out of the Asian country this year, said Mr Clarke must now
ensure the exit of BAT.
"Ken Clarke is absolutely right," said John Jackson, director of the Burma
Campaign in Britain. "BAT's collaboration with the regime is helping to keep
this brutal dictatorship in power. He should get them to pull out
immediately."
BAT has a Burmese subsidiary called Rothmans of Pall Mall Myanmar, which is
a 60/40 joint venture with the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, a company
owned by the military government.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,838280,00.html
Source: The Guardian, The Financial Times, 12 November 2002
More cannabis coverage
The British Lung Foundations reported yesterday on the health risks of
cannabis use. Today, Paul MacInnes, writing for the Guardian says:
“according to the research, smoking three "reefers" a day does as much
damage to the lungs as a whole fat pack of 20 cigarettes. This is because,
on average, joint smokers mix tobacco with weed, smoke it without a filter,
and inhale more deeply and for longer than cigarette smokers. Next thing you
know they will be telling us that smoking drugs with disorientating
properties eventually turns you a bit silly.”
Full article:
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,3605,838143,00.html>
The leader in the Guardian weighs the pros and cons of cannabis use, its
decriminalisation and its health effects:
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,838164,00.html>
Source: The Guardian, 12 November 2002
----------------------------------
Unsubscribe:
Public subscribers: http://www.ash.org.uk/html/about/subscribe.php
Globalink members: <http://member.globalink.org>
----------------------------------
Naj Dehlavi
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
http://www.ash.org.uk
