ASH Daily News for 03/10/2003
HEADLINES
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ASH Daily News
3 October 2003
HEADLINES
Cigarette giant pays $2m to Texas girl disfigured in car blaze
Talks to regulate tobacco stall in Senate
Study critical of health issue coverage
Hit for not smoking
FULL TEXT
Cigarette giant pays $2m to Texas girl disfigured in car blaze
A Texan girl who suffered disfiguring burns in a fire allegedly started by a smouldering cigarette has won an unprecedented $2m (£1.2m) settlement from the tobacco firm Philip Morris.
The out-of-court settlement of a nine-year legal battle will offer hope to other victims of fires started by cigarettes.
Despite large settlements from smoking-related illnesses, including a $246bn agreement with American state attorneys general, the tobacco industry has until now resisted any liability for fire-related cases.
Cigarette companies have been wary of opening the doors to similar lawsuits and Philip Morris insisted on a secrecy clause in the Texas settlement. The agreement, reached in May, only emerged in an article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times.
A spokesman for Philip Morris said: "This was a situation that was unique, isolated and not likely to be replicated. It is Philip Morris USA's policy to vigorously defend itself in litigation as opposed to settling claims. Nothing about this decision changes that philosophy. Common sense in trial supports our defence in these cases."
Full article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1054819,00.html
Source: The Guardian, 3 October 2003
Talks to regulate tobacco stall in Senate
The cigarette maker Philip Morris said Thursday that US Senate negotiations over a proposal for the federal Food and Drug administration to regulate tobacco have stalled because of opposition from competitors and from opponents of smoking.
A Senate committee is considering a measure that would let the agency mandate stronger health warnings and greater disclosure of ingredients. According to Philip Morris, talks broke down after health care advocates insisted the agency be permitted to ban the sale of cigarettes to adults.
Source: Bloomberg, 3 October 2003
Study critical of health issue coverage
NHS bodies such as Primary Care Trusts need to improve the promotion of issues including smoking, obesity and alcoholism to lose out on 'more dramatic' health news stories in terms of media coverage, according to a report.
According to a 'death-per-story' chart in the report, produced by the King's Fund, during the period analysed, 8,571 people dies from smoking for each story about smoking on BBC news programmes; by contrast, it took only .33 deaths from vCJD to merit a story on the BBC.
Following publication of 'Health in the news: risk, reporting and media influence' a King's Fund spokesman said public health practitioners in organisations such as PCTs should ask themselves: "Are there stories there and how can they be used to improve the nations health?"
A spokesperson for ASH said she 'wouldn't disagree' with the report, adding: "The challenge for us is to present the latest evidence in an attractive way [for journalists]'.
Source: PR Week, 3 October 2003
Hit for not smoking
Student Robert McKay was assaulted in the street simply because he didn't smoke.
The 19-year-old was left with a smashed nose and missing tooth after he was pounced on after a night at the students' union. He was approached by a young man and woman in Rosemount Viaduct and asked for a cigarette. When he replied that he didn't smoke, he was punched twice in the face.
Robert, then a second-year physics student at the Robert Gordon University, is one of hundreds of Aberdeen students who fall victim to crime every year.
His attackers were never caught. And now he's urging other students to do all they can to keep themselves safe as they return for the start of a new academic year.
Source: Aberdeen Evening Express, 27 September 2003
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Tel 020 7739 5902 Fax 020 7613 0531
ASH Daily News
3 October 2003
HEADLINES
Cigarette giant pays $2m to Texas girl disfigured in car blaze
Talks to regulate tobacco stall in Senate
Study critical of health issue coverage
Hit for not smoking
FULL TEXT
Cigarette giant pays $2m to Texas girl disfigured in car blaze
A Texan girl who suffered disfiguring burns in a fire allegedly started by a smouldering cigarette has won an unprecedented $2m (£1.2m) settlement from the tobacco firm Philip Morris.
The out-of-court settlement of a nine-year legal battle will offer hope to other victims of fires started by cigarettes.
Despite large settlements from smoking-related illnesses, including a $246bn agreement with American state attorneys general, the tobacco industry has until now resisted any liability for fire-related cases.
Cigarette companies have been wary of opening the doors to similar lawsuits and Philip Morris insisted on a secrecy clause in the Texas settlement. The agreement, reached in May, only emerged in an article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times.
A spokesman for Philip Morris said: "This was a situation that was unique, isolated and not likely to be replicated. It is Philip Morris USA's policy to vigorously defend itself in litigation as opposed to settling claims. Nothing about this decision changes that philosophy. Common sense in trial supports our defence in these cases."
Full article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1054819,00.html
Source: The Guardian, 3 October 2003
Talks to regulate tobacco stall in Senate
The cigarette maker Philip Morris said Thursday that US Senate negotiations over a proposal for the federal Food and Drug administration to regulate tobacco have stalled because of opposition from competitors and from opponents of smoking.
A Senate committee is considering a measure that would let the agency mandate stronger health warnings and greater disclosure of ingredients. According to Philip Morris, talks broke down after health care advocates insisted the agency be permitted to ban the sale of cigarettes to adults.
Source: Bloomberg, 3 October 2003
Study critical of health issue coverage
NHS bodies such as Primary Care Trusts need to improve the promotion of issues including smoking, obesity and alcoholism to lose out on 'more dramatic' health news stories in terms of media coverage, according to a report.
According to a 'death-per-story' chart in the report, produced by the King's Fund, during the period analysed, 8,571 people dies from smoking for each story about smoking on BBC news programmes; by contrast, it took only .33 deaths from vCJD to merit a story on the BBC.
Following publication of 'Health in the news: risk, reporting and media influence' a King's Fund spokesman said public health practitioners in organisations such as PCTs should ask themselves: "Are there stories there and how can they be used to improve the nations health?"
A spokesperson for ASH said she 'wouldn't disagree' with the report, adding: "The challenge for us is to present the latest evidence in an attractive way [for journalists]'.
Source: PR Week, 3 October 2003
Hit for not smoking
Student Robert McKay was assaulted in the street simply because he didn't smoke.
The 19-year-old was left with a smashed nose and missing tooth after he was pounced on after a night at the students' union. He was approached by a young man and woman in Rosemount Viaduct and asked for a cigarette. When he replied that he didn't smoke, he was punched twice in the face.
Robert, then a second-year physics student at the Robert Gordon University, is one of hundreds of Aberdeen students who fall victim to crime every year.
His attackers were never caught. And now he's urging other students to do all they can to keep themselves safe as they return for the start of a new academic year.
Source: Aberdeen Evening Express, 27 September 2003
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Public subscribers: http://www.ash.org.uk/?unsubscribe
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