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ASH Daily news for 04 October 2011

HEADLINES

  • Hertfordshire pub landlords fear little from cigarette vending machine ban

    Pub landlords in Borehamwood have expressed indifference to the ban on cigarette vending machines.

    On Saturday, the Department of Health introduced the ban across the whole of England, with the rest of the UK expected to follow next year.

    Landlords will still be able to sell cigarettes from behind the bar, but anyone caught selling via vending machines, faces a fine of £2,500.

    Manager of The Director’s Arms, in Ripon Way, Paul Dyer said: We will be putting [cigarettes] behind the bar, so for me it’s not too bad and shouldn’t affect us too much.”

    Another pub landlord based in Shenley Road, who asked not to be named, said the ban would have little impact on business.

    And staff at The Green Dragon, in Leeming Road, told The Borehamwood & Elstree Times they would not notice the new law, as the pub had not had a vending machine for the past five years.

    Source: This is Local London - 03 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/pNEQfR

  • Scotland: Tesco faces £38m bill for selling tobacco

    Supermarket giant Tesco is set to be hit the hardest by the Scottish Government's proposed "son of Tesco tax", property experts have warned, adding that the levy proposed by finance minister John Swinney could drive some supermarkets to pull tobacco from their shelves in Scotland.

    According to analysis by property firm Ryden, Tesco has 90 out of the 221 stores in Scotland that are set to be affected by the government's public health levy.

    The levy is aimed at big retailers that sell both alcohol and tobacco, with Morrisons, Asda, and Sainsbury's also set to cough up tens of millions each in additional business rates over the next three years. The government intends to raise £110 million over the next three years, with £38m due to come from Tesco alone as it has the highest number of stores with a rateable value of £300,000 or more.

    Overall, supermarkets selling both cigarettes and booze face a 22% increase in their rates bill.

    Tim Bunker, a ratings specialist and partner of Ryden, said retailers could escape the levy if they discontinue sales of tobacco in their large shops.

    Source: The Scotsman - 04 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/ph8eR1

  • Canada: Study finds that smoking causes stroke to occur a decade earlier

    A new comparison of patients at an Ottawa stroke prevention clinic suggests that those who smoke have strokes or mini-strokes at a younger age than non-smokers.

    In fact, the smokers were almost a decade younger when they were referred to the clinic for treatment, with an average age of 58, compared to an average age of 67 for non-smokers.

    Dr. Mike Sharma, a stroke neurologist at the Ottawa Hospital said, "When you smoke you have more blood cells and the proteins that clot the blood are increased. So you can imagine if you've got hard narrow blood vessels — thicker blood if you will — that you're much more likely to clog up a blood vessel and cause a stroke," he said in an interview before the conference.

    Sharma said smokers will often suggest quitting will "only make a small difference in my life and what my outcome is. In fact, what it looks like here is it can make a big difference. Ten years is a lot of time, when you think about it."

    Source: Winnipeg Free Press - 03 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/mZUUAu

  • Belgium: Smokers fume over hidden cost for a smoke break

    Belgian authorities are clamping down on civil servants who nip out of the office for a smoke break.

    Eighteen thousand staff who work for the French-speaking Walloon regional government have been told to clock out when they pop out, and the time will be docked from their working day.

    One employee said: ‘It’s never been demonstrated that there was a big productivity difference between a smoker and a non-smoker. I don’t think that’s what counts, a conscientious worker, even if he is away 5 or 10 minutes to smoke, will make sure his job is done by the end of the day. I’d say it’s a little insignificant.’

    Walloon administration official Hugo Poliart said: ‘There’s no rule saying that employees need to clock out when they go to smoke, but there is a rule that says they need to clock out when they leave the building, whatever the reason. Whether it’s to eat an apple or to take a ten minute walk, they also need to clock out.’

    This article includes a video available by clicking on the link below.

    Source: Euronews - 03 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/qo6Tim

  • South Africa: BAT blamed for pension fund bad performance

    Investments in tobacco shares have been blamed for the underperformance of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), which contributes more than 90 percent of the R1 trillion in assets managed by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).

    The underperformance, however, was slight as the GEPF posted a 15.3 percent return for the year to March, compared with the benchmark performance of 15.5 percent.

    Daniel Matjila, the chief investment officer, reported that composite equities of the GEPF delivered a negative return of 20 basis points net of costs. “This was due to the poor performance of British American Tobacco, which was formally included in the equity benchmark,” Matjila said.

    Source: IOL - 04 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/oEAxkM

  • Australia: Call to end shopper loyalty rewards for smokers

    Smokers should be stubbed out from earning reward points on shopper loyalty programs, a doctor's body says.

    Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Harry Hemley says people hooked on cigarettes should not be rewarded with flights, appliances or other perks for spending on the deadly habit.

    He wants tobacco expenditure banned from any type of credit card or supermarket points system.

    Source: Herald Sun - 02 October 2011
    Link: http://bit.ly/nWjlCI