US backs 'historic' tobacco curbs

The US Senate has backed a bill giving the government far-reaching new powers to try to curb smoking among Americans. If approved by the House of Representatives, the bill will permit nicotine levels in cigarettes to be limited and advertising curtailed. Commentators hailed the vote as a major victory against vested tobacco interests which for years have sought to frustrate regulatory efforts.

About 20% of Americans smoke, and the habit kills some 440,000 every year.

President Barack Obama hailed the passage of the bill, saying it would "make history by giving the scientists and medical experts at the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] the power to take sensible steps that will reduce tobacco's harmful effects".

It was also applauded by anti-smoking and health campaigners.

By a margin of 79 to 17, the Senate passed the bill giving the FDA powers to regulate the content and marketing of tobacco products.

This includes:

• Limiting nicotine levels - though not banning nicotine or cigarettes entirely
• Attempting to limit the appeal of smoking among young people, by limiting the use of flavours, restricting advertising in publications targeting young people, and toughening rules on sales to young people
• Requiring tobacco companies to get FDA approval for new products
• Barring terms such as "light" or "mild" in tobacco packaging which imply a smaller risk to health
• Requiring tough new warning labels on tobacco products.

The bill is particularly focussed at curbing the take-up of smoking among children, and was hailed as such by a leading supporter, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. "Every day that we don't act, 3,500 American kids - children - will light up for the first time. That is enough to fill 70 school buses," he said.

The House of Representatives adopted a similar bill in April, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she believed it might be possible for the House to accept the bill in its entirety when it votes on Friday. If so, it would go straight to President Obama to be signed into law.

Repeated efforts by supporters of greater regulation of the tobacco industry have been fiercely resisted for years by the industry and lawmakers from tobacco-producing states. This time, the country's biggest tobacco firm, Philip Morris, supported the bill - though rivals suggested that was because restrictions on new products would protect the company's market share.

Observers said the bill was one of the most momentous milestones in the history of smoking since the 1964 surgeon general's report highlighted the hazards it posed to health. "This legislation represents the strongest action Congress has ever taken to reduce tobacco use, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States," said Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids.

"At any given moment, millions are struggling with their habit or worrying about loved ones who smoke," said President Obama, who has spoken of his own effort to quit and admits he occasionally still smokes. "My administration is committed to protecting our children and reforming our health care system - and moving forward with common-sense tobacco control measures is an integral part of that process. I look forward to signing this bill into law."

Source: BBC, 11th June 2009
Link: http://tinyurl.com/my447s

Japan Tobacco: to buy Tribac Leaf ops

Japan Tobacco Inc, the world's third-largest cigarette maker, said on Friday it has agreed with Tribac Leaf Ltd to buy the British tobacco leaf company's business operations.

The size of the acquisition, which excludes Tribac's business in Zimbabwe, was not disclosed.

The move is aimed at helping JT secure a stable source of foreign tobacco leaf, JT said in a statement.

Source: Reuters UK, 12th June 2009
Link: http://tinyurl.com/mdkcm9 

Man held as police seize 7 million cigarettes

A Willenhall man has been arrested following a customs swoopthat saw seven million cigarettes seized. Officers raided a farm in Coven, Cannock, where they found the huge stash of Regal King Size cigarettes in the major operation on Thursday. A man in his early 30s from Willenhall was arrested and a Sprinter van was also seized.

If the cigarettes had gone undetected, the revenue lost to the public purse was estimated to be more than £1.5 million.
Keith Morgan, inland detection manager for HM Revenue and Customs, said: "This operation was part of our continuing efforts to disrupt tobacco smuggling and reduce the availability of cheap, and often counterfeit, cigarettes from streets in the region. Proceeds from cigarette smuggling are often used to fund serious and organised crime such as drugs. The illicit cigarette trade breeds contempt for the law by encouraging otherwise honest people to trade with criminals and has a devastating effect on local retailers having to compete with the black market economy."

Source: This is Walsall, 11th June 2009
Link: http://tinyurl.com/nxz4rq  

Staff unite over ban on smoking

Smokers and non-smokers united to protest against the Royal Bolton Hospital’s plan to ban lighting up. 

Around 20 hospital workers brandished placards outside the main entrance yesterday while passing cars, trucks and ambulances beeped their horns in support. The protest was organised by members of Staffside, a confederation of workers’ unions, who say the hospital is taking away people’s choice.

At the moment, staff, patients and visitors can smoke in designated shelters around the hospital grounds, but these will be removed from July 1.

Ward clerk Joyce Robinson, who is vice chairman of Unison in Bolton, said: “They are taking our choice away from us. We come here to do a day’s work — it’s not a dictatorship. All we’re asking for is a couple of shelters out of site of the public, and they have turned us down.”

Security officer Andrew Charkewycz, a non-smoker, said: “It’s a Draconian sanction. If you take all the smoking shelters away, where will the public go? Outside in the doorways — and then we’ll be told to go and tell them to stop. What if you’ve lost a child or a relative? They’re just going to tell you to shove off.”

But one Unison member said he was disgusted with his union. He said: “To organise a protest about this just stinks. Surely they have more important things to campaign for, such as people’s livelihoods?”

Hospital communication director Heather Edwards said support would be offered to staff, patients and visitors to help them quit smoking. She said: “It is well known that smoking has harmful effects on individuals and others. As a health-promoting hospital we believe we need to take a lead in promoting healthier lifestyles and this is why we are aiming to ban smoking from the site, as a number of other hospitals have done. We think it would be wrong to make staff an exception and it will be a policy of the Trust that they must follow. We offer strong support to staff as well as to patients and visitors to stop smoking and indeed many staff have taken up this offer.”

Source: The Bolton News, 12th June 2009
Link: http://tinyurl.com/kvxckf