HEADLINES

• Ireland: When tobacco is out of sight it’s out of mind
• Smuggled cig baron ordered van torture kidnap
• Video: New anti-smoking ad in Moscow even more frightening
• Big tobacco undermines health policy as treaty meetings face similar abuse
• Fighting big tobacco in Spain

• Ireland: When tobacco is out of sight it’s out of mind

  Two new studies combine to show putting tobacco out of sight in shops not only changes young people’s attitude to smoking but doesn’t result in retailers losing money.

  The research has been published in Tobacco Control. It was carried out in the Republic of Ireland where tobacco advertising and displays of cigarettes were banned and cigarette vending machines, outside of licensed premises, were prohibited in 2009.

  MPs voted to ban tobacco displays last year, but the new government has yet to implement the decision.

  The studies were both carried out by researchers at the University of Nottingham and funded by Cancer Research UK, the Office of Tobacco Control in Ireland and the Irish Cancer Society.

  Results from the first study show the number of teenagers who recalled seeing tobacco displays dropped from 81% to only 22% after 1st July 2009 when the displays were removed.

  After their removal fewer young people believed that smoking was widespread among their peers; before this, 62% thought that more than one in five children their own age smoked. This fell to 46% afterwards.

  After displays were covered up, 38% of teenagers thought the measure would make it easier for children not to smoke and 14% of adults thought the law made it easier to quit smoking.

  The research also showed that support for putting tobacco out of sight rose from 58% to 66% after the measure came into force.

  The studies can be found on the Tobacco Control website here and here.

  Source: WebMD - 19 November 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/9GDwNn

• Smuggled cig baron ordered van torture kidnap

  A ruthless tobacco baron is suspected of ordering the kidnap and torture of a man found dying in a van.

  The battered victim is believed to have owed money to the criminal Mr Big.

  The gang who snatched the man, in his 40s, were being investigated by Revenue and Customs officers on suspicion of smuggling millions of cigarettes into the country.

  Customs agents alerted police about the kidnap plot after a tip-off.

  Source: The Sun - 19 November 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/9HRlJv

• Video: New anti-smoking ad in Moscow even more frightening

  A new anti-smoking campaign “Non-smoking Moscow” has started in the Russian capital. The authorities suggested that the owners of restaurants and cafés should ban smoking there for the whole week. In order to make smokers to give up their unhealthy habit new social advertising has also been released on TV.

  Muscovites still remember last year’s “shock-therapy” social advertising when every street had a billboard which depicted a sleeping baby with a cigarette butt put out on her back. After a wide public discussion that ad was replaced with a new one, depicting a butt slitting a grown man’s vein. According to sociologists, 70% of Moscow citizens saw those ads and after that, every ninth person gave up smoking.

  We think that the video below is that of the film in question (If you can not see the video, please click here): 

  Source: The Voice of Russia - 18 November 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/a07tOs

• Big tobacco undermines health policy as treaty meetings face similar abuse

  A new investigative report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists exposes a wide range of tactics employed by the tobacco industry to undermine advances being made by the global tobacco treaty. Threats to health policy include aggressive lobbying and legal intimidation, to charitable donations and even outright payoffs.

  Even as Parties meet to discuss how to overcome such obstacles - the primary threat in advancing a treaty the World Health Organization projects could save 200 million lives by 2050 - industry tactics have followed countries to this week's treaty negotiations in Uruguay.

  Not only are dozens of tobacco industry representatives crowding the halls of the negotiation each day, industry is also playing a role in the seating of delegates in attendance. These delegates are the eyes, ears, and voice piece of an industry that has otherwise been prohibited from directly participating in the negotiations and health policy under a core provision of the treaty.

  Source: News Balze - 17 November 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/9gtYoP

• Fighting big tobacco in Spain

  With a new law on tobacco control moving to the Spanish Senate next month, campaigners are preparing to defend it against any rearguard action by the tobacco industry in Spain to water down its terms.

  The draft law, which could take effect in January, seeks to ban smoking in enclosed public places. A law passed in 2006 had the same purpose, but that legislation was so emasculated during its passage through parliament that 90% of Spain’s bars and restaurants have continued to allow smoking.

  The law has become known as “the Spanish model” and is promoted heavily by the tobacco industry.

  Now antismoking campaigners are doing their best to ensure that the new law is not similarly weakened in its last stages by the scare tactics of the hospitality industry, which claims that a ban threatens jobs and the economy.

  This article requires subscription.

  Source: BMJ - 15 November 2010
  Link: http://bit.ly/bNBxL3