HEADLINES

• Smoking may be banned in public parks and cars in England
• Morning smoking has cancer risk
• Thousands of fake cigarettes seized in Gloucestershire
• Smoking banned on Italian beach
• Canada: Nunavut to sue tobacco companies

• Smoking may be banned in public parks and cars in England

  The ban on smoking in public places could be extended to parks and cars in England.

  The Daily Mail reports that local councils are planning to use new laws to create ‘zero-tolerance’ zones similar to those in some parts of America.

  Under the Government’s Localism Bill, designed to shift power to communities and councils, the ban will be extended in areas where residents want it. Councils and NHS trusts are targeting places such as play parks to make ‘smoking history for our children’.

  Andrea Crossfield of Smokefree North West said she was helping local councils to use legislation to introduce enforceable bans.

  In the South-West, there are already ‘voluntary’ smoking bans in some children’s parks.

  Source: Daily Mail, 08 August 2011
  Link: http://bit.ly/oxJmYt

• Morning smoking has cancer risk

  According to researchers people who smoke in the first 30 minutes after waking are more likely to develop cancer than those who light up later in the day.

  A study of 7,610 smokers, published in the journal Cancer, said the effect was independent of other smoking habits.

  Cancer Research UK's Professor Robert West said: "Smokers who light up soon after waking tend to smoke each cigarette more intensively."

  "So the most likely explanation of this finding is that the sooner a smoker lights up, the more smoke is taken into the lungs, and the higher the level of exposure to cancer causing chemicals."

  "This may help estimating levels of tobacco exposure more than just looking at the usual daily cigarette consumption."

  Source: BBC News, 08 August 2011
  Link: http://bbc.in/ruTqaw

• Thousands of fake cigarettes seized in Gloucestershire

  Consumer watchdogs in Gloucestershire have seized a massive haul of counterfeit cigarettes.
  
  Officers from Gloucestershire County Council's Trading Standards team had been working on the operation for months with county police and HM Revenue & Customs.
  
  The seizure includes brands such as Golden Virginia, Superkings, Marlboro and L&M.
  
  Head of Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards, Eddie Coventry, said: “This was a very successful operation that saw a large amount of illegal goods taken off the streets, sending out a clear message that this type of activity will not be tolerated in Gloucestershire.
  
  Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Selling fake and illegally imported tobacco can put people’s health at risk and harm legitimate traders. Congratulations to everyone involved with this successful operation. Our Trading Standards team relies on the information given to us by the public and our partners, so I would encourage people to continue to contact us with their concerns.”

  Source: This is Gloucestershire, 05 August 2011
  Link: http://bit.ly/o2cskP

• Smoking banned on Italian beach

  Cigarette butts could be a thing of the past on one Italian beach near Venice where the local mayor introduced a test smoking ban on Saturday.

  Swimmers and sunbathers are being encouraged to put out their cigarettes on part of Bibione beach, in the municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento.

  Mayor Pasqualino Codognotto admitted that smokers could not be punished by the law but said: "This is an experimental initiative born from both the desire to have a clean beach without cigarette butts and health reasons."

  Around a fifth of Italians smoke but the numbers have fallen since a ban on smoking on public premises was introduced in 2005.

  Source: AFP, 07 August 2011
  Link: http://bit.ly/r7eyJ8

• Canada: Nunavut to sue tobacco companies

  The government of Nunavut plans to sue big tobacco companies for health-care costs associated with smoking.
  
  Nunavut Justice Minister Keith Peterson says tobacco is the territory's major addiction and its harmful effects are no secret.
  
  Peterson said, "We're just fed up with seeing what's happening up here in terms of the harm."
  
  The justice minister maintains the action is not about money, but about making tobacco companies — which misled people on smoking's dangers — atone by educating and dissuading youth from lighting up.
   

  Source: CBC News, 07August 2011
  Link: http://bit.ly/pwhA07