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ASH Daily News – Saturday 17 – Monday 19 November 2001

HEADLINES
Philip Morris changes its name to Altria
Survey claims more people smoking in response to terror attacks
Tobacco farming to be hit by WTO membership


FULL TEXT

Philip Morris changes its name to Altria

Philip Morris plans to change its name to Altria, in order to distance the group from the controversy surrounding the tobacco industry. From next April, subject to approval by shareholders, the company will adopt the new name but the tobacco division will retain the name of Philip Morris. The new name is based on the Latin word “altus” meaning “high” and is supposed to reflect high performance. A spokesman said the move was also designed to show that the company had moved away from its former cigarette-selling core towards consumer brands and food. Geoffrey Bible, Philip Morris’s CEO, said that the change was being proposed for “clarity”. However, the move was met with scepticism by health campaigners. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said the name change would make no difference. “Philip Morris is changing its name because it is unwilling to change its harmful business practices”, a spokesman said.

Source: The Guardian, The Times, IHT, 17/11/01


Survey claims more people smoking in response to terror attacks

Sales of cigarettes and alcohol have soared since the terrorists attacks in the USA, according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph. The pattern may be common in other countries too. A survey conducted by the American Cancer Society and GlaxoSmithKline, to be released later this month, will reveal that about five per cent of former smokers have returned to cigarettes in the wake of the attacks.

Thomas Glynn, the director of trends at the American Cancer Society, said his colleagues across the world had reported a rise in anxiety-related behaviour, including smoking. “The attack on September 11, as well as fears over war and biological attacks, are understandably causing many people to retreat to unhealthy behaviour such as smoking,” he said. “As part of our global efforts to return to normalcy, we must focus again on personal health,” he added.

Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 18/11/01



Tobacco farming to be hit by WTO membership

Tobacco and betel farmers in Taiwan and China fear a loss of their livelihoods as a result of their countries’ membership of the World Trade Organisation. Until a week ago, the Taiwanese government protected betel farmers with high tariffs, in effect closing the market to foreign imports. But as part of its WTO obligations, Taiwan has undertaken to cut the tariffs on a wide range of farm goods, which will put up to 90,000 farmers out of work over the next 3 years, according to official figures.

According to a report in Sunday Business, government officials think that allowing the betel farmers to go out of business is a good move because years of chewing the root results in rotting teeth, gum infection and foul breath.

China’s tobacco industry is one of the few that will remain protected post WTO membership, although the 230% tariff on cigarette imports will be cut. The government is expected to co-operate with foreign tobacco companies, granting them access to government distribution channels since tobacco revenue account for 10% of all tax revenue.

Source: Sunday Business, 18/11/01








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