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ASH Daily News

18-20 November, 2000

Headlines

'Tobacco companies under fire'
'Girls in peril from safer smoking'
'Glaxo suffer setback over anti-smoking drug'
Huge Cigarette Shipment Seized
Further preview of 'Artworks'

Full Text

'Tobacco companies under fire'

The Glasgow Herald reports, 'Action needs to be taken to control the absence
of ethical qualms in tobacco industry marketing, according to a report to be
presented to MEPs this week. Co-author of the report, Professor Gerard
Hastings, of Strathclyde University and The Cancer Research Campaign, said:
"What is most shocking is the complete absence of any ethical qualms
whatsoever. All that matters to them is how close to the wind they are
sailing and how to bend the rules."

The article adds, 'The study - based on confidential, internal strategy
papers detailing how cigarette companies cynically try to increase their
sales - is being used by health campaigners to persuade the European Union
to adopt even tougher anti-tobacco legislation. It has been prepared by the
British Medical Association and the Centre for Tobacco Control Research
(CTCR).' The authors hope it will convince MEPs to support robust
legislation on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products
when they examine the Bill on Wednesday.

The draft measures would introduce effective and informative health warnings
on cigarette packets, end misleading tobacco labelling implying health
benefits, require full details of tobacco additives, reduce tar content, and
introduce limits on carbon monoxide and nicotine.

Source: The Glasgow Herald, 20 November 2000

'Girls in peril from safer smoking'

The Sunday Mirror reports, 'The number of young women smokers developing
lung cancer has doubled - and low-tar cigarettes are being blamed. Tobacco
firms claims "light" brands are safer than normal strength ones. But they
could be even more lethal, according to new research. Smokers are inhaling
deeper to get a buzz - triggering cancer in parts of the lung where it is
rarely found, harder to spot and much more aggressive. Last night Amanda
Sandford, of ASH, said: "This is disturbing given the high numbers of young
people - particularly teenage girls - who are smoking. It proves again there
is no such thing as a safer cigarette."

Source: The Sunday Mirror, 19 November 2000

'Glaxo suffer setback over anti-smoking drug'

Reuters reports, 'Glaxo Wellcome Plc said on Friday there was no evidence
that Zyban--taken by patients trying to stop smoking--caused stroke, despite
reports of some patients being affected while on the medicine. The UK's
Medicines Control Agency, which is responsible for drug safety, has recorded
some 1,300 cases of users who have experienced side effects while taking the
drug, including seven who suffered strokes, since Zyban was launched in
Britain in June.'

The article adds, 'Glaxo said the incidents of stroke could well be related
to smoking. An estimated 15 million people have taken bupropion (the active
ingredient in Zyban) world-wide to date and there is no evidence of an
increased risk of stroke associated with the use of this medicine,' the
company said in a statement. There is, however, a well-documented increased
risk of stroke amongst smokers."

Source: Reuters, 17 November 2000, Financial Times 20 November 2000

'Huge Cigarette Shipment Seized'

Prosecutors are investigating the attempted smuggling out of Russia of $2.5
million worth of cigarettes, which were seized in a port west of St.
Petersburg over the weekend.

A shipment of cigarettes bearing the Regal and Super Kings trademarks, but
lacking excise stamps, was seized in the commercial port of Lomonosov. The
Regal and Super Kings brands belong to the British-based Imperial Tobacco
Group.

The contraband was apparently bound for Britain's black tobacco market. It
is
now in warehouses belonging to Russian Customs.

Source: St. Petersburg Times (Russia), Friday, 17 November 2000

Further preview of 'Artworks'

The Times provides further coverage of the 'Artworks' exhibition that has
been commissioned by the World Health Organisation. The display will run in
the Whitechapel Gallery, London between the 22-24 November.

Further details can be seen at http://www.who.dk/Welcome.htm or:
http://www.whitechapel.org/1enter/news-WHOevent.html

Source: The Times, 18 November 2000

Karl Brookes
Action on Smoking and Health
102 Clifton Street
London
EC2A 4HW
Tel: 00 44 207 395902
Fax: 00 44 207 613 0531
http://www.ash.org.uk/smuggling/