Smoking among adults 2008

A survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals a distinct difference in smoking and drinking habits between managers and professionals and those in manual jobs. The results are published today in the annual report, Smoking and drinking among adults, 2008 (the General Lifestyle Survey).

In 2008 smoking remained at its lowest recorded level at 21 per cent of adults. Over a quarter of these smoked heavily (20 or more cigarettes per day). The report also revealed that smoking is more prevalent in Scotland (24 per cent) than in England as a whole (21per cent).

Within England, the North West (23 per cent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (25 per cent) had the highest percentage of smokers. London and the East of England had the lowest figures at 19 per cent.

Around two thirds (65 per cent) of cigarette smokers in Great Britain said that they wanted to give up, but 57 per cent of smokers said that it would be difficult to go without smoking for a whole day.

When asked about the legislation banning smoking in enclosed public places such as restaurants and pubs, 75 per cent of drinkers said the new laws had not affected how often they went to a pub.

Source: Office for National Statistics, 28 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/bLEhAZ

Scottish tobacco display ban laws approved by MSPs

New laws to end the open display of tobacco in shops in Scotland have been passed by MSPs.

The Tobacco and Primary Medical Services Bill will also ban cigarette vending machines and introduce a registration scheme for retailers.

Ministers said the legislation would make cigarettes less attractive to children and young people.

But shopkeepers and manufacturers said the measures were unjustified and would be costly to bring in.

Large retailers have until 2011 to implement the ban, while smaller shops have been given a 2013 deadline.

Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon, whose party opposed the bill, failed in an attempt to kill it off, while a move by Labour's Dr Richard Simpson to further restrict sales of tobacco-related products was also thrown out.

MSPs passed the bill by 108 votes to 15.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said: "We've already made great strides, notably by banning smoking in public places and raising the age for buying cigarettes to 18.

"This Bill goes further by introducing measures designed to stop children from starting to smoke in the first place."

Anti-smoking body ASH Scotland backed the government's position that the move would reduce the 15,000 youngsters in Scotland who started smoking every year.

"This legislation means Scotland remains a world leader in tobacco control," said the organisation's Sheila Duffy.

But Christopher Ogden, Chief Executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, said there was "no credible evidence" to show the legislation would tackle the issue.

"The last thing we need in the midst of challenging economic times is further regulation that will facilitate illicit trade in tobacco products and impact adversely on thousands of small retailers and the communities they serve," he said.

Other measures in the bill bring in fixed penalty notices for retailers who sell cigarettes to under-18s and measures which would exclude certain individuals or private firms from entering into contracts with health boards to provide GP services.

At Westminster, MPs last year supported a backbench amendment to outlaw cigarette vending machines in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as part of the UK government's Health Bill.

Source: BBC News, 27 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/afVerN

USA: Reynolds to pay $150,000 to settle dispute over ads

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has agreed to pay $150,000 to Maryland as part of a settlement with that state's attorney general regarding a former Camel marketing campaign.

The settlement is the latest development involving claims that Reynolds violated the Master Settlement Agreement with a four-page pullout in the Nov. 15, 2007, issue of Rolling Stone.

On Jan. 15, an appellate court in Ohio ruled that Reynolds cannot be blamed for the content of a Camel advertisement in the magazine being placed around a five-page pullout containing cartoon images. The magazine ran four pages of Camel cigarette ads as bookends to five pages of editorial content about indie-rock music.

The day after the filing of the lawsuits in December 2007, Reynolds voluntarily stopped promotions for the campaign.

David Howard, a spokesman for Reynolds, said that Reynolds admitted no wrongdoing. He said that the company chose not to spend time or resources "to defend a program that ended two years ago.

Source: Winston-Salem Journal, 28 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/9d74d5

Ireland: 750,000 counterfeit cigarettes seized in Cork

A man is being questioned after a seizure of contraband cigarettes and tobacco in Cork last night.

The haul of 750,000 counterfeit cigarettes and over 500kg of tobacco, discovered in the north west of the county, is estimated to be worth about €500,000.

Two vehicles were also seized during the operation

Source: RTE News, 28 January 2010
Link: http://bit.ly/9rLBxF