Imposing higher taxes on tobacco items can reduce smoking among individuals with alcohol, drug or mental disorders, a study has found. The research from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA found that a 10 percent increase in cigarette pricing resulted in an 18.2 percent decline in smoking among people in these groups. The findings demonstrate that increasing cigarette taxes could be a way to curb smoking, which is still the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to the study’s lead author, Dr. Michael Ong, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the Geffen School of Medicine.

Ong, who is also a researcher at UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Center, said: “Whatever we can do to reduce smoking is critical to the health of the U.S. Cigarette taxes are used as a key policy instrument to get people to quit smoking, so understanding whether people will really quit is important. Individuals with alcohol, drug or mental disorders comprise 40 percent of remaining smokers, and there is little literature on how to help these people quit smoking.”

Prior research on the effect of cigarette pricing on smoking, which had been conducted using information from 1991, suggested that individuals with mental illness were less likely than other individuals to quit due to price increases. Unlike that research, however, the current study expanded the research to include people with alcohol and drug disorders.

The researchers based their work on data from 7,530 individuals from the 2000-01 Healthcare for Communities Household Survey. Of those, 2,106 people, or 23 percent, had alcohol, drug or mental disorders during the previous year. Of that group, 43.8 percent were smokers – a much higher proportion than among rest of the population.

Though the researchers found that people with alcohol dependence did not cut down on cigarettes when prices rose, people with binge-drinking problems, substance-use disorders and mental disorders were significantly more likely to quit smoking if prices rose, as would occur with a cigarette tax increase.

While the study does suggest that increasing cigarette prices through taxation could reduce smoking among individuals with alcohol, drug or mental disorders, the authors note that further study is needed to determine if recent cigarette price increases have reduced smoking among individuals with such disorders, and whether the identified association is causal.

The study has been published online in the American Journal of Public Health. (ANI)

June 4, 2010, sify.com

BRUSSELS — The health commissioner for the European Union says he is working on strengthening the EU’s efforts to curb tobacco usage. John Dalli says cigarette packaging and advertising may soon face additional restrictions under the commission’s revision of EU tobacco rules, the EUobserver reports. “I believe the time has come to strengthen our efforts to fight tobacco and its consequences on people’s health, Dalli said Monday on World No Tobacco Day. Dalli told a European Parliament conference on anti-smoking that his goal is to make cigarettes appear “less attractive.”

Anti-smoking activists want to see full-color graphic warnings against smoking that use images of cancer-ridden throats and blackened lungs.

They would like those pictures to take up as much as 80 percent of cigarette packaging.

Packaging is one of the most successful parts of the tobacco industry’s marketing and to curb tobacco usage.

June 2, 2010  upi

Smoke Free Movies has launched a series of print advertisements in several publications. This advertisement first ran in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety on January 12, 2010.

Attorneys for Wynn Las Vegas are seeking dismissal of a lawsuit claiming its casino workers are exposed to dangerous second-hand tobacco smoke.

In court papers filed Friday, Wynn’s attorneys argued:

–The suit appears to be part of a union campaign involving Wynn casino dealers.

–Wynn is in compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which specifically allows smoking in casinos.

The lawsuit was filed Oct. 20 in federal court in Las Vegas by dealer and Transport Workers Union officer Kanie Kastroll.

The suit, filed by Chicago class-action lawsuit firm KamberEdelson LLC, seeks an order requiring Wynn “to take reasonable measures to protect its employees from second-hand smoke” and unspecified costs and attorney’s fees.

Kastroll claims in the lawsuit that exposure to smoke is causing eye irritation, coughing, sore throat, sneezing, shortness of breath, dizziness, wheezing, tightness in the chest, asthma, headache, nausea and ingestion of cancer-causing chemicals and toxins.

But after her lawsuit was filed, the Transport Workers Union Gaming Division issued a press release distancing itself from the lawsuit and praising Wynn Las Vegas for its efforts to reduce second-hand smoke.

The TWU Local 721 in 2007 won the right to represent some 1,100 dealers at Wynn and Caesars Palace, but has not yet signed contracts with either casino.

A similar smoking lawsuit was filed by KamberEdelson against Caesars Palace this year, but it was dismissed this month after KamberEdelson said unspecified “outside forces” interfered with its ability to represent the plaintiff, former dealer Tomo Stephens.

In the Wynn case, attorneys for the Las Vegas Strip resort with the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP argued Friday: “The real basis for this action appears by all measures to be the pursuit of a political agenda.”

“Although not specifically disclosed in her pleading, plaintiff is the president of a local union who has fought for years to unionize a certain group of Wynn’s casino workers. In what appears to be either a retaliatory lashing out at the Wynn or an otherwise shameless grab for publicity, plaintiff has filed this action with no real causes of action under Nevada law, and no jurisdiction whatsoever for this court,” Wynn said in its filing.

“Plaintiff’s complaint reads more like a union rally speech than a legal pleading. Whether her baseless and inflammatory allegations are really designed to simply garner support and appreciation from the people plaintiff hopes to represent in her union is an obvious and fair question,” Wynn’s filing said.

The Wynn attorneys also asserted that with “the Nevada Legislature’s specific endorsement of Wynn’s conduct, Wynn has no duty to shield its employees from second-hand smoke and plaintiff’s claims must therefore fail.”

Wynn’s filing noted that the 2006 ballot measure creating the Nevada Clean Indoor Act, as codified by the Legislature, specifically exempts from regulation areas within casinos where loitering by minors is already prohibited.

“In essence, plaintiff asks this court to override the Nevada Legislature’s judgment on these very issues and judicially legislate how the gaming industry conducts its business,” Wynn’s response said.

Wynn’s attorneys also noted there’s debate in the scientific community about at what level second-hand smoke becomes dangerous and that it would be impossible to determine whether injuries associated with such smoke were sustained in a casino — or elsewhere.

“Due its ubiquitous nature, the court can never be certain about the source of any individual claimant’s exposure to second-hand smoke. Indeed, Wynn cannot control its employees’ exposure to tobacco smoke outside of the workplace. It may be true that many of its employees are exposed to second-hand smoke on a regular basis while at home or other places they frequent,” Wynn’s filing said.

The Wynn attorneys pointed out the Nevada federal court has dealt with proposed casino dealer second-hand smoke class-action lawsuits before.

In 2001, a proposed class-action involving four lawsuits filed in 1997 and 1998 was rejected when a judge found the dealers’ lawsuits were “replete with individual issues” rather than issues common to all the dealers. For instance, smoke levels vary by casino and employees in different areas of the same casino are likely subject to different levels of second-hand smoke.

The Wynn attorneys also said certifying the Kastroll lawsuit as a federal class-action would be impossible under the so-called home state controversy rule, which prohibits federal courts from considering class actions that involve disputes limited to a single state.

In this case, Wynn’s filing said, 99.56 percent of its 12,264 employees are Nevada residents. Kastroll’s suit seeks to represent all former, current and future non-smoking Wynn employees.

In other cases, plaintiffs have dealt with this home state controversy rule by transferring proposed class-actions to state courts.

About 368,000 teenagers in the country – almost the number who sit for the SPM examination each year – have developed a penchant for smoking.

And the number is growing with records showing 50 to 60 teenagers picking up the habit each day.

Malaysian Health Promotion Board (LKPM) Chief Executive Officer Dr Yahya Baba who disclosed this, Saturday, said what was worrying was that fatalities due to tobacco-related illnesses were also increasing.

Speaking at the Penampang secondary school level sketch competition themed “Anti-Smoking Campaign” here, he said overall there were 4.6 million smokers in the country, eight per cent of them being teenagers Seven secondary schools – SMK Limbanak, SMK Bahang, SMK Putatan, SMK Tansau, SM St Michael, SMK Taman Datuk Peter Mojuntin and SMK Taman Tun Fuad – competed in the event which was jointly organised by the Kota Kinabalu Cultural Art Society (PSBKK) and LKPM.

Yahya said the awareness-raising campaign was timely and hoped it would increase youngsters’ awareness on the dangers of smoking and prevent them from developing the habit.

Yahya said LKPM was ready to allocate grants to any society or non-governmental organisation (NGO) intending to hold programmes promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Such programmes need to be expanded so that awareness about health care could be advanced, he added.

“It is very important since health is the main key to promoting healthy lifestyle in Malaysia especially to youngsters,” said Yahya.

He said the event was in line with the LPKM’s objective to plan and implement health promotion activities for the benefit of the community by placing special concentration on youngsters.

He said health programme need not have to be anti-smoking campaigns but also other issues faced by most people in the country such as diabetes, AIDS and heart disease.

Deputy State Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun, who officiated at the competition, commended the effort by LPKM and PSBKK in organising the programme.

He said by focusing on secondary school students the said organisations showed they were serious about wiping out the smoking culture among teenagers.

Mositun also urged the authorities to inspect cyber caf}s in every district as he had received complaints from parents about some cyber caf}s frequented by problematic teenagers.

He said this is to prevent students, who frequent these Internet premises, from mingling with the problematic group who could introduce them to smoking, among others.

Meanwhile, SMK Tansau won the competition and received RM1,000, a trophy and certificates, while SMK Putatan and SM St Michael came second and third, respectively.

SMK Putatan and SM St Michael received RM800 and RM500 respectively as well as certificates.

Also present was PSBKK President Zhamriee Gulam Rasul, who was also the organising chairman of the event.

TORONTO, – Most women smokers know smoking can lead to cancer, heart disease and premature death but they are unaware of other health effects, a Canadian survey indicates.

The survey, conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of nicotine replacement therapy brands Nicoderm and Nicoette, reveals the majority of Canadian women who smoke are not necessarily aware of the host of other effects smoking can have on their immediate and longer-term health.

Eighty-three percent of female smokers say lung cancer was most strongly attributed to smoking, 62 percent say premature aging of skin, 61 percent say dental problems such as yellowing of teeth or tooth loss and 60 percent say heart disease.

Fewer than two in 10 female smokers surveyed were aware of the link between lighting up and increased risks of developing health issues such as infertility, early onset of menopause, menstrual irregularities, osteoporosis, baldness, premature grey hair, weight gain, hearing loss and incontinence.

Of the female smokers surveyed 78 percent say they tried to quit the habit two or more times. Sixty-nine percent cited health concerns as their primary reason for trying to quit, 14 percent said motivation by family, 8 percent say societal pressure, 6 percent say financial reasons and 5 percent say motivation by friends.

The survey of 1,061 adult female Canadian smokers or former smokers was conducted Oct. 20 to Oct. 23 has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

Nov. 5, 2009 Upi

Take a long drag of your Warm Mocha Mint Cigar – it might be the last you buy in the city. Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the ban on flavored tobacco into law yesterday. But before you hyperventilate, read the fine print: the ban doesn’t include clove or menthol cigarettes or even flavored hookah.

The city council proposed the ban as a way to “to protect the children of New York City,” Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) said during the vote. The number of high school students who smoke only cigars and cigarillos has tripled since 2001, the council said, and the fruity flavors might be to blame.

And experts agree. Michele Bonan, regional director of advocacy for the American Cancer Society, told the Daily News that flavored tobacco is “Big Tobacco’s version of training wheels.”

By: Rebecca Huval, NYpress

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 8 (UPI) — A major U.S. tobacco company appears to be trying to bypass federal rules on product marketing with new branding approaches, researchers say.

Harvard University researchers, along with specialists focused on tobacco control and educational efforts, allege R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is using packages with lighter colors as a means to suggest a safer product in the face of an upcoming ban on certain words in cigarette marketing, The Boston Globe said Thursday.

Starting on June 22, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will have the power to cite tobacco companies for using words such as “mild” and “light” when promoting their cigarette products.

“These tricks are now well-established,” tobacco control specialist Stanton Glantz said regarding R.J. Reynolds’ new lighter-color packages for products like Salem Lights. “The real question for the FDA is, are they going to let them get away with these shenanigans?”

R.J. Reynolds, which has also rebranded Pall Mall Lights to Pall Mall Blues, told the Globe it was not attempting to circumvent the new regulations by altering their popular products.

The D.C. Council is eyeing an extension of the city’s anti-tobacco prohibitions into public space, allowing all private property owners to ban smoking outside their buildings — including the public sidewalk.

The proposed legislation, a major expansion of the District’s smoke-free law, sets 18 as the legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products, requires retailers to post signs warning of the dangers of smoking, ramps up enforcement of sales to minors and authorizes smoking bans up to 25 feet from the wall of any private property — residential or commercial.

The goal of that last provision is to disperse packs of smokers who congregate outside office buildings, said Councilman Phil Mendelson, who introduced the bill with Councilwoman Yvette Alexander. A 25-foot ban, under the measure, could encompass an adjacent sidewalk.

“I want the owner of the property to be able to say ‘no’ if he wants to,” Mendelson said. “We’re not prohibiting smoking. We’re saying the owner can say no, even if it’s on the sidewalk.”

But property owners are unclear whether they could legally boot smokers off the sidewalk and into the street, said W. Shaun Pharr, senior vice president of government affairs with the D.C. Apartment and Office Building Association.

“We have nothing but good feelings for the intent here, but it’s public space,” Pharr said. “We don’t really have the right or the authority or control over that public space between the wall of the building and the sidewalk. I just think there’s some legal ambiguity we’ll still need to clear to up.”

John Banzhaf, a George Washington University law professor and longtime anti-smoking activist, said the District was legally in the right.

“This is aimed at the so-called congregation around the door,” the professor said. “That’s the real problem. I don’t see people zigzagging down the street.”

Also under the bill, retailers nabbed selling tobacco products to minors face fines and possible jail time plus mandatory license suspension or revocation. Minors caught attempting to purchase cigarettes, or in possession of a tobacco product, face fines as high as $500, up to 25 hours of community service and forfeiture of their smokes.

The provision will be difficult to enforce, said Pete Fisher of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

“We think the burden should primarily be on the people who sell tobacco,” Fisher said, “not on the people who are addicted and buy the tobacco products.”

By: Michael Neibauer
mneibauer@washingtonexaminer.com
© September 28, 2009 Washingtonexaminer