Tobacco News

Singapore Customs has launched a public campaign, “Don’t Get Burnt”, to in an effort to eradicate illegal cigarettes. The campaign aims to highlight to the public on the social consequences, as well as the severe penalties associated with buying, selling and/or possessing illegal cigarettes that do not bear the SDPC marking.
With the use of traditional and new media strategies, the campaign draws attention to its icon – a burn mark – that emphasises the consequences of dealing with illegal cigarettes. Ream more »

On August 27th, I spoke about the plan of Governor Patterson to enforce cigarette tax laws on Native American Indian tribes. In that discussion, it was noted that NYC Mayor Bloomberg stated that “the governor should act like a cowboy with a shotgun and enforce the state tax law.”
This is in addition to my understanding that, according to what the Gov. was proposing, a violation of the 4th Amendment was under way. Ream more »

A federal law is restricting the words “light,” “low,” and “mild” from tobacco products now on the market, as health officials launch a campaign to inform smokers that there’s no such thing as a safe cigarette. Under the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a tobacco company can’t use the words “light,” “low,” and “mild” on any cigarette products now on the market unless FDA has issued an order allowing it—and that hasn’t happened. Ream more »

JAKARTA — Australian, British and US rock bands including The Smashing Pumpkins and Stereophonics have been urged to withdraw from a music festival in Indonesia because of its tobacco sponsorship.
Anti-tobacco activists and health experts from Australia, the United States and Wales have expressed their concern that the bands’ actions will encourage youths to smoke in a country with high and rising addiction rates. Ream more »

A chemical in cigarette smoke has been found to cause a reaction which can lead to ectopic pregnancies, according to Edinburgh scientists.
Research from experts at Edinburgh University said Cotinine triggered a reaction which increased a protein in the Fallopian tubes. Ream more »

Chrysler announced that it has fired 13 employees who were caught drinking and smoking pot during their lunch hour by a local Detroit TV station. Two other employees have been suspended for a month without pay.
(Earlier story is here.) “As is evidenced by the swift action taken in this matter, it should be clear that Chrysler Group will not tolerate such behavior and will continue to evaluate its protocols to ensure that something like this does not happen again,” the company said in a statement. Ream more »

Many smokers experience stress and weight gain when they quit. These are common after-effects of quitting smoking. These circumstances happen as the body deals with the absence of nicotine that it was used to having regularly before quitting took place. Weight gain cannot be prevented when smoking is completely stopped. Even if you don’t eat much nor do some exercise to avoid it, you still end up adding a few pounds. Ream more »

Women who smoke during pregnancy run the risk of adversely affecting their children’s coordination and physical control according to a new study from -rebro University, Sweden, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
- Moreover, we discovered that boys’ abilities may be affected to a greater extent than those of girls, says Professor Scott Montgomery at -rebro University. Ream more »

Facebook is more than just a place to reconnect with old friends—it’s also a forum to build virtual communities and seek social support. As social media has become an increasingly important part of people’s daily lives, many organizations are turning to Facebook to connect with the public and engage them in online conversations. Ream more »

The $1 increase per pack in the state cigarette tax last year achieved the best of all possible worlds: a larger than expected increase in revenue combined with fewer smokers. According to the state Office of Policy and Management, the tax increase, which went into effect last October, was expected to generate an extra $99.3 million for the state during the last fiscal year. Ream more »