State governments struggling to close yawning budget gaps are fighting to get billions of dollars from a landmark 1998 tobacco settlement that they counted on to help fund everything from Medicaid to elder care programs.
Since 2006, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Lorillard Inc., and about 40 other cigarette makers that signed the settlement have withheld about $3.2 billion from the states. Ream more »
Maryland has taken “a small but significant step” toward removing criminal penalties for medical marijuana use, says state Del. Dan Morhaim, who represents Reisterstown.
Last week, the state Senate voted in favor of a bill that provides a new defense for residents who use marijuana for medical reasons. The House had already approved the bill and Gov. Martin O’Malley’s aides said he would sign it, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.
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The results are in and the majority of the people who responded to a campus-wide poll, issued by the University of South Dakota Student Government Association, want it to be against the campus policy to smoke a cigarette anywhere on campus.
With 1,192 participants, SGA Vice President Nick Weinandt said 52.2 percent of students polled want a ban on campus and 64.4 percent said they would like to see at a minimum, a change in the current policy. Ream more »
Fresh Cigs Inc. announces a Launch of their newest Electronic Cigarette. This new electronic cigarette is their best to one so far, and it helps smokers leave behind nearly everything that they don’t like about their habit. Fresh Cigs electronic cigarette produces water vapor, as opposed to cigarette smoke which contains a number of chemicals which impact the atmosphere. Ream more »
The founder of Blu Cigs, battery-powered electronic cigarettes that mimic the look and feel of traditional cigs and deliver vaporized nicotine to users, believes he’s discovered an innovation that could help his company compete with R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. Jason Healy, president of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company, and his team have spent about a year developing the “Smart Pack,” Ream more »
The online sales boost on SmokePower.com and that is due to the amazing products and promotions like free shipping and high quality products. They also have 5 STAR feedback from many of its customers on its products and service. Which is probably the most important thing to a companies longevity. The new electronic cigarette product line at SmokePower.com seems to be doing all the right things due to this amazing quality and value.
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A new University of Florida study shows that patrons leaving hookah cafés had carbon monoxide levels more than three times higher than patrons exiting traditional bars.
Carbon monoxide reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to tissues, and long-term exposure has been linked to cardiovascular disease. The UF study results appeared in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Drastic plans by Australia to become the first country to enforce plain packaging for cigarettes could cut smoking rates, and are likely to be emulated by Canada, New Zealand, and Britain, reinforcing Australia’s record as a world leader in antismoking measures.
The Australian government has announced draft legislation to outlaw all logos, colors, brand imagery, and promotional text from cigarette packets. The move will “take away the tobacco industry’s final capacity to promote its product,” says John Daube, professor of public health at Curtin University’s Institute of Public Policy in Perth. Ream more »
The second-largest tobacco company in the world, British American Tobacco (BAT), has reported an increase in its profits despite the hard times of financial crisis. The profits of the company elevated mainly because of its sales growth and increased sales in developing markets.
The West Indies Tobacco Company (WITCO) witnessed a 3% rise in its profits. Figures reveal that WITCO recorded a turnover of $942.5 million last year. The total income of the company grew 6% over 2009 which is mainly because of its improved sales performance. Ream more »
The number of high school students who smoke is dropping, but the number of high school students who use other tobacco products is rising. These other tobacco products include snus, nicotine pills, chewing tobacco, cigars, and even a liquid that looks and works like hand sanitizer. These products can be very deceiving to parents who may not know what they are.
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