Tobacco News

You probably picked up your first cigarette in school “just for kicks”. Or was it in college? That’s when most youngsters get “initiated” into this habit. Curiosity, peer pressure and somehow it appears as the best way to be “cool”.

Fast forward to the present, that stick between your fingers is burning, you take a long puff — alone or in a group and either think about the stress in your life or make small talk. But, every time you resolve to break this habit. It seems an uphill task.
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As part of observing “world no tobacco day’ today, the city government general hospital organised a ‘human chain’, which was formed by doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students and workers in front of Madras Medical College.
From human chains to placards the underlying message was use of tobacco in any form was injurious to health and should be stopped. The theme this year was ‘Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)’. Ream more »

As Colorado’s new tougher regulations on the medical marijuana business take hold — rules its sponsors predicted would curb sales — the industry is showing remarkable resilience. The state Department of Revenue is preparing to issue its first dispensary licenses and to aggressively enforce the new regulations. Still, of the 818 dispensaries that originally applied for licenses in August, 759 have managed to navigate the rules and remain on track to receive one. That is a drop-off of about 7 percent. Ream more »

Minors have an easier time purchasing alcohol from Ontario’s The Beer Store or the LCBO than they do buying cigarettes at convenience stores across Ontario, a “mystery shopping” study has found.

According to a study funded by the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA), one in four underage secret shoppers were able to buy age-restricted products from the LCBO, and one in five made successful purchases at The Beer Store; convenience stores sold cigarettes without ID one in eight times.
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In October, in chaotic Mexico City, a small army of protestors, sporting placards and shouting into bullhorns, worsened the usual traffic snarl around San Lazaro, the nation’s congressional office complex. Television news accounts showed screaming-mad tobacco farmers, some of whom had boarded buses and traveled 500 miles to warn federal legislators that new taxes on cigarettes would put them out of business.

Inside, lawmakers were in a tug-of-war over a landmark excise tax law that eventually added about 50 cents to a pack of cigarettes and — anti-tobacco activists hoped — would make tobacco less attractive to consumers. Ream more »

Lack of cooperation among concerned parties is delaying a complete enforcement of the smoking ban in public places, a Ministry of Health official said on Sunday.
Malek Habashneh, director of the ministry’s awareness department, said full implementation of the Public Health Law that prohibits smoking in public places requires the cooperation of several authorities and people themselves.
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Clearing the air over Sheboygan’s ordinance on indoor smoking and the state law that banned smoking in the workplace is proving to be a most involved process. We suspected there would be problems more than a year ago when lawmakers, just a few weeks before the smoking ban was to take effect, passed a law to “tweak” some of the provisions of the smoking ban. Ream more »

Lindsay Lohan may be making over every aspect of her life as she has reportedly taken up smoking electronic cigarettes.

Blu Cigs reportedly released images of Lohan under house arrest using the electronic cigarettes, states TMZ.

They also reportedly commented that Lindsay, “is determined to better her career and her health and has started using Blu Cigs as a deterrent to lighting up.” Ream more »

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo was on Sunday awarded a World No Tobacco Day medal by the World Health Organization for his efforts to stamp out smoking in the capital.

At an event at City Hall to mark World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31, Khanchit Limpakarjanarat, the WHO’s country representative, cited Fauzi’s issuance of a decree in 2010 that banned smoking in public places and buildings.
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If Ganja Gourmet’s plans to expand its edible-marijuana business to Phoenix come through, medical-pot users can expect it to be more of a cafe than a pharmacy.

Its Denver location is stocked with tamales, pot pot pies and mousse cakes, designed to cater to those who would rather eat than smoke their medicine.
“It’s safer than smoking and more socially acceptable,” said owner Steve Horwitz, who also believes there are health advantages to eating medical marijuana vs. smoking it. Ream more »