Tobacco News

Nebraska can’t seem to get a break.
On top of being the second highest state on the national binge drinking list this year, Nebraska fell on the bad end of the American Lung Association’s 10th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report.
Ranked in four separate categories that have been proven to save lives and cut health care costs, Nebraska received “F’s” in tobacco prevention, cigarette tax and cessation. The only “A” that Nebraska received was in smoke-free air. Ream more »

NIPPING ‘OUTSIDE for a smoke’ will be stamped out at Louth County Hospital at the end of the month when the HSE launch their ‘ Tobacco Free Campus’ campaign.

From 22nd February, National No Smoking Day, the hospitals within the Louth Meath Hospital Group, which include Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, and Louth County Hospital in Dundalk will become smoke free campuses .
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The City University of New York made a bold move against smokers during a Board of Trustees meeting held late January last year. In early September of this year, all City University of New York campuses will be completely tobacco free.
This decision expands upon the tobacco policy enacted Sept. 29, 1994, which is an expansion upon a decision made by the Council of Presidents in 1990. This prohibits smoking in over 90 percent of the campus area including classrooms, auditoriums, elevators, hallways, restrooms and other common areas. This move will effectively make CUNY the largest tobacco free university system in the country. Ream more »

Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, the world’s fourth-largest tobacco group by sales, Wednesday posted a fall in first-quarter revenue and volumes on tough comparisons, hit by a trade ban in Syria and de-stocking.

“Delivering the planned acceleration in our underlying sales momentum whilst continuing to realize cost and cash opportunities remain our priorities,” Chief Executive Alison Cooper said. The maker of Lambert & Butler, Gitanes Blondes and JPS cigarettes said tobacco revenue, excluding foreign exchange effects, fell 1% year-on-year in the three months to Dec. 31, while total volumes fell 7%. Ream more »

This year’s Tobacco-Free Oklahoma Week, which officially began Monday, is broadening its focus to include not only public awareness campaigns on the health effects of smoking, but also on the financial costs to smokers and non-smokers.

Gov. Mary Fallin issued the proclamation last Friday, designating Jan. 29-Feb. 4 as Tobacco-Free Oklahoma Week, “a week highlighting the price all Oklahomans pay for tobacco use, whether they smoke or not.”
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South San Francisco students urged the city council Wednesday to support a resolution asking the Motion Picture Association to limit images of smoking and tobacco products in movies.

As part of the Smoke-Free Movie Campaign, students of the Youth Leadership Institute met with Mayor Richard Garbarino last week and gave a presentation concerning the negative affects of smoking and promoting tobacco products in the mass media. Ream more »

A multi-agency fraud investigation resulted in arrests at two Daytona Beach shops on Tuesday, where authorities say clerks allowed customers to buy alcohol and cigarettes with food stamps.

Investigators say the fraud involved the improper use of plastic EBT cards issued as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. The cards are supposed to be used for food and non-alcoholic beverages, but when authorities sent an informant into two Daytona Beach convenience stores, they were able to buy other goods. Ream more »

THE 2012 tobacco selling season opens on February 15 amid expectations from stakeholders of high output and quality crop. The tobacco would be auctioned at four floors — Tobacco Sales Floor, Boka Tobacco Floors, Millennium Tobacco and Premier Tobacco. Players in the industry told Standardbusiness they hope for a “bit more in terms of national yield and better quality tobacco”.

Zimbabwe Progressive Tobacco Farmers Union president, Nicholas Kapungu, told Standardbusiness that the organisation is optimistic ahead of the selling season, as all members will sell the crop to one buyer, Star International Tobacco, whom they have agreed with on prices. Ream more »

There’s so much to agree with about the Smoke-Free Mesquite effort.
Cigarette smoke is a killer. There’s strong evidence that second-hand cigarette smoke also is dangerous, causing cancer, heart attacks and stroke. People should be able to breath clean air when they go out in public or where they work. Making Mesquite a smoke-free tourist destination would benefit the economy

The MLN applauds Fred Toval, the Mesquite representative of the American Lung Association who spearheaded the drive, for his diligence and effort.
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University of Arizona Medical Center has made its own New Year’s Resolution: banning smoking anywhere near the building. Hallelujah! Smoking should be banned at all hospitals. It’s great one so close to home made this rule. If you work in the medical field, wouldn’t you, of all people, be aware of what smoking does to you? Or, if you were visiting someone in the hospital, why would you go outside and kill yourself a little more by having a cigarette? So now we not only say good bye to the “butt-huts” — which were the designated smoking areas at the hospital — but also to smoking in the parking lot, or in a car on the property.
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