New York has the highest cigarette tax in the nation, but about a third of the cigarettes sold in the state aren’t taxed at all — they’re purchased over the Internet or at smoke shops run by the state’s American Indians on tribal land.
Tribes in New York are supposed to collect sales tax from any nonnatives who come onto tribal land to buy cigarettes. But the tribes have long refused to collect the tax. Ream more »
A 33 year old Sydney woman has been jailed for three years after being found guilty of tobacco smuggling offences. Nada Sowaid, of Auburn, was found guilty of intentionally and dishonestly causing a loss to the Commonwealth contrary to the Criminal Code Act (Cth).
Customs and Border Protection investigations began in December 2008 following the interception of two shipping containers in Sydney. The containers were found to contain 18,734 kilograms of undeclared molasses tobacco. Ream more »
Aldi Suganda Rizal, the Indonesian “smoking baby” seen around the world on video, has stopped smoking. Suganda’s mother put him into rehab for thirty days. Aldi Suganda’s habit of smoking 40 cigarettes a day was perhaps even more startling than the video that made him famous. The “smoking baby” was introduced to the habit by his father. Ream more »
A federal judge on Friday chose not to temporarily prevent New York State from taxing cigarette sales on tribal land beginning Wednesday. Instead, with the clock ticking, Judge Richard J. Arcara said he first wants to see what happens Monday in a 4-year-old case in a state court to which the Senecas became a party on Thursday. Ream more »
Billie Joe Armstrong and the gang offered up two giant surprises for Green Day fans during their tour stop in Denver, Colorado this week: one, that they’re recording a live album, and two, the Bay Area rockers debuted a previously unreleased song, “Cigarettes And Valentines.” Watch the live video below! Ream more »
RIPLEY, Ohio — Just as much as tobacco is a traditional crop for Kentucky and Ohio farmers, the annual Ohio Tobacco Festival is a tradition for Ripley, and this year’s lineup of events promises to be a crowd pleaser.
The theme for the 29th annual festival celebrates heritage with the theme “Tobacco … A Tradition Grows.”
Events kick off Thursday in downtown Ripley with craft shows, commercial exhibits and food booths opening at 5 p.m. The Ohio Tobacco Festival Queen Contest starts at 8 that night. Ream more »
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A driver who took her eyes off the road to look for a pack of cigarettes is now charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to police. Investigators say Leah Walton told them she reached into her purse to get the cigarettes, took her eyes off the road briefly and then drove her car onto a sidewalk Sunday morning.
Police say Walton’s car crossed the center line of Craig Avenue and went over the curb where Susan Karabulut and Lisa McTe–both nurses at the White Oak Manor nursing home– were standing. Karabulut was dragged underneath the car and died. Ream more »
THIEVES stole cigarettes and alcohol after breaking in to a post office.
The post office in Penyffordd, near Holywell, was broken into overnight between Thursday (August 12) and Friday. Owner Derek Williams said: “They smashed the front door in and stole three bottles of vodka and a bottle of Bacardi as well as lots of cigarettes. Ream more »
(NaturalNews) Smoking is directly correlated with a lower IQ, according to a study conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel and published in the journal Addiction.
Researchers tested the IQs of more than 20,000 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 21 who were either serving in the Israeli military or who had recently completed their service. Twenty-eight percent of the men in the sample smoked, while 3 percent were former smokers and 68 percent had never smoked. Ream more »
The Co-operative Pharmacy is urging fasting Muslims to stop smoking during Ramadan. A total of 82 Co-operative Pharmacies located in areas with a high proportion of Muslim customers, are offering a free “medicines check” which now incorporates stop smoking advice. The pharmacy considers this to be the ideal time of year to think about stopping smoking as Muslims will already be abstaining during daylight hours to fulfil their religious obligation of fasting. Ream more »