Tobacco News

The Tobacco Free program at Ostara Campbelltown is for people who are living with mental illness who would like to quit or reduce their smoking.

This group meets for 2 hours each Thursday starting from October 13th 2011. There are 10 two hour sessions and each session is split into 2 sections. The first section is where you with learn information and skills that will help you with your smoking. The second section is a support group where you will receive support and ideas from other group members and have the opportunity to share your journey. Ream more »

A recent study published in the journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, found that rats that were given a synthetic compound of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in marijuana, experienced less symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than rats who were not given any drug treatment after stressors.

This study has important implications in treatment of PTSD which affects at least 7 percent of Americans at one point in their life, and 11 to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans will develop PTSD.
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A quick look through our reviews archive and you’ll see that Paul Garmirian cigars have been a favorite of ours. And personally, living only 15 minutes from their home shop, I appreciate my ready access to all their blends (including cigars with nearly 20 years of age), which in many areas are tough to find.

So I was excited to learn earlier this year that PG was coming out with a new blend called Artisan’s Passion. The blend is a “sister cigar” to PG’s Artisan’s Selection cigar, and like the Artisan’s Selection it aims to provide the PG experience in a more value-conscious offering.
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Proponents for a statewide smoking ban in bars and casinos can use the city of Alexandria’s decision Tuesday to ban smoking in bars throughout the city as a way to build momentum for a statewide ban, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said Wednesday.

“I imagine other cities will pass a similar law and eventually build momentum to a statewide ban,” the mayor said at his weekly press briefing. Roy credited the work of the Alexandria City Council, particularly President Roosevelt Johnson and District 4 Councilman Harry Silver, the city’s legal team and the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living for crafting an ordinance that protects “innocent third parties” from second-hand smoke at bars. Ream more »

Shisha smoking is spreading among youth in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Shisha, traditionally known as ‘hookah’ was considered to be an integral part of rural areas of South Asia.

While latest Shisha means flavoured water pipe smoking. Different ‘Shisha Cafés’ offer a mixture of crude types of tobacco fermented with molasses and fruits and the sweet odour of fruits conceals the natural smell of tobaccos tar and nicotine. Ream more »

In the continued effort to reduce infant mortality in Baltimore, health officials and the Family League of Baltimore City have launched an effort to reduce secondhand smoke near babies and pregnant women.

The campaign, called “Just Hold Off,” is the second phase of the B’more for Healthy Babies program. The first phase, launched in August 2010, focused on safe sleep: Babies should sleep alone, on their backs in a crib.
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In a decision that could upend the way California cities regulate medical marijuana, a state Court of Appeal has ruled that Long Beach’s ordinance regulating dispensaries violates federal law.

The city held a lottery, issued permits to the winners and charged fees, which the three-judge panel said put it in the position of authorizing the distribution of marijuana in direct conflict with the federal Controlled Substances Act, which makes the possession and sale of the drug illegal. Marijuana use remains illegal under California law except for medical purposes. Ream more »

The school district isn’t any closer to being 100 percent tobacco free, but school board members’ interest in creating a smoking cessation program is at least something that pleases anti-drug coalition members.

All but one school board member agreed Tuesday that they didn’t support a proposal by the county anti-drug coalition to make all school district-owned properties tobacco free — a restriction that would have primarily impacted maintenance and other nonteaching employees.
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The University of Oregon is launching an education campaign to prepare students, faculty, staff and visitors for a significant change in Fall 2012, when the UO will become a smoke and tobacco-free university.

In November 2010, UO President Richard Lariviere made the announcement and committed to helping tobacco users in the campus community with support and assistance to kick their habits.
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The price of cigarettes in Slovenia will go up on Saturday as part of an increase in excise duty on tobacco. The best selling brand will be 10 cents dearer at EUR 2.8 a pack, a rise of 3.7%, wholesaler Tobacna Ljubljana said reports Slovenia Times. The price hike is in line with last year’s changes to the excise duties act, which already raised the excise from EUR 77 to EUR 80 per 1,000 cigarettes in April. Ream more »