Tobacco News

Q: Has the tobacco industry turned over a new leaf and now has a conscience?
A: Not at all. The tobacco industry is as devious as ever, in spite of media efforts to give it a more positive image. It is still recruiting our children. It knows that it must capture our youth early if it is to continue to prosper. Eighty percent of adult smokers admit to starting before age 18. It has been estimated that the tobacco industry needs to recruit 5,000 new young smokers every day to maintain the total number of smokers because of smoker deaths and quitters.
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Government has faced a revenue loss of Rs 45 billion during the last six years on account of tax evasion, smuggling and counterfeiting in cigarette industry due to failure of government’s authorities in taking concrete steps.

According to industrial data, government had to face a revenue loss of Rs 7.5 billion in the current year, Rs 6.5 billion in 2009, Rs 6 billion in 2008, Rs 5.59 billion in 2007, Rs 5.48 billion in 2006 and Rs 4.1 billion in 2005 on account of tax evasion.
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There is nothing the Conservatives enjoy more than poking fun at Liberal foibles, which is why Stephen Harper accused Michael Ignatieff of encouraging people to smoke cigarettes on Tuesday. The Liberals used Question Period to promote the major new policy that Mr. Ignatieff had announced earlier in the day, which would offer financial assistance for people providing home care to relatives. Ream more »

JAKARTA — Australian, British and US rock bands including The Smashing Pumpkins and Stereophonics have been urged to withdraw from a music festival in Indonesia because of its tobacco sponsorship.
Anti-tobacco activists and health experts from Australia, the United States and Wales have expressed their concern that the bands’ actions will encourage youths to smoke in a country with high and rising addiction rates. Ream more »

A gang of bootleggers were jailed after their moonshine vodka and tobacco business dodged more than £10million in tax.
Their vodka factory in Dalston, east London, staffed by a Polish workforce, was so successful – churning out 24 bottles a minute – they set up a tobacco farm in Enfield, north London, which could produce 100 pouches of counterfeit Golden Virginia in a minute. Ream more »

The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the federal government in a long-running case in which it sought huge damages against tobacco firms.

The US government was appealing against a lower court ruling that it could not take $280bn (£185bn) of tobacco firms’ profits to help people quit smoking.

The court also rejected an appeal by the tobacco industry against a ruling that it had violated racketeering laws.

Tobacco shares rose on news of the first ruling.
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Motley Fool analyst Anand Chokkavelu highlights a possible buying opportunity in tobacco giant Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM).

U.S. investors normally only have two choices when picking up international exposure in individual stocks: ADRs (foreign companies listed on U.S. exchanges) or U.S.-based companies that do a bunch of business in foreign countries, like Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola does well over half its business outside the United States.

If you don’t mind investing in tobacco, Marlboro-maker Philip Morris International offers us a rare third option. Thanks to the 2008 break-up of Altria (NYSE: MO) (U.S. operations) and Philip Morris International (everywhere else), Ream more »

United Tobacco, known for their 601, Cubao and Murcielago cigar line, have sold a 50 percent stake to Rocky Patel Premium Cigars. Partnership with Rocky Patel means the United Tobacco cigars will be sold, distributed and marketed by the Rocky Patel channels and the company name has been changed to EO Brands. Read more

After having worked in Russia for the past 10 years, Jonathan Varnell has moved to Turkey a year ago. The very first thing that made Varnell happy about his decision to move seems to be the weather. “It is the first time in ten years I have not seen snow,” he says. He is also seems happy to have find a business environment similar to that in the United States, especially after his experience in Russia. Read more

Colin Yarmie pulls the little spout from its water-filled growing tray and gestures toward the thousands of other tobacco plants crammed into two steamy greenhouses on his family farm. By the end of May, Mr. Yarmie says, all will be planted in nearby fields, filling 90 acres (36.4 hectares) with Canada’s most controversial cash crop. Read more