Research and Markets: Analyzing the Tobacco Industry in India

The Indian tobacco industry has been posting strong growth in the recent years, but is forecast to slow down in coming years, primarily due to the strict regulations put in place by the Indian government to curb the usage of tobacco and tobacco products.

While cigarettes are usually the leading segment in most countries, the Indian tobacco industry is led by the sale of chewing tobacco followed by cigarettes. The market for cigars is still at a nascent stage and is not expected to grow very much in the coming years.

Aruvians Rsearch analyzes the Indian tobacco industry in its research offering Analyzing the Tobacco Industry in India. The report is an in-depth profile of the tobacco industry in India as well as the global tobacco industry, along with a complete analysis of the major players in the industry.

For the global tobacco industry we analyze the industry through an industry definition, industry overview wherein we look at the market statistics, an industry value analysis, industry segmentation, regional share of the industry, industry distribution, along with an analysis of the competition in the industry and company market share. Future of the global tobacco industry is also analyzed.

For the Indian tobacco industry, we analyze the tobacco market through an industry overview, industry value analysis, industry segmentation, regional share analysis, industry distribution, market competition, major players in the market and their market share, as well as an analysis of the future of the tobacco market in India.

NYACS Helps Block State Tobacco Tax Hikes

The New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS) announced yesterday that it has succeeded in stopping New York State from further increasing tobacco taxes and thereby “chasing more customers” away from NYACS member retail outlets.

In the new state budget for 2012-13 that will be adopted later this week, Governor Cuomo and the Legislature agreed to remove the tax changes on cigars and loose tobacco the Governor had proposed two months ago.

NYACS fought these tax hikes, arguing that when tobacco taxes rise in New York, tobacco consumers head for the nearest Indian reservation, border state or bootlegger to avoid paying the higher tax — costing convenience stores business and costing the State tax revenue.

Cigar Tax. Governor Cuomo had proposed to tax cigars at 50% of retail value instead of 75% of wholesale value, with distributors pre-paying a portion of that tax (20 cents per cigar) and the retailer remitting the balance. With NYACS and tobacco-industry allies vigorously opposed, this was dropped from the final budget.

Loose Tobacco. In an effort to curb the commercial roll-your-own cigarette trade, Governor Cuomo proposed to tax all loose tobacco at $4.53 an ounce instead of the current 75% of wholesale. That would have tripled the price of take-home pipe tobacco sold by convenience stores, chasing those customers to tax-free outlets. NYACS showed Albany that the plan would backfire, and it was removed from the budget.

Minimum Markup. The state Senate had proposed increasing the handling fee paid by retail stores to their cigarette wholesale “stamping agent” from the current 2 cents per pack to 14 cents, giving wholesalers a 600% windfall without providing any markup increase whatsoever for retailers. Due to NYACS’ objections, this was rejected as a budget item, although it may resurface as a stand-alone bill in the weeks ahead.

Bottle Bill. The state Senate had also proposed changes to the state’s Bottle Bill, including provisions allowing distributors to pick up empties less frequently than they’re required to now and imposing unnecessary costs on retailers who use reverse vending machines. NYACS protested, and these changes were removed. However, possible Bottle Bill revisions continue to be debated, and could result in a stand-alone legislation.

Taxes/Fees. There are no other new taxes or fees impacting convenience stores in the final budget, fulfilling a key NYACS goal for 2012.​

NYACS President Jim Calvin attributed NYACS’ budget-season success to the active involvement of its Board of Directors and Legislative Committee and outstanding work by its lobbyist Scott Wexler of Ostroff Hiffa & Associates and its legislative counsel Doug Kantor of Steptoe & Johnson. He thanked Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silve, and their colleagues for listening to the concerns of convenience store operators about these issues.

Ontario Budget Cracks Down on Contraband Tobacco

The National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco (NCACT) was pleased that Finance Minister Dwight Duncan's budget included provisions that will crack down on contraband tobacco. This follows through on a campaign commitment during the last provincial election and addresses recommendations included in the Drummond report. The budget identified that these measures will raise $375 million in revenues over the next three years, with $175 million in additional revenues in subsequent years.

"Ontario is demonstrating that it is taking the contraband tobacco problem seriously," said Gary Grant, a 39-year veteran of the Toronto Police service and spokesperson for the NCACT. "And so they should: illegal cigarettes not only represent massive revenue losses for the government, but are also a cash cow for organized crime. In fact, the RCMP estimates that more than 175 criminal gangs use contraband tobacco to finance their other illegal activities. What's more, contraband tobacco's low price and easy accessibility make it a prime source for youth smoking. It's good news that the government is committing to meaningful action."

The budget committed to new legislation to provide additional anti-contraband enforcement tools. Measures being considered include increased fines, tickets for those caught with small amounts of illegal tobacco, allowing for vehicles suspected of being used to smuggle tobacco to be stopped and searched, as well as proven best practices from other provinces. The budget also reinforced the government's commitment to implement Bill 186, which was passed last year. This includes new registration and tracking requirements for raw leaf tobacco.

"We are encouraged that Ontario is willing to learn from how other jurisdictions have tackled the problem of contraband tobacco," continued Grant. "For example, Quebec has had success by allowing municipal police forces to investigate and prosecute contraband tobacco offences, with proceeds from fines even being kept by the city. This keeps law enforcement organizations close to the problem and gives them the tools they need to address it. This regime has proved successful enough that, in its budget last week, Quebec moved to expand it even further."

The NCACT is pleased Ontario recognizes that there must be greater inter-governmental and inter-departmental cooperation to coordinate anti-contraband tobacco activities. The problem of contraband tobacco crosses borders and ministries, and government's response must be nimble. There is a real opportunity for Ontario to take a leadership role in this regard, reaching out to other provincial and state governments, particularly Quebec and New York State, as well as First Nations leaders, to address this important problem.

"The budget's announcement was an important first step," concluded Grant. "We look forward to working with the government and other stakeholders in the coming months to turn words into action. Together, we can tackle contraband tobacco in Ontario, which will provide the province with significant revenue, hurt organized crime, and keep cigarettes out of the hands of our youth. That's something worth working towards. "

Tobacco Reduction Coalition to have meeting Wednesday

Rich Weiler, manager of Respiratory Care at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, will speak on “New Accreditation Standards for Helping Patients Receive Nicotine Dependence Treatment” at the mid-year meeting of the Midland County Tobacco Reduction Coalition at noon Wednesday.
The Coalition was formed in 1993 with three goals: to save lives by helping tobacco users quit, to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and to keep young people from starting to smoke.
While significant strides have been made to achieve the Coalition’s goals such as passage of the Smoke Free Air Law, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the community and nation.
Teen advocates also play an important role in Coalition activities. Tobacco-free playgrounds and beaches are the current focus.

The group meets every other month on the 4th Wednesday at noon to share ideas and plan strategies.

Over 200 youths dance off in anti-tobacco movement

It was a night of partying, screaming and dancing, where youths from 27 countries strutted their stuff and rocked to the beat, all in the name of saying no to smoking.

Live It Up Without Lighting Up (LIUWLP), held in conjunction with the 15th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health, is a social movement which started in Singapore and aims to encourage youths not to pick up smoking

It calls on youths to spread the message to live a tobacco free lifestyle to their friends, and use the time and money to pursue their talents and interests instead.

"There are several social influences as to why youths pick up smoking," said Dr K Vijaya, Director of the Youth Health Division of the Health Promotion Board (HPB).

"One of the key social influencers is peers. Our own studies have shown that 90 per cent of youth smokers have at least one friend who smokes," she added.

Thus in order to combat this and relate to youths, there is a need to use their peers to influence them, she said.

On Wednesday night, over 200 youths participated in the LIUWLP global movement held at Scape.

While some pledged not to pick up smoking on a mural, others took part in a dance competition, which saw eight teams battle it out for the top prize of $3,000 and a dance lesson with Hollywood choreographer Dejan Tubic.

Dejan has danced alongside the likes of Usher and Tony Braxton, and has over 40 million viewers on YouTube.

Speaking on why it's important for a dancer to be smoke free, he said: "Your instrument is your body, and if you smoke, you are ruining your lungs. You are ruining your entire body to move the way you want to a song."

That evening, the movement also broke the Singapore Book of Records for garnering the most Twitter followers in an hour.

Poor show at auctions, high inventory hit tobacco prices

Unsold stocks with traders have become a bane for tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh this season. Traders are not taking active part in auctions and even if they do, the prices quoted are at low levels, when compared with those offered last season.

The auctions, which started in the northern black soils in east Godavari and parts of Khammam districts, the central black soils (CBS) in Krishna and Guntur districts, and northern light soils in West Godavari district, are doing well, but the product from the southern light soils (SLS) and southern black soils in Prakasam district are not getting the expected price for this season.
While tobacco was sold at the highest price of Rs 120 a kg earlier, it is now quoted at Rs 98-100 a kg. This is a cause of concern for growers, who are blaming the Tobacco Board. Farmers allege the Board could have intervened when the prices were falling. Instead, it was absent from the auction platforms, leaving it to traders to decide the prices.
According to the Tobacco Board, only 4.12 million kg of tobacco was sold at various auction platforms as on March 23. Of this 3.62 million kg was from the SLS, which came from Prakasam district. Ironically, farmers from this part of the state have been on a warpath with the Board for the past season on prices. The strike forced the Board to intervene and hold talks with traders on offering better prices. However, this year, the Board is yet to step in to help growers.

“Besides the fall in quality of the product, traders have huge inventory. We have served notices to traders to give us details of the available stock. We will decide once we get the reports from them,” said G Kamalavardhana Rao, Tobacco Board chairman.

When asked about intervention, Rao said they were suggesting traders to explore export opportunities. “We are asking the traders to visit different markets in various countries to export tobacco. There are several countries looking for imports and the traders have to find those markets and move their stocks. We will have special interaction with the traders soon on this,” Rao added.

He was hopeful that growers would get a better price once traders get the export orders.

However, the Virginia Tobacco Growers Association president and former MP, Yalamanchili Sivaji, said the Board was helping the traders more than the growers. He said traders were waiting for export orders on the one side and purchasing tobacco at the lowest price outside the auction platforms on the other.

“Traders are not offering better prices at the platforms, creating panic among growers. At the same time, they are purchasing tobacco outside the auction platforms by offering low prices. The Board remains a spectator to this game and traders are dictating terms to the Board,” Sivaji said.

He brushed aside the unsold stock claim and said traders were waiting for growers to keep their stocks at home till these get discoloured and to then buy the product at lower prices. “Traders are adopting several methods to loot farmers,” he added.

Anti-tobacco awareness drive launched

An anti-tobacco awareness programme for councillors and ward members was held at the Taluk Government Hospital here on Tuesday. The programme was aimed at creating awareness about the campaigns to help combat tobacco addiction at the grassroots level in all panchayats. The programme is part of an initiative launched in connection with the ‘anti-tobacco’ day which falls on March 31.

“The use of tobacco affects family lives adversely. It inevitably leads to illness and severe problems,” said health standing committee chairman T K Suresh who inaugurated the programme.
On the occasion, Dr T P Vijayan and Dr Sreedhar Kumar elaborated on the dangers of passive smoking and stated that these are considerably higher than active smoking.
“Passive smoking causes early death and health problems in children and adults who do not smoke,” Dr Vijayan said.

The ward members
and councillors have also been instructed to propagate the message- ‘Your smoking is injurious to our health’- as part of the campaign.

Tobacco firm, labour end rift

THE lingering industrial dispute between management of West Africa Tobacco Company Limited/FMCG Distribution Limited and labour has been resolved following the intervention of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

Aggrieved workers had last week shut the factory, warehouse and corporate head office of the company over alleged anti-labour practices by management, particularly the alleged victimisation of the branch Chairman, Mr. Reuben Elaiye.

The workers, led by leaders of Food Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, FOBTOB, an affiliate of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, had accused the company of engaging in anti-union policy by refusing to recognise the in-house union and its executive inaugurated in the company three weeks ago.

However, representatives from the Labour Ministry led by Mr. Olayanju Omoniyi, leaders of TUC, FOBTOB and the management of the company after exhaustive deliberation, resolved that the in-house union be recognised by management in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Couple admit to smoking marijuana around infant

Police arrested a pregnant woman and an expectant father after they admitted to smoking marijuana in a truck while an infant boy sat with them.

On Saturday at around 10 p.m., Officer Zack Upton responded to an anonymous call of an odor of marijuana coming from 100 Tandy Drive, according to a news release from Clarksville Police spokesman Officer Jim Knoll.

When Upton arrived, he noticed a blue Ford Taurus with people inside of it.

He could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the truck, Knoll said.

The truck’s occupants, Christopher McKay, 18 and Tamaria Raybon, 19, admitted to smoking marijuana, Knoll said. Raybon’s almost one-year-old child was inside the vehicle, which had the windows rolled up.

Raybon is currently 8 months pregnant with McKay’s child, Knoll said. A backpack inside of the vehicle was found to have a plastic bag which contained marijuana.

Raybon, who gave a 2570 Elkmont Drive address, and McKay, who gave a 100 Tandy Drive address, were taken into custody and booked into the Montgomery County Jail for child abuse and neglect and simple possession. Raybon’s bond was set at $10,500; McKay’s was set at $5,500.

The Department of Children’s Services was contacted and the child was turned over to a family member of Raybon.

Officer Zack Upton is the lead investigator.

Neb. Supreme Court dismisses smoking ban appeal

The state jumped the gun in appealing a lower court ruling that found parts of Nebraska's statewide public smoking ban unconstitutional, the Nebraska Supreme Court said in a Friday opinion dismissing the appeal.

The dismissal means the matter will likely spend more time winding its way through the courts.

The state had appealed Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson's decision last year siding with an Omaha pool hall in its challenge of a 2009 state law banning smoking in all public buildings and private businesses, including bars and restaurants. The law includes exceptions for cigar bars, some hotel rooms, tobacco-only retailers and facilities that research the health effects of smoking.

Nelson said only the exception for research facilities is enforceable. The other exceptions, she found, provide special treatment for certain businesses, which is unconstitutional.

The state Supreme Court said Nelson's decision was not a final order that could be appealed because it only dealt with one of the claims in Big John's Billiards' lawsuit.

The state had claimed in its appeal that it is immune from lawsuits like the one brought by Big John's Billiards, and that for that reason, the lower court didn't have authority in the matter.

The Nebraska Attorney General's Office also argued that Nelson was wrong in determining the three exceptions were special legislation and, therefore, unconstitutional. The exception for tobacco retail outlets was based on the idea that customers of those establishments needed to sample tobacco products before buying them, and the exception for cigar bars was based on evidence that the bars were being forced out of business by smoking bans, the attorney general's office said.

Ted Boecker Jr., an Omaha attorney for Big John's Billiards, said Friday he and his client will continue to argue before the lower court that "every business should have the right to decide for itself whether to allow smoking" on its premises. Boecker could not say when the case might resume before the lower court, as the state has a number of options to consider, such as whether it will ask the state's high court for a rehearing on its appeal.

A message left Friday by The Associated Press for the Nebraska Attorney General's office seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Blow away the loopholes in Pa.'s public smoking ban

How much longer are Pennsylvania leaders going to treat thousands of casino, tavern, and other workers like second-class citizens when it comes to protecting them from deadly secondhand smoke?

Some 3 ½ years after the state enacted its indoor smoke-free law, those employees continue to be exposed to cigarette smoke on the job at 2,800 workplaces that weren't covered by the 2008 ban. It's time to close the loopholes, which the smoke-free law author - State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R., Montgomery) - has been trying to do.

The bill hasn't gotten a hearing yet, but the legislative session ending in November shouldn't pass without action.
Until then, smoking exemptions will apply to hundreds of corner bars that serve little food. It's on the gambling floors of casinos, though, where the most employees and patrons are exposed.

The loopholes were seen as the political price to get Harrisburg to join New Jersey and other leaders in the smoke-free effort in safeguarding millions of people who dine out, visit public offices, or spend eight hours a day at office buildings.

Casino operators, in particular, waged a winning argument with lawmakers that revenues would suffer - and, thus, the state's take in taxes - if patrons couldn't smoke.

But the exemptions never made sense on health grounds, since medical experts have linked secondhand smoke to cancer and other life-threatening ailments.

For the bartenders, servers, casino dealers, and other workers, that's particularly unfair. Given high unemployment in a down economy, they have little choice but to work in smoky environments, like it or not.

The economic argument of the casinos and small-tavern owners has been weakend by the experience in states whose smoke-free laws didn't exempt them. In New Jersey, certainly, there's no sign that corner bars are any the worse. In Delaware, officials have determined their smoke-free casinos have not lost money as a result of the ban. While Atlantic City casinos fought hard to restore smoking sections, it's a sign of the times that the $2.4 billion Revel Casino will open in May as a smoke-free resort by choice. Ohio's new casinos will be smoke-free by law, as are gaming facilities in New York State.

The bottom line, though, is that closing the loopholes in the smoke-free law will save lives. What better reason is needed than that?

A Casino for Gamblers Who Don’t Smoke

In efforts to rejuvenate Atlantic City, casinos and resorts have leaned on celebrity chef-run restaurants, sprawling spas and mega-nightclubs. The latest opening adds a new dimension: a smoke-free environment. Casinos are exempt from New Jersey’s nonsmoking law, but when the 1,800-room Revel opens in stages starting April 2, it will be Atlantic City’s only nonsmoking casino resort, intended to appeal to the 81 percent of American adults who do not smoke.

The 47-story boardwalk newcomer will house a 150,000-square-foot casino plus three pools, a rooftop garden, a burlesque stage, a 31,000-square-foot spa and restaurants run by the chefs Marc Forgione, Jose Garces and Michel Richard.

Smoking is prohibited in most outdoor spaces on the property with one exception: a small outdoor area strategically located behind the 45,000-square-foot nightclub.

“You have to go through the club to reach it,” said Kevin DeSanctis, Revel’s chief executive. “We didn’t want people walking through a lot of smokers to get in the door.”

Bismarck’s smoking ban is choking out small bars

Since he became the owner of the Main Bar nearly 19 years ago, Allan Leier said he’s seen a steady increase in his business every year. But all that came to an end last April when Bismarck’s ban on smoking in bars took effect.

“When this thing started, we were off by 40 to 50 percent, and then it leveled off,” Leier said. “Now we’re right at between 32 and 38 percent down every month. I can compare by going back 3 years and I can compare day by day – same day last year, same day two years ago – and I’ve got the numbers to prove it.”
Approximately 65 percent of Bismarck voters supported the ban on smoking in bars when it was on the ballot last March. The stated goal was to create a healthier environment for bar employees and patrons.

Leier said the results may have helped his lungs, but they have definitely hurt his wallet.

“The voters were voting for a smoking ban or a tobacco ban, not to put me out of business. I don’t believe they were doing that,” Leier said. “But it’s a big cut in pay, it’s a very big cut in pay.”

Down the street a few blocks, Brian Hill, owner of Lucky’s Bar, is facing a similar situation. Hill said not only has he lost business due to the smoking ban, but his employees are also making less money.

“It’s one thing when I’m losing money, but when my staff, who depend on their tips – it’s the tips that’s the important thing – and when they don’t have the sales they aren’t getting the tips so they’re hurt,” Hill said.

Hill said he’s spoken with other bar owners about the financial effects of the smoking ban, and what he’s heard isn’t good.

For this story, the Great Plains Examiner interviewed bar owners and bartenders at several Bismarck and Mandan bars to find out what they’ve been experiencing since the smoking ban went into effect. Of the 13 Bismarck bars contacted, a majority said business went down immediately after the ban went into effect. After about 10 months with the ban, eight of the 13 bar owners said their business was still down. Four said it has either rebounded or is about the same as it was pre-ban, and one bar owner said business has actually been up.

“There was some uncertainty when it went into effect, but it hasn’t hurt me,” said Brad Erickson, owner of Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse.

Pat McGeary, the coordinator of the Bismarck Tobacco Free Coalition, the group that spearheaded the smoking ban in bars, said the decline in business at Bismarck bars is surprising and was never the intent of the ban. She cautioned, however, that no official statistics have been tallied to show the actual financial effect in Bismarck.

“We looked at the economic studies that are done with sales tax data from cities nationally that have done smoke-free ordinances and smoke-free laws, and there is no study out there that shows there was a negative impact,” McGeary said. “So we felt confident that Bismarck would not be unlike any other city nationally and there should be no dire economic consequences from moving ahead.”

McGeary said the intent of the ordinance was simple.

“We visited with people who recreate in bars, and who work in bars and April 27 (the day the ordinance went into effect) changed their job forever, in a good way. No more asthma inhalers, no more eye drops,” McGeary said. “Second-hand smoke is deadly. You’re working in irritants and cardio-toxic compounds and carcinogens. The goal of the ordinance, number one, was to protect the health of our workers and citizens from heart disease and lung cancer.”

April 27 was also a memorable day for Mandan bars.

“We’ve seen a lot of new faces in here since the smoking ban went into effect in Bismarck. Business has definitely picked up.” said B.J. Stockert, bartender at the Colonial Lounge.

“We noticed a big jump right after it took effect. It’s come back down a little bit since then, but our sales have been about 20 percent higher than normal.” said Jason Bauer, co-owner at the Colonial Lounge.

Of the eight Mandan bars contacted by the Great Plains Examiner, five said business has gone up since the Bismarck smoking ban went into effect. The three others said business has stayed about the same.

That rise in business in Mandan bars can be traced back to customers crossing the Missouri River in order to be able to smoke while they enjoy their favorite beverage.

Larry Sauter, a 57-year-old Bismarck resident, said he used to be a regular at Chips Bar and Casino in Bismarck. He frequented the bar a “couple of times a week” until the citywide smoking ban took effect. Now, he drives to the Colonial, where he can smoke indoors.

“People who smoke will find a new place to nest, like I did,” Sauter said. “These bars on the Strip aren’t that far away anyway, and if it means they can smoke without freezing their butts off during the winter, that’s where they’re going to wind up.”

At Lucky’s Bar in Bismarck, Hill said the mild winter we’ve had has helped keep some of the smokers at his bar, but he has talked to a number of his regular customers who have decided to go elsewhere.

“Lots of them, they just flat go to Mandan or stay home, especially in the beginning. We’re doing a little better, but the main reason we’re doing a little better is because of the weather,” Hill said. “If they had to stand outside in the snow and smoke, I’m quite sure we wouldn’t have a lot of the business we’ve managed to have this winter.”

Hill also owns Polar Package Place liquor store right next door to Lucky’s. He said sales are up at the liquor store because customers who used to frequent the bars are instead picking up off-sale to drink at home where they can smoke.

“I’m in a little bit different scenario than some of the bars. I can fall back on the liquor store side to pick up the business for the people that are taking alcohol home,” Hill said.

Al Leier of the Main Bar said proponents of the ban claimed new customers would come out to the bars if they didn’t have to deal with all the smoke. Leier said that simply hasn’t happened.

“Yeah my bar is a lot cleaner, it doesn’t smell from smoke,” Leier said. “But the 65 percent that voted for this, those people weren’t going to bars, it didn’t affect them in the first place because they weren’t going to these places like mine.”

Leier said the ban isn’t saving any lives like supporters claim – it’s just having an impact on his pocketbook and other small bar owners like him. It is also having an impact on the local environment.

“If you’d like to step out my back door and look at the mess out back, that mess used to be cleaned up. It was never out there. The wind blows and it blows that mess all around town, it used to be in here and I took care of it,” Leier said.

Hill said he’s having a similar problem at Lucky’s.

“Now if they want a cigarette, they’re outside, and half of them out of spite just throw them on the ground,” Hill said. “We try to keep them swept up, and we’ve got buckets out there filled with sand to put them in, but all the cigarettes end up getting washed down the storm sewer if we get a good rain and out into the Missouri River. How pleasant is that?”

Hill said he doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him, he’s facing the same thing a lot of other bars in Bismarck are up against. He said it’s how you deal with the change and how you treat your employees and customers that will define your business.

“We just do everything in our power to put the best people in the right places to make sure our service is top notch and try and keep every customer that we get,” Hill said. “It’s play by ear right now, I’m not necessarily sure if it’s over or not, but either way the cost to us, when it all gets added up, has been terrible.”

House votes 162-161 to decriminalize marijuana

The New Hampshire House narrowly passed a bill to decriminalize a person's first two marijuana possessions under one-half ounce.

Republican Speaker Bill O'Brien abstained from voting, allowing the bill to squeak by Thursday with a 162-161 vote. The House voted overwhelmingly 228-89 to kill a second bill to legalize and regulate the drug.

Under the decriminalization bill, first offenses would be violations punishable by a $250 fine. The second would be $500. Subsequent offenses would be misdemeanors subject to a year of jail time and a $1,000 fine. Offenders under 21 could also be ordered to take a drug awareness program.

All offenses are currently misdemeanors punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and a year in jail.

The bill now goes to the Senate. If it passes, Gov. John Lynch has promised to veto the measure.

"Marijuana is a controlled drug that remains illegal under federal law. New Hampshire parents are working to keep their kids away from marijuana and other drugs. We should not make the jobs of parents - or law enforcement - harder by sending a false message that some marijuana use is acceptable," Lynch spokesman Colin Manning said after the vote.

In the criminal justice committee's report to the House, Rep. Kyle Tasker, a Nottingham Republican who co-sponsored the bill, called it "a measured and calculated reduction in penalties." Surrounding states have tried similar laws with good results, he wrote in the report.

According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, 14 other states have decriminalized marijuana, including Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut.

Rep. Stephen Shurtleff, a former U.S. marshal, said he supported decriminalization but felt a half-ounce was too much. That amount of marijuana would be equivalent to 20-30 joints, he said.

"When someone is carrying around 20-30 joints they've crossed the line into distribution," said the Penacook Democrat.

Lynch has opposed such bills in the past. In 2009 he vetoed a bill to establish three medical marijuana dispensaries that would have distributed 2 ounces every 10 days to severely ill patients whose doctors approved the drug's use. Lynch cited concerns over cultivation and proliferation beyond the dispensaries as reasons for his opposition.

He also promised to veto another medical marijuana bill last year and a 2010 bill that would have decriminalized possession or transportation of less than one-quarter ounce of the drug. The Senate killed both before they reached his desk.

Ind. legislators send smoking ban bill to governor

Six years of legislative wrangling and hundreds of exempted businesses later, Indiana will have its first statewide restrictions on smoking in most indoor places under a bill that the state Senate narrowly approved Friday.
The ban, approved by senators in a 28-22 vote, will still give people plenty of places to light up as it exempts Indiana's bars, casinos, retail tobacco shops and private clubs, such as veterans and fraternal organizations.
Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels made adoption of Indiana's first statewide smoking restrictions part of his legislative agenda and has said he expects to sign the bill. The new law would take effect July 1.
Indiana will join 29 other states with smoking bans that include restaurants and bars, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The ban's passage came about even though anti-smoking advocates maintained that its restrictions were weak because of the numerous exemptions.
Bill sponsor Sen. Beverly Gard, R-Greenfield, said she had hoped for broader smoking restrictions, but knew that the exemptions were needed in order for it to clear the Legislature.
"It will result in the protection of the health of hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers from secondhand smoke," Gard said in urging senators to support the bill.
The House in January approved a ban on smoking in most public places and businesses that gave an 18-month exemption to bars, while the Senate last week passed a watered-down version that gave bars a complete exemption.
The compromise negotiated this week eliminated Senate-passed exemptions for residents of nursing and veterans homes as well as a provision prohibiting cities and counties from adopting tougher local restrictions. The House approved the compromise version Thursday night in a 60-33 vote.
Several senators argued during an hour-plus debate Friday, saying business owners should have the right to decide whether to allow smoking and that the statewide law would trample on property rights.
"If we really don't want people to smoke there must be a better way," said Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg. "There must be a way without infringing upon the rights of individuals."
The Senate's vote marked the culmination of several years of work by Democratic Rep. Charlie Brown of Gary and Republican Rep. Eric Turner of Cicero, who led a push that saw the House approve smoking ban bills in five previous sessions only to see the Senate ignore the issue until this year.
The bipartisan duo had wanted a tougher version, but swallowed hard on the compromise, saying it was better to approve some type of ban now and return to it for more extensive restrictions later.
Several supporters congratulated Brown and Turner as they shook hands outside the Senate chamber after Friday's vote. Brown patted Turner on the back and said "We will return."
Senate President Pro Tem David Long, who voted for the bill, said he understands advocates will likely come back for a stricter ban, but said this is the best the Senate can approve now.
A decade ago, Long said, any statewide ban would have been unthinkable.
"Ten years from now, who knows where we will be," he said.
Danielle Patterson, co-chairwoman of the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air, said that she appreciated efforts by the bill's sponsors to win support for a tougher version. She and other advocates believed it was important to include bars in the statewide ban, pointing out that the Indianapolis city smoking ban still exempts bars several years after it was adopted.
"If we let this marinate for a while, people will see that they can work in a smoke-free environment and it's not going to impact business," Patterson said. "Hopefully after a year or two, we can revisit this and make it stronger."
The Senate vote came on what was expected to be the final day of this year's legislative session, and capped Gard's career — she is retiring after 24 years.
"I can't think of anything that pleases me more because this bill really will save lives," Gard said.

No smoking at Gore Park? That might be a tough one

“A place like this, it's not so bad, where people smoke on breaks from the buildings around here,” she said. “I don't think there should be a problem with smoking here.”

The couple aren't far off the questions raised last week when some councillors balked at the scope of outdoor public properties subject to the ban. Only cemeteries and golf courses are excluded, prompting Councillor Tom Jackson to question whether the proposal is being handled sensibly.

Councillor Brenda Johnson wondered whether a veteran could get fined for smoking near a war memorial and Councillor Terry Whitehead questioned how the city could enforce the bylaw in places like Gore Park, often crowded with smokers on break.

The ban is to be enforced only when someone complains, triggering a bylaw officer to travel to the location, find the smoker and begin the process of enforcement. Council has delayed final approval of the 13-page list of parks, public sites and open spaces where smoking would be banned until a later date.

The tricky mechanics of how to extend smoking bans into the outdoors is on the agenda of many communities this spring. Toronto has served notice it will come up with stricter options, out of concern that city might have fallen behind other municipalities.

Toronto was a leader in banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars and has since expanded the prohibition to within nine metres of city playgrounds, splash pads and wading pools. But more than 50 other Ontario municipalities, including Hamilton, are currently designing or applying more comprehensive bans.

Years of experience with butt-out bylaws and support from the public have made it possible for municipalities to extend smoking bans significantly.

The Artist and Moneyball Slated for Inclusion of Smoking

The Oscars 2012 included an overwhelming degree of references to smoking and nicotine intake that have been swept under the red carpet by Hollywood insiders but did not escape the eyes of health campaigners, reports quit smoking hub QuitFullStop.

A collection of Oscar-nominated Hollywood films, including Moneyball and The Artist have been blamed for inciting smoking among global audiences and undoing the hard work of global anti-nicotine campaigns, tells quit smoking hub QuitFullStop.
Hollywood movie stars like Brad Pitt and The Artist’s Jean Dujardin are two Silver Screen heroes that were in contention for the greatest accolade in cinema, however critics slam their projects for the nonchalance at which such narratives openly influence smoking.
Onebeyond unravels the bitter truth with a greater degree of precision in its report: 30 different feature-length films were nominated, 77% of which showed tobacco use. It was higher among lead roles (50%) and lower among supporting roles (11).
This snapshot of behind-the-scenes red carpet politics shows that tobacco still clings dearly to the Hollywood curtain, irrespective of genre and demographic, be it an 18 or a PG rated animation.
The history of tobacco payola and the continuing harm to childrens’ health is an issue not to be ignored, and unlike the glitz and glamour that surrounds the Academy Awards ceremony, some may argue that on-screen smoking is old-hat, counterproductive and nothing to celebrate.
The full list of films referencing smoking and nicotine intake is sponsored by UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education and can be found at Onebeyond.
QuitFullStop is an online information portal dedicated to helping people quit smoking and stay smoke-free. Online a smoker can obtain free, impartial advice on the most relevant topics surrounding smoking cessation.
At QuitFullStop a smoker can find the necessary stop smoking tools, tips and treatment to help them achieve their goal.

Huntington Park bans smoking inside apartment units

Smoking in public areas of apartment and condominium complexes will be banned as of July 1, smoking inside new units will be prohibited as of Jan. 1, 2013, and smoking in existing units will be outlawed as of July 1, 2013, under an ordinance approved 5-0 by the City Council Feb. 21.
No one spoke against the bans. In fact, Don Brabant of Brabant Realty and Property Management in Huntington Park, and Nancy Ahlswede of the Apartment Association of Southern California, spoke in favor of it, as did several residents who told the council their health has been affected by second-hand smoke from nearby units.
Brabant and Ahlswede were on the committee which worked out the ordinance with city staff and representatives of Project TRUST, part of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s tobacco control and prevention program, which provides education on the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Final action on the ordinance is expected at the March 5 council meeting. It would take effect 30 days later.
Senior Planner Albert Fontanez said the city’s code enforcement division will enforce the ban, with fines of $100 to $1,000 to violators. He noted that the fines would be levied on the smoker and there would be no liability to landlords as long as they make provisions of the ban known to tenants and insert them in rental lease agreements.
He said he will asks the City Council Monday to remove one provision, which would allow a condominium homeowners group to vote on whether smoking in 20 percent of a complex might be allowed if the ban limits tenants of the other 80 percent.
Fontanez and several speakers urged the council to require a 100 percent ban in all units.
In a written report to the council, Fontanez said the ordinance would affect all apartment and condominium complexes of two or more units except for hotels, motels and single-family homes with attached units for relatives.
A common area includes such places as hallways, laundry rooms, lobbies, play areas including swimming pools, patios, balconies, decks and walkways.
Ten percent of a common area may be designated for smoking as long as it is an open area and at least 25 feet from a building.
It is the first city law dealing with private property. Smoking in municipal buildings, parks, public rights-of-way and at city-sponsored events was banned last year.
“Landlords will benefit from the ban as they will not have to spend as much getting a unit ready for a new tenant if they don’t have to get the smoke odor out of draperies, stuffed furniture and carpets,” Ahlswede said, adding “it’s impossible to handle drifting smoke.”
David Reynoso of Project TRUST said drifting smoke is thought by many medical experts to affect the health of neighbors.
It can come in through cracks in the wall, vents, under doorways and through windows, he said.
He acknowledged that citing someone for smoking inside their apartment or condo would require neighbors and residents of the complex to complain to the city.
However, one resident said she was sure the neighbors would make such complaints.
Esther Schiller of Smoke-Free Air for Everyone said the ban is a good business decision for landlords as it would make it easier to fill vacancies. And some insurance companies may offer a discount if smoking is not allowed in a complex, she said.
“Many landlords have had fewer vacancies with no-smoking apartments,” she added.
Second-hand smoke is responsible for as many as 73,000 deaths among non-smokers each year, the ordinance states.
“Exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of coronary heart disease by about 30 percent. Second-hand smoke exposure causes lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis in as many as 300,000 children in the United States under 18 months each year and exacerbates childhood asthma.”
Council members did not comment on the issue other then voting to approve the ban, which had also been approved by the Planning Commission.

Youth smokers fall to 8.2% low

Youth smoking has fallen to an 8.2 per cent low, with many saying they can't afford the habit, according to a survey.

Key findings from the annual survey by anti-smoking group Ash indicate youth smoking rates have fallen across all ethnic groups, especially among Maori students, whose percentage of regular smokers dropped from 20.9 to 18.1 between 2010 and last year.

Ash has sampled about half of New Zealand's Year 10 smokers each year since 1999.

The Ash survey also revealed a significant rise in students who had never smoked, up from 64.3 per cent in 2010 to 70.4 per cent last year.

Associate Health Minister and Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia expressed her delight at the results.

"It is an absolute success, one that I am proud to have worked towards."

Ash spokesman Michael Colhoun called the latest results "a major victory against smoking addiction for New Zealand".

He and Mrs Turia agree the results indicate a shift in the attitudes of young people towards smoking.
"It seems that smoking is no longer socially accepted as widely as it once was," Mr Colhoun said.

Despite the positive results, significant disparities remain between Maori and non-Maori, with the number of Maori students who smoke regularly more than three times that of non-Maori students.

Maori anti-smoking advocate Shane Bradbrook highlighted the need to continue increasing anti-tobacco initiatives, especially in light of the positive results revealed in the Ash survey.

"There is no doubt that the increase in tobacco taxes within the last 18 months contributed to the reduced usage amongst youths.

"Now, I would like to see a more Maori-specific approach to combating tobacco addiction amongst our youth," Mr Bradbrook said.

Ash director Ben Youdan put the drop in smoking levels across the board down to tax hikes.

"I think probably the biggest factor in terms of the reduction in youth smoking has been the recent tax increases," he said.

"The tax on cigarettes has increased by about 30 per cent over the last 18 months, and I think that's had a huge impact because young smokers are especially sensitive to how much cigarettes cost."

Society's perception around buying and smoking cigarettes was changing, with more communities and councils discussing smoke-free zones, Mr Youdan said.

"We're getting more and more quit attempts by adults as well.

"The environment in which these young people are growing up and the way in which they are being exposed to tobacco and the risk factors around smoking is also undergoing a change, and I think that's influence which is trickling down to their behaviour."

ABC launches no smoking policy in its malls

ABC Mall inaugurated its no smoking policy at its Ashrafieh branch Thursday as part of an awareness campaign combating the dangers of smoking.

The chain of malls, with the exception of its restaurants, are now smoke-free. Restaurants will be smoke-free every Monday.

The head of ABC’s administrative board, Tripoli MP Robert Fadel, launched the campaign “for a smoke free environment” during a news conference held in coordination with the environment, health and tourism ministers.

“This campaign contributes to raising the awareness of society and decision makers on the dangers of smoking,” Fadel said, adding that he insisted the malls be the first to implement the law.

Parliament passed a law in August 2011 to ban smoking in public places, due to take effect in September this year.

Carlisle to begin fining those who use tobacco in town parks

Carlisle is cracking down on tobacco use in parks, and the fine could be up to $1000.

Shortly after the beginning of the year, Carlisle Borough Council passed an ordinance with no debate and no public comment. Set to take effect in two weeks, the measure will ban the use of any tobacco products in all borough parks.

Carlisle has 18 public parks, from passive pasture-like areas to sporting fields and playground equipment. They range in size from less than an acre to 18 acres.

At popular Letort Park, two young children were feeding the ducks Thursday afternoon. Another family was playing in the wooden fort.

But Thursday, new signs were being installed. What the sign means is you can no longer display, distribute, use chew, discard, light or smoke any tobacco product.

The idea for the ban came from a resident.

Borough crews will continue installing the signs. The prohibition will begin as soon as that jobs done but no later than March 15.

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Dude, where's my medicine? Prescription marijuana without the memory loss on the horizon

Marijuana is commonly used for pain relief in many U.S states, but has regrettable side-effects such as making you forgetful.
Now scientists have pinpointed the part of the brain where the drug hinders working memory and discovered it is a separate area to where it has a medicinal effect.
They say the findings raise the possibility that they could design a cannabis drug that is able to treat pain and seizures without hurting the memory.

The team, led by Giovanni Marsciano from the French biomedical institution INSERM, found that marijuana eased pain via the neurons in the brain. However, the main psychoactive ingredient (THC) impaired memory via the astroglia - passive support cells that play second fiddle to active neurons.
In a study on mice, the researchers looked at how their brain cell receptors reacted to THC, found in marijuana.
They found animals engineered to have no receptors on the astroglial cells of the brain were protected from impairments to working memory and were able to complete a maze.
However, animals that lacked the same receptors - known as CB1Rs - on their neurons but did have them on the astroglial cells suffered memory lapses when exposed to THC.
Dr Marsciano said there could be a way to activate the receptors on neurons while leaving these secondary cells out.

Medical marijuana is currently legal in 18 U.S states including California. However, in the UK marijuana - also known as cannabis - is a Class B drug and so illegal to have or give away. It has been approved for use in some long-term medical trials.
A study from the the University of California San Francisco and University of Alabama at Birmingham, found smoking cannabis is less harmful to users’ lungs than exposure to tobacco.
However, frequent cannabis use has been associated with anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression. It has also been found to affect learning for weeks after exposure.