Government Urged To Pass Tobacco Control Bill

The Programme Director of Vision for Alternative Development, a non-government organisation has noted that the passage of the Tobacco Control Bill is the effective means of preventing the marketing and usage of the product. Mr Labram Musah Massawudu said to minimise the social cost of tobacco use, government must eliminate the activities of the tobacco industry through the passing of the Bill to reduce lung, oral and neck cancers, heart diseases and poverty among smokers.

Mr Massawudu made the observation in an address at a day’s journalists’ briefing and education on tobacco industry interferences, threats to public health and World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) last Monday in Accra. He commended the Ministry of Health for showing enthusiasm and commitment in the fight against the tobacco industry by taking steps in implementing the FCTC through the directives of the ministry while the Tobacco Control Bill passes through the due processes.

Mr Massawudu said Ghanaians stand to gain in poverty reduction and health improvement if government domesticates the FCTC through the Public Health Bill which was passed by Parliament on July 11, this year and awaiting presidential assent. In November 29, 2004 Ghana became the 39th country to ratify the FCTC to “adopt and implement effective legislative, executive, administrative and/or other measures and cooperate, as appropriate, with other parties in developing appropriate policies for preventing and reducing tobacco consumption, nicotine addiction and exposure to tobacco smoke”.

Mr Massawudu said the tobacco industry has filed lawsuits challenging various public health measures in a number of countries in a clear attempt to undermine the pursuit of effective policies. The Programme Director said the tobacco industry is expanding its war against public health, beyond national courts and into the international arena and therefore governments must understand these new threats, and stand together to defend their sovereignty.

“As tobacco control takes hold, the industry continues to adjust its bullying tactics so that it can advance its ultimate aim, to hook a future generation of smokers. “After attacking public health policies in national courts and via bilateral agreements, they are now enticing governments into doing their dirty work at the World Trade Organisation,” Mr Massawudu said.

He said the effective means of minimising tobacco use is to eliminate the activities of the tobacco industry by imposing tax increment on tobacco products, introduction of pictorial health warnings on packs and comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. According to the WHO, tobacco smoking related deaths worldwide has increased from five million in 2005 to 8.5 million this year while the global cigarette market has also expanded by 23 per cent in 2012 reaching 464.4 billion dollars. Some of the topics discussed were tobacco industry efforts to undermine Public Health and industry combining revenues to infiltrate and undermine treaty’s success and intimidation through lawsuits by tobacco companies. Mr Massawudu asked the media to show interest and create awareness on key provisions of the Public Health Bill especially on the tobacco control measures.

Smoking ups death risk in stroke survivors

Those who quit smoking before their stroke also had less risk of poorer outcomes than current smokers, researchers found. Researchers in Melbourne, Australia, tracked 1,589 patients who experienced a first or recurrent stroke in 1996-99. They followed them for 10 years, using medical records and in-person and telephone interviews, and tracked demographics, deaths, recurrent strokes and heart attacks.

They found that compared to those who never smoked, those who smoked when they had a stroke were 30 per cent more likely to have a poor outcome. Among those who survived the first 28 days after stroke, current smokers had a 42 per cent higher risk of poorer outcomes. Ex-smokers had an 18 per cent higher risk of poorer outcomes.

"This research provides fresh incentive to quit smoking now or never start because it shows smokers fare far worse after strokes than non-smokers," said Amanda Thrift, Ph.D., the study's lead researcher and professor of epidemiology for the Department of Medicine in the Southern Clinical School at Monash University in Clayton, Victoria, Australia. In the study, those living in disadvantaged areas were much more likely to smoke, with 52 per cent of current smokers belonging to the most disadvantaged group, compared to 31 per cent of those who never smoked. The results were published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke.

Voltaggio to Provide 'Small Plates' to Cigar Lounge

Fan's of celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio's cooking soon will have two places to go in Chevy Chase to sample his creations: Range and Civil Lounge—scheduled to open later this fall or this winter at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, which is undergoing a $32-million renovation. Range is slated to open in mid-November in a 14,000-square-foot space in the upscale shopping center, Patch reported earlier this year.

Next to Range will be Civil Lounge, a "105-seat lounge [that] will offer beer, wine and a large selection of spirits," in addition to cigars. And, once Range has been "...open and into its first few months, Civil will be opening its dining options and Range will be included in providing small plates for the menu," a representative for Voltaggio confirmed with Washingtonian.

The menu "could include a Cuban sandwich, salads, soups and charcuterie made at Range," Civil Lounge co-owner John Anderson told Washingtonian. The cigar lounge, which plans to be open by the new year, will have "130 lockers that cigar fans can rent on an annual basis," as well as "a special smoke removal system to keep clean air flowing in and smoke out," Washingtonian added.

Russian govt OKs bills banning public smoking, tobacco ads

Russia’s government has OKed a bill that would ban smoking in public and tobacco ads. The government on Thursday approved a landmark deal that would crack down on smoking in a country where 44 million people, or 40 percent of adults, light up.

The approval of the bill, which has yet to be discussed in parliament and signed by the president, follows a plea by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who on Tuesday called for a crackdown on tobacco companies “making money on children.”

Smoking rates have shot up in the past two decades, fueled by extremely low prices for cigarettes and largely uncontrolled advertising. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

British American Tobacco in anti -deforestation drive

The project was a partnership between BAT and the Tobacco Research Board. A rocket barn is an
affordable, easy-to-build or retrofit tobacco barn that reduces wood consumption while improving the quality and quantity of produce, helping both smallholder farmers and the environment. “Afforestation is a focus area BAT/NT roll-out was on in 2008 and has been very successful. (BAT forecasts) 100% self-sufficiency in wood curing fuel will be attained by 2014,” BAT said.

This, according to the company, would entail the use of timber off-cuts sourced from commercial forests for supply to farmers for tobacco curing and other domestic uses. “In addition to planted woodlots, timber off-cuts are being sourced from commercial timber forests as a contingency measure.Rocket barns, proven to deliver up to 50% curing efficiency against the traditional conventional barns, are being rolled out to our contracted small-scale farmers.”

Meanwhile, BAT shareholders are next week expected to vote for or against a proposed indigenisation and empowerment plan that could result in the firm relinquishing 10% stake to an employee share ownership trust. Under the proposed plan, 26% of the company’s issued share capital would be held by indigenous Zimbabweans by October 28 2012. Shareholders would be expected to approve or disprove proposals carried in the circular at an extraordinary general meeting to be held on October 26.

Billings favors tobacco rule repeal

When the Mississippi Department of Corrections announced last December that it would go tobacco free at all buildings, grounds and prisons operated by the agency; they did so knowing that the process would be daunting. The movement, which was not initiated by the state legislature, came about as a cooperative effort between the Mississippi State Department of Health and the MDOC. "Implementing this tobacco-free policy within the MDOC system will help minimize illness and chronic disease in inmates, thereby reducing the need for the inmate population to seek medical treatment," said State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier.

"Additionally, MDOC staff will have the advantage of improved working conditions and ultimately improved health. Overall, the state of Mississippi will benefit from decreased healthcare cost as a result of this policy." On Monday, Bolivar County Supervisor Preston Billings questioned the program. "I am getting quite a few letters and phone calls from inmates and their families," he said after the board accepted Warden James Moore's report. "We were in a meeting in Tupelo recently and I spoke with MDCO Commission Christopher Epps pertaining to the smoking situation."

Billings said that during that conversation he asked the commissioner whether or not there was an appeals process to the tobacco free rule that could be taken by the people of this state on behalf of the inmates. "He told me that there was no way that it was going to be appealed," Billings continued. "I told him then that I objected to the rule and he told me that as of now it would take an act of the legislature to overturn it." Billings went on to say that in spite of the comments made by Epps that he was still in favor of the inmates of the state of Mississippi having access to tobacco products. "Now I understand that no one on the grounds is allowed to have tobacco," said Billings.

"But, for the record, I want it to be known that I am in favor of the tobacco free rule being repealed." Other states, like California, have led the way in making their correction facilities tobacco free and in doing so, tobacco products have continued to climb to the top of the list of contraband being introduced into the systems. Moore told the board that since the MDOC's policy change went into effect, that they have confiscated a large amount of contraband. "As many of you are aware, we have had a couple of shakedowns over the past couple of weeks," said Moore.

"During these shakedowns we have successfully confiscated about 16 pounds of tobacco products and eight cell phones." Moore explained that some of these items were found outside of the facility while others were found on inmates' persons and around the yard. He also said that people who are trying to get the contraband into the facility are getting more creative. "Just the other night, I think Friday, someone threw a basketball full of tobacco, cell phones and other contraband," he said. He then said that at some time in the future that he would approach the board of financial support in possibly building another perimeter fence to thwart future efforts of introducing contraband.

Moore said that while it was a learning process that he felt that the entire facility staff was doing a great job of enforcing the policy and keeping the contraband of the facility grounds. The Mississippi Department of Health said that cessations programs are being made available to facility employees and the inmates in custody. "MSDH and the Mississippi Tobacco Quitline are providing tobacco cessation information to MDOC staff on the effects of tobacco use and the benefits of being tobacco-free," said Currier.

"MSDH is also collaborating with the ACT Center for Tobacco Education, Treatment and Research to develop a treatment program tailored for the inmate population. This treatment program will enable healthcare providers at the MDOC to provide tobacco cessation treatment for inmates needing assistance with quitting." Read more: The Bolivar Commercial - Billings favors tobacco rule repeal

Big tobacco tricks with treats

Mint, cherry, melon, chocolate and grape are the candy flavors many Wisconsin youth will get while trick-or-treating this year. They are also the same flavors used by tobacco companies to fool teens like me into using tobacco. When I found out they were trying to manipulate me and my friends into using tobacco products with their “delicious” flavors, it sounded more “manipulicious” than delicious. Manipulicious is the name of our FACT (Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco) group’s latest activism campaign.

FACT was created for and by Wisconsin teens and allows us use our voices and fight back against the tobacco companies. Our Northwestern High School FACT group is doing all we can to spread the word that underneath the colorful wrapping of chewing tobacco, little cigars and other tobacco products you’ll find many of the same old poisonous, cancer causing chemicals as cigarettes. As teens, we are sick of being targets of the tobacco companies and are committed to take a stand and fight with FACT.