Tobacco industry studies on cigarette additives safety may be misleading

Scientific research published by the tobacco industry on the safety of cigarette additives cannot be taken at face value, a new study has suggested.

In analysis led by Stanton Glantz from the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California in San Francisco, the authors reanalysed data from “Project MIX” in which chemical analyses of smoke, and the potential toxicity of 333 cigarette additives were conducted by scientists from the tobacco company Philip Morris.

The authors of the independent analysis used documents made public as a result of litigation against the tobacco industry to investigate the origins and design of Project MIX, and to conduct their own analyses of the results.

Internal documents revealed post-hoc changes in analytical protocols after the industry scientists found that the additives increased cigarette toxicity by increasing the number of particles in the cigarette smoke.

Crucially, they also found that in the original Project MIX analysis, the published papers obscured findings of toxicity by adjusting the data by Total Particulate Matter concentration, when the authors conducted their own analysis by studying additives per cigarette, they found that 15 carcinogenic chemicals increased by 20 percent or more.

They also found that the failure to identify many toxic biological effects was because the studies Philip Morris carried out were too small to reliably detect toxic effects.

The authors concluded that their independent analysis provides evidence for the elimination of the use of the studied additives, including menthol, from cigarettes on public health grounds.

“The results demonstrate that toxins in cigarette smoke increase substantially when additives are put in cigarettes, including the level of Total Particulate Matter. In particular, regulatory authorities, including the Food and Drug Administration and similar agencies elsewhere, could use the Project MIX data to eliminate the use of these 333 additives including menthol from cigarettes,” the authors said.

Cigarette Tax Increase

Here at Cig-O-Rama, if you're looking for a deal, all you've got to do is pick out your tobacco and hit that button.

Down below, out come machine-rolled cigarettes that will cost you half the price of what you'd pay for a carton of brand-name smokes. Greg Haskins says business here is booming and it could get even busier.


A new bill would double Florida's cigarette tax, a move Greg predicts would give him more value-conscious customers. Not to mention accomplish the bill's main goal of making it tougher for teens to smoke.

"I think it'll be a better incentive for the young adolescents to try to stop that, because, you know, it's going to be more money for them and it'll be harder to find it," says Greg Haskins, who opposes the tax increase.

Which may already be happening in the wake Florida's move to hike the cigarette tax by a buck a pack in 2009. Statewide, one-fifth fewer high schoolers are lighting up.

When lawmakers hiked the tax 2 1/2 years ago, Florida began raking in a billion dollars a year. Raising a billion more is a big selling point here, but there's no guarantee the money jar will fill up again.

If the tax were to climb to $2.34 a pack, many smokers could find keeping their habit going downright unaffordable, making that billion-dollar mark hard to reach. And then, there are folks like Ann Ladato, who's been puffing away for 30 years.

"If I had to buy regular cigarettes at that price, I'd have to leave town to buy them. Go to Georgia, or buy them when I go home for a visit in Louisiana," says Ann Ladato, a smoker.

But, for people who don't have the time or the money to travel, a higher tax could mean some tough new choices. Like switching to what Greg calls his cheaper, healthier blend of tobacco.

That's a good thing for them, you know, and also for us. And potentially, for countless kids about to fall into the trap of what can be a deadly habit. The bill faces a pretty high hurdle. The capitol's majority republicans, along with Governor Scott, have made it clear.

Untaxed cigarettes found during traffic stop

A Rochester area man faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing untaxed cigarettes following a traffic stop earlier this month on Route 77 in Pembroke, Genesee County sheriff’s officials reported Wednesday.

Marc A. Crispino, 20, of Chili, was stopped just after midnight Dec. 6 for traffic violations when a sheriff’s deputy reported finding more than 800 untaxed cigarettes in Crispino’s vehicle.

Crispino was issued traffic summonses and charged with a state tax law violation. He is expected to appear in Pembroke Town Court on Dec. 29.

Smoking Ban in Vancouver Parks?

On Monday night, the Vancouver city council will consider an update to the parks code. Included in that is a ban on smoking cigarettes in parks. The city has been taking public comment since October. You can read the comments here. Several other Washington cities have smoking bans and Portland bans smoking in two parks: Pioneer Courthouse Square and Director Park.
Tonight is only a first reading of the ordinance. There will be a second reading, followed by a public hearing in December.

Who exactly is being protected with outdoors smoking bans?12:33 pm Nov 28, 2011
Dear Vancouver council members, As a representative of a Canadian not for profit grassroots organization, we hereby offer our view on outdoor smoking bans. Since there don’t exist any serious studies that outdoor smoking harms by-standers, it is with total astonishment that we read that Vancouver is considering banning smoking in parks. Who would the Vancouver city council be protecting with outdoor smoking bans? Clearly not the children whose parents might no longer take them to the park as often if such a by-law was adopted. Those times that they will take them, they will undoubtedly shorten the visit or even be tempted to leave their children unattended to have a smoke outside the forbidden limits, thus exposing their children to true dangers of a different magnitude. As well, those same children will be subjected to even more smoke at home since their parents would inevitably be spending more time in their home, one of the few places left where they can still smoke

Police allegedly find marijuana in vehicle

Police Saturday arrested a 27-year-old Sheboygan man after they allegedly found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle.

According to the Manitowoc Police Department report:

Officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Washington Street to question the man, who had a temporary misdemeanor family trouble warrant out for his arrest.

The man was taken into custody for obstructing an officer and lying about his identity. Officers found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle.

He was arrested for a second-offense possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police arrest Manitowoc man for bail jumping
MANITOWOC — Police on Sunday arrested a 32-year-old Manitowoc man who allegedly violated terms his of bail.

According to the Manitowoc Police Department report:

Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1400 block of North Seventh Street for a report of two men using illegal drugs.

The 32-year-old was out on felony bail for charges including a fourth-offense operating while intoxicated with the condition that he maintain absolute sobriety.

When officers arrived, they did not find any drugs but found the 32-year-old holding a can of beer, and officers could smell intoxicants on his breath. A field sobriety test indicated he had been drinking.

Obesity, smoking, kids in poverty — all on rise in Ohio

Americans are no healthier now than they were last year, according to a report released today, and Ohioans specifically are a bit worse.

The state dropped three spots this year to 36th overall in the United Health Foundation’s annual state-by-state health rankings. Ohio echoed the nation’s trend toward more obesity, but it also had increases in smoking, childhood poverty and diabetes.

Health advocates in the state cite too little funding for both public health and educational programs as the culprit for the declining health ranking.

Ohio’s level of public-health funding — $45 a year per person — ranked among the lowest in the country, but state officials say more money isn’t the answer.

“Throwing money at this isn’t necessarily the solution,” said Dr. Ted Wymyslo, director of the Ohio Department of Health.

Rather than tackle individual health issues, the health department is working with the state Office of Health Transformation, which aims to consolidate the efforts of health-related government agencies, starting with Medicaid, he said.

The goal, Wymyslo said, should be to provide better care at lower cost to the taxpayer. He cited Minnesota as a model. Ranked as the nation’s sixth-healthiest state, Minnesota spent the same amount of money per person on public health as Ohio this year.

“They’re spending almost as little as we are but are doing well,” Wymyslo said, adding that Ohio is about seven years away from having a health-care system comparable to Minnesota’s.

But some health advocates say funding cuts are, in fact, the reason for Ohio’s declining health ranking — especially with regard to smoking.

Nationally, fewer and fewer Americans are lighting up — 17.3 percent of adults, according to today’s study. That’s the lowest level of adult smokers since the annual rankings began in 1990.

But not in Ohio, where, after years of decline, the percentage of adult Ohioans smoking increased to 22.5 percent this year from 20.3 percent last year.

“We’ve stopped investing in tobacco prevention in Ohio,” said Shelly Kiser, spokeswoman for the American Lung Association of Ohio.

A report released last week by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ranked Ohio next to last in state spending on tobacco prevention. Although Ohio will take in

$1.2 billion in tobacco-generated revenue this year, the report said the state will not spend any money on tobacco prevention.

But Wymyslo said it’s inaccurate to say the state isn’t spending anything on tobacco prevention. He said that roughly $2.5 million in federal grant money and state cash carried over from last year was spent this year on anti-tobacco programming. An additional $785,000 was spent on a statewide hot line to help people quit smoking.

Ohio’s health figures also were weighed down by increasing levels of obesity, like the rest of the country.

Nationally, the prevalence of obesity has jumped 137 percent since 1990, with 27.5 percent of the population now obese. Ohio is even fatter, with 29.7 percent of the population obese, up from 21.5 percent in 2001.

“Obesity is a major challenge,” said Dr. Teresa Long, Columbus’ health commissioner. “Having a high percentage of both children and adults that are obese is a driver of the high rate of diabetes.”

The study found that Ohio’s rate of diabetes now sits at 10.1 percent, up from 7.7 percent in 2006 and ranked 39th in the country.

“We absolutely need to increase the public-health funding,” Long said.

The recession also is at fault for the state’s declining health, said Cathy Levine, executive director of the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio.

The report found that the number of children in Ohio living below the poverty line rose more than 4 percentage points in the past year, from 18.7 percent last year to 22.9 percent this year.

“As long as people are poor, you’re going to see declining health status,” Levine said. She added, however, that the impact of public-health funding cuts cannot be overstated.

“It’s a reflection of the problems people are having that aren’t medical, and it is a reflection of our failure to invest in evidence-based public-health strategies.”

Medical marijuana bill divides observers

Opponents of a bill that would allow marijuana use for medical purposes in Wisconsin say there's not enough evidence the change is needed in the state.

Introduced by state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, the proposed Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act would give patients with various chronic conditions the option to get a prescription for the drug from their doctors.

However, the issue, which previously failed to gain traction when Democratic lawmakers introduced the bill a few years ago, is not a topic of discussion at the Capitol, said state Rep. Scott Krug, R-Wisconsin Rapids, who does not support the legislation.

"I don't think the science is there yet," Krug said, calling the bill's introduction a publicity stunt for Pocan, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District seat. "It's not that time in Wisconsin right now."

The bill would create a medical necessity defense for marijuana-related prosecutions if a person has a valid prescription from a physician and an ID card from the state Department of Health Services for such conditions as cancer, glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, according to a news release from Pocan and Erpenbach. Currently, 16 states and the District of Columbia allow such use of the otherwise illegal drug.

"Patients with a debilitating medical condition should not live in fear of being prosecuted for using marijuana to ease their pain or aid their healing," Erpenbach said in the release. "People deserve compassionate, legal treatment prescribed by their doctor."

Officials at the Wisconsin Medical Society have said they think researchers first need to further study the effects of marijuana on patients.

Dr. James Cleary, a palliative care physician at the UW Carbone Cancer Center in Madison, agreed with the Medical Society's position, saying prescription medications that mirror the effects of marijuana already exist and officials should consider those medications first.

"If this is to be used as a medical product, let's do the appropriate studies," Cleary said, noting the Food and Drug Administration's classification as a Schedule 1 medication limits such research. "Let's change the schedule of this medication. Let's have appropriate controls if we're going to do it."

The Medical Society recognizes the therapeutic effects of marijuana, but many medical professionals are leery about letting people smoke it, which might encourage smoking in general, Cleary said, noting a company in England currently is studying the feasibility of creating an inhaled version of the drug, known as Sativex.

"If, in fact, we are doing so much on tobacco (prevention), why would we approve a product that you're smoking?" Cleary said.

Meanwhile, Jacki Rickert of Mondovi, founder of the Madison-based advocacy group Is My Medicine Legal YET?, said there should be urgency with the bill that bears her name.

"They need it now, not next time," Rickert said in a statement. "How many people are going to have a next time? Maybe next time I won't be around. ... Things really need to be done to make it a reality."

Wood County Sheriff's Department Investigator-Sgt. Scott Saeger, the county's drug enforcement officer, said making medical marijuana legal likely would not affect the way law enforcement agencies handle drug cases. He compared the bill to the recently enacted concealed carry law.

"If they had their identification on them -- if they've got their proper credentials -- they're OK," Saeger said, noting patients using their prescriptions to supply others with the drug could lead to misuse. "It could definitely become a sticky situation -- just like any other law in the state."

Oxford College going tobacco free

Oxford College will become a tobacco-free campus on Jan. 1.

The college, one of Emory's nine academic divisions, is joining a university-wide adoption of a ban on the use of all tobacco products.

"A tobacco-free environment is in keeping with our goal of creating a healthful academic community that is conducive to learning and supportive of the whole person," said Dean Stephen H. Bowen. "We believe this is a positive step toward a healthier environment for all.

Tobacco in all forms will be prohibited at Oxford and all Emory University facilities beginning in the new year. Spokeswoman Cathy Wooten said the new policy was discussed and studied for almost two years and all academic units had input before the policy was adopted earlier this year.

Currently there are designated outdoor zones for smokers and tobacco users, but those will no longer be in place beginning Jan. 1. Visitors to the campus will be asked to observe tobacco restrictions.

"We have a small percentage of our students, faculty and staff that use tobacco products. Thus far, we haven't received any feedback but I expect we will when we implement the policy," Wooten said, but added that students and staff received notice far in advance of the tobacco ban.

Education and cessation programs that are always offered by the health services department are being promoted during this time, Wooten said.

"We felt like (the policy) was in keeping with the university's goals of educating the whole person and creating an atmosphere of health and learning for everyone, and we decided it would be better to not tolerate that use when it is clearly a harmful substance," she said.

Boston Board of Health Issues New Tobacco Product Rules

The Boston Public Health Commission's Board of Health last week approved several new regulations affecting tobacco retailers. Electronic cigarettes now will be treated like tobacco products, it said, including requirements for retail establishments to obtain a permit to sell them, to place them behind the store counter and to not sell them to minors.

A handful of convenience stores in Boston sell e-cigarettes and additional stores are interested in selling them, according to a survey conducted by the Northeastern University School of Law Public Health Legal Clinic. E-cigarettes also will not be allowed in the workplace, which includes restaurant patios and decks, and loading docks.

The board also approved prohibiting the sale of low-cost, single-sale cigars, which it says have become "an attractive option for price-conscious youth looking for less-expensive alternatives to cigarettes." Cigars will now be required to be sold in their original manufacturer packaging of at least four.

It also is doubling fines for retailers that sell tobacco products to anyone under age 18 and violate other tobacco control regulations--from $100 to $200 for the first offense and from $400 for the fourth offense in 12 months to $800 for the fourth offense in 24 months.

Under the new regulations, retailers must apply for a permit through the Boston Public Health Commission's Tobacco Control office to sell any nicotine product that is not approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a nicotine replacement therapy.

"The steps the board has taken today will help reduce young people's exposure to tobacco and unregulated nicotine products and eliminate exposure to e-cigarette vapors containing nicotine and other known toxins in the workplace,'" said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.

During the course of a 60-day public comment period and a public hearing, the board received 296 comments supporting the e-cigarettes restrictions and 596 favoring the cigar packaging change, compared to 34 comments opposing the e-cigarette restrictions and 18 opposing the cigar packaging change.

E-cigarette opponents argued that the product should not be restricted because e-cigarette vapors are not harmful. Proponents argued that e-cigarette solution is known to contain nicotine and a number of toxic chemicals and carcinogens, and that the safety of e-cigarette vapors has not been established by the FDA.

Opposition to the cigar packaging regulation mostly came from cigar industry representatives who cited the economic impact; proponents, however, argued that the measure was a reasonable step that could discourage youths from using tobacco products.

The e-cigarette restrictions took effect immediately, while the new cigar packaging regulation goes into effect on January 31, 2012.

Imperial Tobacco becomes 2nd company to challenge packaging laws in Australia’s High Court

A second major tobacco company went to Australia’s High Court on Tuesday to argue that new laws banning logos from cigarette packs are unconstitutional.

Imperial Tobacco Australia Ltd., the third-largest company in the Australian tobacco market, filed pleadings in the country’s highest court. British American Tobacco Australia Ltd., the Australian market leader, initiated similar action last week against laws banning distinctive colors and designs from packs and rendering them uniformly olive-brown starting in December 2012.
Imperial Tobacco says the laws breach Australia’s constitution because they acquire intellectual property on unjust terms.

Last month, Australia became the first country to pass such strict packaging laws, which are aimed at stripping away any lingering glamour associated with smoking.

Tobacco companies say the law will slash billions of dollars from the values of their brands.

The government has said it anticipates court challenges and expects them to be defeated.

While the two tobacco companies’ cases are separate, the High Court could decide to hear them together.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

President Obama scolds tobacco firms for fighting new labels

President Barack Obama, recently pronouncedtobacco-free, has tough words for cigarette makers.In a White House web video, the president says some tobaccocompanies are fighting new cigarette warning labels because theydon't want to be honest about the consequences. Several tobaccofirms have sued to block graphic new Food and Drug Administrationlabels for cigarette packs.
The Obama video observes Thursday's 36th "Great AmericanSmokeout" by the American Cancer Society.Obama says the country has made progress in reducing the numberof Americans who smoke but notes that 46 million are stilladdicted.Obama has fought his own smoking habit by chewing nicotine gum.His last medical report, issued Oct. 31, declared him tobacco-free.He concedes quitting smoking is hard and adds, "Believe me, Iknow."

SPA reaches out to parents to tackle teen tobacco use

With new types of smokeless tobacco being test marketed in Summit County stores and more students than ever admitting to using tobacco, local advocates are reaching out to parents to educate them about the dangers of the substance.

Parent and community outreach and education on the issues surrounding kids' tobacco use in Summit County began at a public forum Thursday night at Summit Middle School, which was part of the Summit Prevention Alliance's We Count program.

“It really is the community's responsibility to learn about these products, these issues and talk to the kids about them,” said Carli Seeba of the Summit Prevention Alliance. “The community and parents are the filter through which the youth get their information, and it's up to us to make sure the kids are getting the right message and can say no.”

In the last two years tobacco use among underage consumers has gone down statewide, but has risen in Summit County, according to data provided by students in a recent survey.

“We have a problem here,” Seeba said. “It's something that needs to be addressed.”

Summit County currently has no registration or licensure policies for the sale of tobacco, seldom runs compliance checks on retailers and imposes what Seeba called a lenient punishment structure, that includes two affirmative defenses and a written warning, on businesses that do sell to kids under the age of 18.

“I don't like the fact that there's no licensing and no monitoring of cigarette use and sales or that there are no restrictions on how close cigarette sales can be held to a school or a day care,” middle school parent Ellen Temby said following Thursday's meeting. “Then all the new products that make it easy for a kid to hide it, and you can't smell it.”

While the Summit Prevention Alliance works with Summit's Rep. Millie Hamner to develop legislation that might propose tobacco-sale licensure requirements, Seeba urged parents to take the first steps toward preventing their kids from using tobacco.

The 20 or more parents who attended the meeting Thursday were asked to talk to kids about tobacco and to focus on social impacts of smoking that will resonate with kids, such as bad breath and effects on athletic performance. Adults at the meeting were also encouraged to teach kids to say no to tobacco, to be good role models, to trust youth to make good decisions and not to blame kids who do use tobacco.

Monroe Schools Expel Tobacco

The Monroe School Board voted unanimously Nov. 8 to institute a 24/7 tobacco-free policy on the school campus, Monroe Superintendent Karen LaRosa said Thursday.
The school district joins other LeFlore County school districts that have opted for the round-the-clock policy, said Tobacco-free LeFlore County Coordinator Benjamin “B.J.” Barnes. Current Oklahoma state law only mandates that schools be tobacco-free from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, Barnes said.
“It’s about the importance of role models. We have extracurricular activities, and we would like it off-campus,” LaRosa said.
Monroe’s new policy, like those at Spiro, Howe, Poteau, Shady Point and Talihina public schools, prohibits the use of all tobacco products on district-owned property 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, Barnes said.
“A goal of our coalition is to see all 17 LeFlore County school districts adopt a 24/7 Tobacco-free School Policy in an effort to give students the clear message that tobacco use is hazardous to their health,” Barnes has said.
LaRosa said tobacco is a gateway drug.
Barnes said National Institute on Drug Abuse statistics say that 22.3 percent of eighth-graders had already tried smoking.
“Mainly it is important for the kids to see the banners daily, and to see we’re promoting that (tobacco-free),” LaRosa said.
Getting parents to comply has not been an issue, she said. The school has had about three home games since the policy went into effect, and the parents who previously would step outside the gym to smoke now voluntarily move off campus. LaRosa said she’s considering creating a small smoking area with benches off campus for those adults.
The more schools in LeFlore County that join the effort, the better it will be, LaRosa said. The message will be reinforced as students, staff and parents visit other campuses for school-related activities, she said.
Tobacco-free LeFlore County is a grantee of the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, and is a program of the LeFlore County Coalition for Healthy Living and LeFlore County Youth Services. According to the announcement, the organization works with schools, municipalities and businesses to decrease tobacco use in LeFlore County. Now in its second year, it is funded by a $125,000 grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.
According to information posted on the coalition’s Facebook page, each year an estimated 5,400 Oklahoma children become new daily smokers.
The coalition states that tobacco kills more Oklahomans than does alcohol, auto accidents, AIDS, murders and illegal drugs combined.
The kindergarten through 12th grade public schools aren’t the only educational institutions eyeing smoke-free campuses in LeFlore County. Businesses such as LeFlore County Youth Services have also adopted tobacco-free policies, Barnes said.
And in January, citing health reasons, Carl Albert State College Student Government Association officers approached CASC regents with their desire to take the campus smoke-free as of January 2012. The students said smoking is Oklahoma’s leading cause of preventable death, costing more than 6,000 lives and almost $2.9 billion each year.
In March, the regents asked CASC’s student association to poll faculty and staff on the issue.
Barnes said Tobacco-free LeFlore County plans to work, too, with municipalities to pass ordinances mirroring the Oklahoma Clean Indoor Air Act and Youth Access to Tobacco Act. It would also like to see tobacco-free parks, he said.

Stiffer penalties for cig and tobacco smugglers

Tobacco and cigarette smugglers now face stiffer penalties, including mandatory jail time and higher fines, after the number of such Customs offences rose by 24 per cent from 2005 to last year.

Repeat offenders - their numbers increased by more than six times during the same period - now face an increased minimum court fine of $4,000. Those caught with more than 2kg of tobacco products will also face imprisonment.

First-time offenders caught with duty-unpaid cigarettes now face a minimum court fine of $2,000. They were previously fined 30 times the unpaid duty and goods and services tax.

In addition to the stiffer penalties, anyone who gives another person incorrect information for making declarations is now liable for prosecution. This means that traders who use third-party agents to declare their consign- ments can be held liable.

Prevention goal of tobacco efforts

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and this is a great time to remind people about the dangerous cancer risks caused by tobacco use.

Lung cancer is the most preventable type of cancer, but also one of the most deadly.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 220,000 new cases of lung cancer by the end of 2011, and nearly 90 percent of those will be smokers. Once diagnosed, only 15 percent of lung cancer patients will live five years or more. But smokers aren’t the only ones at risk. Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase lung cancer risk by between 20 and 30 percent. Locally, 890 North Dakotans lose their lives to tobacco-related diseases each year.

As if lung cancer isn’t bad enough, smoking also increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, as well as pneumonia and esophageal, laryngeal, oral and throat cancers.

While quitting will eventually reduce the risk for smokers, the best way to minimize the risk of lung cancer and other pulmonary diseases is to never start smoking. People who have never smoked have a much lower risk of cancer than even former smokers.

North Dakota is fortunate to have a comprehensive tobacco prevention program that educates people about the harms of tobacco use. Hopefully, with in­creased tobacco awareness, lung cancer will become a rare disease in North Dakota.

2 Franks disagree on tobacco news

Under the agreement, players will not carry tobacco packages and tins when fans are in the ballpark, or use tobacco during pregame or postgame interviews. But use of chewing tobacco or dip will not be banned.

That’s “welcome news,” according to a statement issued by four Democratic senators, including New Jersey’s Frank Lautenberg. Or it’s a disappointment, according to Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch.

“It doesn’t go far enough to ban smokeless tobacco entirely from baseball. The fact is that smokeless tobacco use by baseball players will still appear on television screens across the United States,” Pallone, the top-ranking Democrat on the House health subcommittee, said in a statement.

Lautenberg, a longtime advocate for controls on tobacco who is credited with the law that banned smoking on airplanes, “commended” MLB in a statement issued with Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

“This is a welcome acknowledgement by players and owners that tobacco use of any kind is no longer a tradition that should be upheld,” the statement said.

Imperial Tobacco Buys 450,000 Own Shares To Hold

Imperial Tobacco Group PLC (IMT.LN), said Monday it purchased 450,000 ordinary shares at an average price of 2245.20 pence per ordinary share, adding that the purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares.

MAIN FACTS:

-Following the above purchase, Imperial Tobacco holds 59,177,000 ordinary shares as treasury shares. The total number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding shares held as treasury shares) is 1,008,765,881.

-Shares closed Monday at 225 pence, valuing the company at GBP22.67 billion.

Poland to hike fuel, tobacco tax to boost 2012 budget

Poland plans to raise an additional 2.45 billion zlotys ($741 million) next year from higher excise tax on fuels and tobacco, according to a bill submitted by the government on Tuesday.

Last week, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced reforms to cut spending and said he would lower the budget deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product next year.

As most of the reforms will be implemented over coming years, the government still needs short-term measures to limit its budget shortfall in 2012.

At its first sitting since being sworn in last week, Tusk's cabinet also submitted proposals to freeze salaries of judges and scale down budget contributions for hiring disabled workers.

The three measures are part of a supplement to the budget bill and have yet to be approved by parliament, in which Tusk's coalition holds a slim majority.

"The government-proposed solutions supplement the country's 2012 financial plan, which holds curbing the speedy growth of public debt as one of its main goals, to avoid breaching 55 percent of GDP in 2012," the government said in a statement.

The Polish constitution mandates painful spending cuts if public debt tops 55 percent of GDP.

The cabinet did not estimate the overall effect of the supplementary measures on next year's budget.

Tusk, whose Civic Platform (PO) party won a parliamentary election last month, has said he will raise the retirement age and slash tax and pension privileges to try to ring-fence the European Union's largest eastern state from the debt crisis.

Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski has prepared three economic scenarios for next year's budget ranging from a 1 percent contraction to 3.2 percent growth.

Man arrested after allegedly smoking marijuana on way to work

Massachusetts State Police yesterday morning arrested a Hyannis man, who nearly caused a crash at a construction site, after a traffic stop revealed that he was smoking marijuana while driving to work.
Trooper R.J. Torres was working a paid detail when he observed a white van speed through a stop sign and nearly crash into another vehicle. Torres stopped the van. As he spoke with the driver, Elton Miranda, 25, the trooper saw a plume of smoke inside the van and observed him stomping out a lit object on the floorboard. The smoke had an odor consistent with that of marijuana. At this time Sgt. Timothy Whelan arrived on-scene during a routine detail inspection and assisted Torres with the stop.
The troopers spoke for several minutes with Miranda, who made statements relative to his use of marijuana. Miranda’s speech pattern was described as confused and he drifted from subject to subject.
Whelan placed Miranda into custody for the following crimes: operating under the influence of drugs; negligent operation of a motor vehicle; and failure to stop for a stop sign. Miranda was transported to the Yarmouth State Police Barracks, where he was evaluated by a drug recognition expert, Officer Fitcher of the Yarmouth police Dept. During the booking process Miranda was found to not have a valid driver’s license and has two prior incidents for the same offense. Miranda will be arraigned in Barnstable District Court.

Resolution calls for limits on smoking

Undergraduate Student Government weighed in on the debate over creating a smoke-free campus Tuesday night by passing a senate resolution calling for the enforcement of designated smoking areas and a clarification of current smoking policy.

The administration will take an official position on changing smoking policy on the University Park Campus once it has heard from the different constituencies for faculty, staff, undergraduate students and graduate students, according to USG Director of Campus Affairs Jared Ginsburg. The other three constituencies’ representatives have passed resolutions, which are used to formally communicate interests to administration.

Residential Senator Marissa Roy, a co-author of the resolution, sees the legislation as an intermediate step toward possibly establishing a smoke-free campus in the future.

“We may be in the direction of becoming a smoke-free campus one day,” Roy said. “[Clarifying designated] smoking areas will be a first step to gauge reaction and get students used to the idea of seeing smoking limited on campus.”

Nearly 65 percent of 1,485 respondents to a USG online poll supported limiting smoking on campus, according to the resolution. A plurality of about 46 percent of the respondents favored a smoking ban and 40 percent favored a change in the university’s smoking policy that includes clarifying the location of designated smoking areas.

“I support a campus-wide ban on smoking contingent upon USC actually enforcing it,” Matthew Prusak, a freshman majoring in international relations (global business) said. “Smoking poses a health risk and it seems like the right thing to do from a health standpoint.”

USG Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Vinnie Prasad, who cast the only dissenting vote, said the resolution does not address the plurality’s views.

“While I agree with the spirit that we need to clarify all rules, I think we should have considered the 46 percent,” Prasad said.

USG had initially planned to vote on the resolution last week but tabled the legislation to settle confusion between two groups of senators — those who wanted administration to take action and those who wanted to clarify the current policy, Roy said.

The new draft added clauses aimed at clarifying and publicizing current USC smoking policy along with asking the administration to take action.

“Students don’t know what the policy is,” Ginsburg said. “They just don’t understand it. We are calling for a very clear announcement by the administration as to what the policy is and where the university falls on the issue.”

The USC Academic Senate and the USC Staff Assembly, the representative bodies of faculty and staff respectively, passed resolutions in 2010 advocating for a smoke-free campus. The academic senate’s resolution cited research findings and recommendations from the Provost’s Work and Family Life Committee, which conducted focus groups on both campuses.

“It’s not out of the realm of the really possible,” said Christopher Chomyn, a senior lecturer in the School of Cinematic Arts and the committee’s chair. “We are not leading this trend. We are way behind the curve for universities adopting smoke-free policies.”

At least 586 colleges have adopted smoke-free campus policies as of Oct. 7, including schools with large campuses such as the University of Michigan and Oregon State University, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

In September, the Graduate and Professional School Senate expressed its opposition to a smoking ban with a strongly worded resolution that called smoking bans “an encroachment of personal rights.”

“The lack of enforceability was a big problem we talked about,” GPSS President Ryan Estes said. “We thought there could be a lot of alternatives to create a healthier campus than a flat-out smoking ban.”

Chomyn, however, said a ban probably wouldn’t be heavily enforced.

“It’s not meant to be punitive,” he said. “It’s meant to improve the general welfare of our community.”

Because of the negative health effects associated with secondhand smoking, some smokers support the enforcement of designated smoking areas despite the inconvenience they cause.

“I’m a smoker, but I agree with the designated smoking areas,” said Jin Yong-Moon, a junior majoring in music industry. “I may harm other people if I smoke in open areas.”

Chomyn said his committee’s research showed opposition to a ban mostly comes from non-smokers, rather than smokers.

“Most of the people who are smokers seem to be in the favor of it, or at least open to it,” he said. “The push back has been from non-smokers.”

Roy also said she hopes the resolution’s urge to clarify policy will mean students learn there are already designated smoking areas on campus.

“Students in the survey were asking for something that already exists, but they didn’t know were already there,” Roy said.

In the coming months, USG will continue to work on expressing the student body’s opinion regarding USC’s smoking policy.

“USG is going to be the stalwart voice of students,” Roy said. “We want to keep our personal views out of it.”

The resolution will remain effective for two senate terms, taking advantage of a new bylaw amendment that allows each senator to submit one strongly supported resolution to the subsequent senate.

Survey Says Smoking on the Decline Among Young People

The global drive to reduce smoking rates appears to be working. A survey by Yahoo of over 1,000 Yahoo users found that campaign appears to be effective particularly among young people.

About 61 per cent of the respondents aged 18 to 34 said they had never smoked.
The changed attitude toward lighting up, partly boosted by graphic warnings on cigarette pack, is evident in smoking being seen as a very uncool activity by 57 per cent of men and 71 per cent of women.

Because of aversion toward the habit, 58 per cent of females and 49 per cent of males said they would not date a smoker, while 32 per cent of women who smoke said they would never light up whenever their loved one is around.

However, 41 per cent of the young respondents said they engage in social smoking, which often happens whenever they are with a social crowd or when they have a drink. Lighting up enhances the drinking experience, the respondents said.

"Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance, making addiction the number one reason why people smoke. Smoking can also be a social habit. When others around you are smoking, you may feel like you should be doing the same. The feeling is known as peer pressure. Most people have a natural tendency to conform, which is an additional reason why people may decide to begin smoking," explained Shirley Beasley-Posey, a wellness educator with the U.S. Marine Corps Community Services.

Youth dies months after smoking medical marijuana

A Westmoreland County youth died Thursday morning at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC months after being hospitalized for smoking artificial marijuana, the Allegheny County medical examiner's office said.

Brandon Rice, 14, of East Huntingdon, was pronounced dead at around 8:20 this morning.

Mike Chichwak of the medical examiner's office said Brandon was admitted to Frick Hospital on June 12 after he told his parents he smoked K2, a type of artificial marijuana. He was later transferred to Children's Hospital.

A cause of death has not been determined. An autopsy and toxicology tests are being performed by Children's Hospital.

If it's established the boy died from the drug, it will be the first death in Westmoreland County caused by smoking artificial marijuana, said John Ackerman, a deputy coroner in Westmoreland County.

Gov. Tom Corbett signed a bill June 24 banning the sale of artificial marijuana. It went into effect in August.

Baltimore Co. to ban smoking in county-owned vehicles

Baltimore County plans to prohibit employees from smoking in government vehicles, including police cars and maintenance trucks, a county health official confirmed.

Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, the county health officer, recommended the move to county Administrative Officer Fred Homan last week, citing the health risks of secondhand smoke.
"Secondhand smoke can remain in [homes and cars] through contaminated dust and surfaces, even if smoking took place days, weeks and even months earlier," Branch wrote in the letter obtained by The Baltimore Sun. "The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has concluded that secondhand smoke is an occupational carcinogen."

Branch said he made the recommendation because he has a responsibility to protect all county constituents, including employees. He said County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's administration has told him that it would adopt the ban.

"What we know is that secondhand smoke is deleterious to adults, to children, to pregnant women and believe it or not, to animals," Branch said.

Employees who smoke in the vehicles can harm others' health, Branch said, and some nonsmoking employees have complained about lingering cigarette smoke.

"There are others that don't smoke that have to ride in those vehicles," he said. "The carcinogens, the smoke, remain in the car, on the surfaces."

In adults, secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer, coronary disease, nasal irritation, and an increased risk of bronchitis and pneumonia, Branch wrote in the letter. In children, consequences include middle-ear problems, impaired lung function and lower respiratory illness.

The county owns about 1,500 vehicles, said Don Mohler, chief of staff to Kamenetz. Of those, about 800 are public safety — mostly police — vehicles.

Smoking may be banned at Downey parks

After a heated debate filled with feisty exchanges between council members, the City Council moved forward with plans Tuesday night to enact an ordinance banning cigarette smoking at all Downey parks and city-sponsored events.

In a split decision, Mayor Luis Marquez, Councilmen Fernando Vasquez and Roger Brossmer voted in support while Councilmen Mario Guerra and David Gafin dissented.

With more than 100 community members in attendance, including dozens of Downey teenagers and parents, the Council meeting often took on the tone of a political rally as several residents voiced support for a ban that would curb cigarette smoking near children and playgrounds.

Vasquez, who proposed the smoking ban, said he was surprised by the turnout, but encouraged by the display of community involvement.

“That's the beauty of our country, we can have these discussions,” Vasquez said shortly before addressing the smoking ban. “I agree this country was built on rights – the right for our children to breathe fresh air.

“Let adults be adults, but let children be children by letting them play in a safe environment,” Vasquez added.

Guerra, however, expressed concern over a possible anti-smoking ban and accused Marquez and Vasquez of playing politics, promoting a non-issue at the expense of residents’ civil liberties.

“I am vehemently opposed to this,” Guerra said. “We don't have police to invest in this. Who’s going to enforce it? What are the penalties?

“I'm against tobacco. I agree that it does kill, but this isn't going to stop it. Let's use common sense. This is about our personal rights being taken away.”

Gafin agreed, insisting state and county laws already limit smoking near playgrounds and other outdoor venues.

“I’m a strong proponent of individual rights. If an adult chooses to smoke it's their own right,” Gafin reasoned. “Where do we stop? We should not impose this upon our citizens, taking individuals' rights away.”

Marquez, who announced his support for the ban last week, maintained the issue was not political in nature.

“Children and parents agree this is a concern – it’s a public health issue,” Marquez said. “Our kids always come first.” Read more: The Downey Patriot - Smoking may be banned at Downey parks

Is Lindsay Lohan Turning New Leaf? She Quits Smoking!

Is Lindsay Lohan finally turning a new leaf to mark her debut in Playboy magazine? The actress says she recently quit smoking and says she’s working out regularly in rigorous spinning sessions. Believe it?

Lohan, 25, is notorious for chain smoking cigarettes and was recently embarrassed after she was photographed with yellow, nicotine-stained teeth.

Quitting the habit would be a major step forward for the actress. Her skin is already showing signs of premature aging from heavy tobacco and alcohol use.

The actress who posed nude for Playboy earlier this week for a reported fee just shy of $1 million, says she’s now exercising regularly.

“I’ve gone through enough in my life that I appreciate getting up at 7 or 8 in the morning and going spinning,” Lohan tells ExtraTV. “I like that kind of routine.”

Lindsay, 25, says the high-intensity cardio workout is “exhausting.”

Lohan, who has struggled with drug abuse and legal woes for the past four years, spent the summer flying to New York, Paris and Milan for fashion week, while trying to complete the community service requirements for her parole.

Lindsay, who recently quit smoking, has been in and out of jail and court due to her drug-related legal problems.

She also pleaded no contest to theft charges involving an instance where she walked out of a jewelry store with a necklace.

“I tried to mask my problems with alcohol, cocaine and mind-altering substances,” Lindsay revealed in 2009.

She’s currently spending time in the Los Angeles County morgue to met her community service obligations as a result of her theft plea.

Lohan has been trying to get her acting career back on track, and has vowed to leave her past behind. But so far, it’s been touch and go.

Lindsay was taken from the Los Angeles County Superior Court in handcuffs and post $100,000 bond after Judge Stephanie Sautner charged that she had violated the terms of probation in her misdemeanor shoplifting case.

A New York Post article Oct. 23 quoted a source describing her as “delusional.”

“To say she’s delusional would be a major understatement,” one former associate tells The Post.

“She genuinely seems clueless as to why these things keep happening to her. There is always something, or someone, else to blame.”

Lohan failed to show up for community service at a women’s shelter at least nine times, according to the The Post. .

She was also late on her first day of community service at the county morgue, but made sure she got there 45 minutes ahead of time the following day.

Lindsay, 25, is due back in court on Nov. 2, when the judge will decided whether she must return to jail.

E-cigarette store in New York City

This month Vape New York opened their first New York City location which exclusively sells e-cigarettes and accessories. Located in Queens, New York, Vape New York lets shoppers try e-cigarettes free to see if e-cigarettes could be a viable alternative to tobacco cigarettes for them.
Until now, most places that did sell e-cigarettes in New York sold a substandard model at an outrageous price point. The new store makes it affordable and reasonable for smokers to make the switch to e-cigarettes.
With New York City trying to ban indoor use of e-cigarettes, the business strives to educate the public on the difference between smoke and vapor and protect people's right to use the product indoors.
"We are very excited to bring vaping and e-cigarette culture to New York. We love exposing new people to e-cigarettes and we hope to change some lives by doing so." said co-owner Phil Roseman. "We encourage education about the product and we have e-cigarette users (known as vapers) and smokers meet together at our location on the last Sunday of each month so people can come and talk to other e-cigarette users."
The stores website provides literature and how to videos on the product.
"I am so thankful that now I can get on a subway and go to a local store when I need refills instead of ordering online and having to buy a pack of cigarettes while I wait for my order to arrive!" said Leslie Frank of Brooklyn, New York.
The owners have been strong activists for vapers rights and have been active in keeping e-cigarette use legal nationwide. They encourage individuials to do their research on the product and ask questions before buying anything.

Controlled Purchase Operation nets Marlborough cigarette seller

One cigarette retailer in Marlborough could face prosecution by the Ministry of Health after allegedly selling cigarettes recently to a youth under the age of 18 years.

A Controlled Purchase Operation was carried out by Nelson Marlborough Public Health Service in the Nelson/Tasman on October 12, and in Marlborough on October 13, with volunteers under 18 years of age.

The volunteers attempted to buy cigarettes from 46 outlets around Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.

Nelson Marlborough District Health Board, Community Based Service Director, Peter Burton said, "All tobacco retailers had an audit visit in August this year.

"They were also sent a letter which reminded them of their legal obligations with regard to sales of tobacco to people under 18 years with advice that a Closed Purchase Operation would be conducted."

He said those that did not sell to the minors are to be contacted individually and complimented.

It has been the Ministry of Health's policy to consider prosecution following a sale of tobacco to a minor and a case file and evidence will be prepared and sent to the Ministry for a decision.

Premises visited during the operation included supermarkets, dairies and service station outlets.

Mr Burton said these annual operations are necessary to ensure the community is fully aware that it is illegal to sell cigarettes to people under the age of 18 years.

Colo. medical marijuana dispensaries join union

Colorado medical marijuana dispensaries are getting a boost in political clout after they joined the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
The U.S. Justice Department has warned that marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws could face prosecution for violating federal drug and money-laundering laws, which union members are vowing to fight.
Daniel J. Rush, a national marijuana dispensary organizer for the union, said dispensary owners are at war with the U.S. Justice Department in California over the issue, and he believes the unions can help them.
"They declared war on us, we didn't declare war on them," Rush said.
Dispensaries in Michigan, California, and Washington state also are seeking union backing.
Dispensary representatives said Monday that they believe medical marijuana is part of the retail health care, agriculture, and food processing industry.
"Our union has over 100 years' experience representing these very types of workers. We intend for our collective bargaining agreements to serve as a first line of regulation in the communities our members work in, and we are proud to do it," said Kim Cordova, president of the UFCW Local 7.
The union chapter has about 25,000 members in Colorado and Wyoming representing grocery, pharmacy, agriculture workers, food processors, meat cutters, textile workers, and health care workers.
As of July, 16 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of marijuana, with programs in various phases of development.
Brian Vicente, executive director of Sensible Colorado, a medical marijuana patients' group, said union backing sends a message that professional organizations are keeping the medical marijuana industry in place.
He said union support, including campaign and financial backing, could help get a constitutional amendment on the Colorado ballot next year that would regulate and tax recreational marijuana to raise money for schools.
Steve Ackerman of the Organic Alternatives dispensary in Fort Collins said about 200 people working for 20 licenses marijuana businesses are counting on union support to fight a measure on the Nov. 1 ballot that would ban medical marijuana businesses in the city. If approved, the 20 licensed marijuana businesses in the city would have 90 days to shut down.
So far, opponents of the ban, including dispensary owners, have raised nearly eight times more money than ban supporters.
Marijuana dispensary advocates said the medical marijuana industry employs more than 8,000 workers and contributes millions of tax dollars to the Colorado economy.
Ray Martinez, who got the initiative on the ballot prohibiting marijuana dispensaries and grow operations, said Fort Collins has become a sanctuary city for medical marijuana and making them unionized won't make them any more legitimate.
"Unions are about making money, and that's what marijuana stores are about. They don't care about the patients," Martinez said.

Bulgaria finalises controversial tobacco deal

Bulgaria finalised on Monday the controversial sale of state-owned cigarette maker Bulgartabac to a firm belonging to Kremlin-controlled Russian bank VTB for 100.1 million euros ($137.4 million), AFP reported.
Numerous other privatisation attempts have failed over the past 13 years, and critics have questioned who is behind the new buyer, an Austria-registered company majority owned by a unit of VTB that was the sole bidder.

Previous privatisation attempts were opposed by the Turkish minority MRF party, in Bulgaria's government between 2001-2009, as tobacco-growing is a major source of employment for the country's 10-percent Turkish population.
The finalisation of the deal, which saw the European Union's poorest member offload a 79.8-percent stake, came six days ahead of presidential and local elections.

City council implements “voluntary” tobacco-free policy

City lawmakers are hoping a new policy will create a healthier atmosphere for children at play in local parks and playgrounds.

During a meeting on Monday, city council members voted unanimously to adopt a smoke-free policy for all recreational areas in Niagara Falls.

Signs will soon be posted at all area parks and playgrounds to alert residents and visitors. Compliance with the new measure will be “voluntary” as the policy does not call for any fines or other forms of punishment for offenders.

City officials hope the smoke-free designation alone will draw awareness among adults about the health risks associated with smoking, especially among children and young adults.

“This is really an opportunity for us here at the city to try to make our city healthier and safer for kids,” said Councilman Charles Walker, who pushed for the development and approval of the policy.

Before Monday’s vote, lawmakers heard from representatives from two large anti-smoking organizations who said the policy makes sense for Niagara Falls.

Deborah Pettibone, a representative from the Erie Niagara Tobacco Free Coalition, a group that works to reduce the risk of tobacco-related diseases by advocating for measures aimed at reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, said there are many reasons why tobacco-free parks make sense for Niagara Falls and other communities. Pettibone said the measure will not only promote a healthier community by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke among park goers, but will also promote cleaner recreational areas by eliminating cigarette butts often left behind by smokers.

Pettibone said passing the measure would put Niagara Falls in league with a growing number of communities in Western New York that have adopted similar policies in recent years. To date, she said, 15 communities in Niagara and Erie counties have made such moves and more than 300 municipalities statewide have done so as well. Pettibone said her organization has agreed to donate signs valued at $1,500 apiece that will inform park visitors of the new no-smoking rules.

Tobacco linked to early menopause

Several studies have showen that smokers are at increased risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and lung disease and of dying prematurely while the deadly habit triggers many specific problems in women.

Menopause is a natural condition occurring in women as they age in which their ovaries stop producing eggs and they can no longer get pregnant.

Menopausal symptoms naturally begin between the ages of 46 and 51 but a new analysis carried by researchers of the University of Hong Kong suggests that smokers hit menopause between 43 and 50, Reuters reported.

Researchers reviewed some previous studies conducted on about 6,000 women in the US, Poland, Turkey and Iran.

The team also analyzed five other studies that used a cut-off age of 50 or 51 to categorize studied women into "early" and "late" menopause.

Out of more than 43,000 participants, women who smoked were 43 percent more likely to have early menopause, says the report published in the journal Menopause .

“Our results give further evidence that smoking is significantly associated with earlier (age at menopause) and provide yet another justification for women to avoid this habit,” said lead author Volodymyr Dvornyk.

“General consensus is that earlier menopause is likely to be associated with the larger number and higher risk of postmenopausal health problems, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and others," Dvornyk added.

Early menopause has also been associated with a slightly higher risk of earlier death, he said.

Previous findings suggested that smoking could affect the production or break up of the female hormone estrogen, which has a curtail part in delaying menopause. Some other studies, however, say certain components of cigarette smoke might kill eggs.
Dvornyk's team did not study participants' smoking habits and their other lifestyle factors which may provide more understanding about the connection between smoking and menopause.

Further researches may not only investigate the mechanism through which tobacco related substances may affect women's menopause age but also their fertility.

Full smoking ban vote likely to see delay

After a town hall meeting on Monday, students might not have to take their cigarettes off campus—at least for another month.

About 40 people attended a University Senate town hall on Monday afternoon to discuss the current 20-foot campus smoking ban and a potential full-campus ban. But the meeting was marked by a sense of gridlock, with supporters and opponents of a full ban sticking to their positions and senators still deliberating on when and if another vote would take place.

The senate had been expected to vote on a full smoking ban, as proposed by Business School senator Mark Cohen, at its plenary this Friday. But Cohen’s proposal changed between September 23, when he introduced it at the last USenate plenary, and the hearing on Monday. The original proposal called for a smoking ban on the Morningside Heights campus, and the new version calls to ban smoking throughout Columbia University.

Alex Frouman, CC ’12, University senator and co-chair of the student affairs committee, told Spectator after the hearing that because of the change in the proposal, it’s “no longer clear” that the senate will vote on the resolution at its plenary this Friday.

“With the senate, anything can happen,” Frouman said. “It’s procedurally possible … but there seems to no longer be the will to push it through on Friday.”

Frouman added that the current ban is reasonable and was implemented with plans to reevaluate the policy after two years, not nine months.

“The senate needs to build the trust of the community by keeping its word when passing a policy and sticking to the timeline,” he said.

After the town hall, University senator Kenny Durell, CC ’12, said that the senate would likely wait until November to vote.

“I think the real issue with the entire process is that the process hasn’t been seen to fruition,” Durell said.

Aki Terasaki, CC ’12 and president of Columbia College Student Council, agreed. On Sunday night, CCSC nearly unanimously passed a resolution stating that “proper signage has just been implemented, and as a result, the policy hasn’t been in place long enough to review the effects.”

Terasaki said that changing the policy would “provoke confusion in the student body,” and that CCSC will support the current policy for two years.

Senator and Business School professor Mark Cohen, the chief proponent of the full-campus ban, objected to Terasaki’s emphasis on student opinion.

“The University community doesn’t revolve around students as the sun, the moon, and the stars,” he said. “You don’t have the only voice in the room.”

The move to postpone a vote on a University-wide ban will likely be greeted with approval by Columbia’s smokers, several of whom came to the meeting to defend themselves—including Aram Avanessians, SEAS ’15, who gave a passionate speech in defense of his right to smoke.

“To fully rid the campus of smoking is to tell a smoker that they are not fully accepted as a proud member of this society,” he said. “Columbia has diagnosed my habit as a flaw in my human being.”

John Morris, a smoker and graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in history, further described the proposal as “absurd” and “paternalistic,” calling it a product of the Columbia student body’s “self-righteous attitude towards whatever they deem to be unhealthy and culturally unacceptable.”

But few Columbia medical professionals said it was time for Columbia to follow the example of more than 350 other universities and ban smoking.

Sam Silverstein, chairman of Columbia’s department of physiology, was surprised that the senate was even debating the ban, since he said smoking was an urgent public health problem, not “an issue of liberty versus authority.”

“This is not a reasonable issue to be discussing in this way,” he said.

Police find marijuana at rural residence

A tip to Angola Police Department brought in a bounty of marijuana Monday.

K9 Officer Case Gilbert and his companion Yogi went to a rural residence in the 2900 block of C.R. 160S, southwest of Angola. As soon as he got to the residence, Gilbert said he could smell marijuana. “I took Yogi around and he agreed,” Gilbert said. Yogi alerted to the smell coming from inside the house and with that confirmation Gilbert obtained a search warrant.

The person who answered the door — 45-year-old Michael Robbins — was taken into custody on a warrant from Michigan and lodged in Steuben County Jail. Robbins will face additional charges, police said. A juvenile was also arrested in connection with the case.

“There’s another suspect that’s still at large,” said Angola Police Chief Stu Hamblen.

Angola Police and Steuben County Sheriff’s Department officers executed the warrant and found a large quantity of marijuana, cash, a rifle, paraphernalia and other controlled substances, said a news release.

The amount of marijuana has not yet been determined. If there was more than 10 pounds, the marijuana charge could be a Class C felony, which is punishable by up to eight years in prison.

Hamblen said the smell of marijuana was overpowering at the residence. The pot found included harvested stalks that were hanging to dry along with prepackaged bags.

“They had already harvested. We found where they had cut the stalks,” said Hamblen. In an area west of the residence, around a dozen stubs were found where the plant had been removed.

Inside the house, the contraband was in plain view, said Gilbert.

Regulation Confusion Over Medical Marijuana

Two Southern Oregon medical marijuana grows are raided by federal agents in a week's time, hauling away hundreds of plants. The raids are raising the issue of how the medical marijuana program is regulated.

The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program screens growers and patients to make sure they do not have a criminal background. Growers are allowed to grow six plants per patient, up to four patients. The OMMP registers growers, but does not have agents to see if growers are in compliance.

That responsibility falls to law enforcement, but police say without a complaint or suspicion, they don't know where to start looking. Local police can conduct consensual compliance checks if the landowner agrees, but usually can only do this if there is suspicion of illegal activity.

James Anderson, whose Gold Hill medical marijuana grow was raided by the DEA two weeks ago, says he has still not been charged with anything and has not been arrested. He says the grow was legal under state law, but says in six years of growing, no one ever knocked on his door to check.

In his copy of the federal search warrant, he was given aerial pictures of the grow site, which showed hundreds of plants. Anderson and medical marijuana advocates think federal agents target co-ops of 100 plants or more

Drug Enforcement Agents and the U.S. Attorney's office are still giving no information about the raids in Gold Hill and Central Point, only saying they were serving a federal search warrant.

Tobacco battle lines form

United Nations health chief Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, has come out fighting against tobacco giants, urging Asian governments not to be cowed by the industry but instead maintain life-saving efforts against smoking.
Big tobacco's efforts to subvert the World Health Organization's framework convention on tobacco control "are now out in the open and extremely aggressive," WHO director general Chan said.

The former Hong Kong health official was speaking at yesterday's opening of the 62nd regional committee meeting of WHO Western Pacific, which includes the SAR and the mainland.

Chan recounted how firms have filed lawsuits. One target, she noted, is Australia, the first nation to legislate for plain cigarette packets to hit marketing efforts.

Such dirty tactics "are deliberately designed to instil fear in other countries wishing to introduce similarly tough tobacco control measures," she said.

Delegates in Manila will today review progress in tackling non-communicable diseases after a UN General Assembly declaration last month. Chan helped push UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to put non-communicable diseases on the agenda for only the second time in its history - after HIV/aids.

She said tobacco is the common risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease - "which break the bank." That referred to a study published last month. It concluded that costs of treating cancer are "now unsustainable in even the richest nations," Chan

said.

Urging WHO members to unite in anti-smoking efforts and back ideas like Australia's on packaging, Chan added: "It is horrific to think that an industry known for its dirty tricks and dirty laundry could be allowed to trump what is clearly in the public's best interest."

Talking yesterday about Australia's move to force tobacco companies to use the same dull packets whatever the brand was the chief of its Department of Health and Ageing, Jane Halton.

"It is fair to say that we are being targeted by what can only be described as subversive and disgraceful tactics by the tobacco industry, including using every available vehicle and opportunity to try and intimidate and/or threaten us to withdraw the legislation," she said.

Hong Kong Director of Health Lam Ping-yan said the SAR will be "comrades and partners" with Australia and commended it for its determination to introduce plain packaging.

In Hong Kong, people aged 15 and above who have been daily smokers dropped to 11.1 percent - among the lowest in the region - and Lam said more money will go to expanding the network of quit-smoking clinics.

The WHO said in May that tobacco will kill six million people this year, including 600,000 non-smokers.

And by 2030 it could kill eight million people annually - more than the combined deaths from HIV, TB and malaria, Chan said yesterday.

Smoking-related TB could rise if worldwide smoking rates continue

If smoking rates stay at current levels, smoking could create 18 million extra cases of tuberculosis worldwide and 40 million excess deaths from the disease by 2050, a study finds.

Researchers produced mathematical models based on various smoking rate scenarios to estimate rates of tuberculosis disease and deaths in each World Health Organization region around the world. The baseline scenario used current smoking levels to come up with the 18 million and 40 million numbers; right now, almost 20% of people worldwide smoke tobacco, and that figure may rise in some poor countries, the study authors said.

Here's how bad it could get: In a "pessimistic" scenario, researchers projected numbers based on smoking prevalence growing at two times the current rate, until half of all people smoked. That would mean an added 34 million tuberculosis cases attributed to smoking and an excess 114 million deaths from smoking-related tuberculosis from 2010 to 2050.

And what if smoking frequency were cut by 1% each year from 2015 until it was gone? That would mean a drop of 13% in cumulative smoking-related TB cases and 27% in cumulative smoking-related deaths from TB by 2050, compared with the baseline numbers.

Studies have shown a link between smoking and a greater risk of contracting tuberculosis. Health experts believe that smoking might make the lungs less capable of fighting infections by altering cells that would normally be able to battle pathogens.

"The tobacco industry has spent decades working to convince developing countries as well as funding agencies that they should not 'waste' their time on tobacco control," said lead author Dr. Sanjay Basu of UC San Francisco in a news release, "but rather focus on infectious diseases like tuberculosis at the same time that the multinational tobacco companies were expanding aggressively in those very countries."

UIC researchers get $14.2M for tobacco studies

The National Cancer Institute has awarded $14.2 million in grants to the University of Illinois at Chicago for tobacco research.

The funding announced Monday goes to two research projects. In one, scientist Sherry Emery and her colleagues will measure how media messages - including on the Internet and in social media - affect smoking behavior and attitudes.

In another, Frank Chaloupka and his colleagues will look at the effect of taxes and price reductions on tobacco purchasing. They'll examine whether consumers will avoid paying taxes on tobacco by crossing county or state borders, or by buying tobacco online or by phone.

The two 5-year studies at UIC's Institute for Health Research and Policy build on previous research conducted by the institute to better unde

Youth tobacco checks show 100% compliance

Nine tobacco checks in Alva and Woodward were completed with 100% compliance rate for the third consecutive quarter. Youth volunteers and staff from Northwest Center for Behavioral Health Regional Prevention Coordinator (formerly the Area Prevention Resource Center) recently conducted Reward Reminder Visits in northwest Oklahoma communities.

Checks were done in the communities of Alva, Waynoka, Mooreland and Woodward on September 23rd. Clerks in all of the stores visited verified the age of the youth volunteer, and did not sell tobacco products to them.

Reward Reminder Visits are also referred to as Tobacco Compliance Checks. These are visits that are conducted at retailers that sell tobacco, to ensure that tobacco is not being sold to minors.

The Regional Prevention Coordinator conducts random tobacco checks where tobacco products are sold, utilizing a youth volunteer who is under 18 years of age. During these checks the minor is accompanied into the store where he or she attempts to purchase a tobacco product.

If the clerk proceeds to attempt to sell the minor, the RPC staff person informs them that they are illegally selling tobacco to a youth who is underage. If the clerk requests an ID and refuses a sale, they are praised by the staff member and given a card thanking them for not selling to a minor.

In either case, the clerk is required to fill out an information sheet and the store’s manager is then notified by letter whether the clerk did or did not sell tobacco.

The Reward Reminder Visits do not have the legal implications that the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission has, but rather could be viewed as a “trial run” for ABLE Agents, who regularly conduct their own tobacco checks.

The information gathered by the RPC staff during these checks is reported to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services Prevention Services, who works closely with the ABLE Commission.

Japan Tobacco sale planned for reconstruction

+The Japanese government plans to sell its entire stake in Japan Tobacco and other firms to raise Y2,000bn ($26.2bn) to pay for the reconstruction of Tohoku which was devastated by the March earthquake.
The ruling Democratic party took the surprise decision – which would represent Japan’s biggest privatisation in years – to ease the tax burden on citizens.

It would aim to reduce its 50 per cent stake in JT down to a third within the next five years according to Seiji Maehara, DPJ policy chief. It aims to sell the remainder within ten years
Following a string of large privatisations in the 1990s, the sale of government shares has slowed in recent years, although this year, the finance ministry sold Y223bn worth of shares in NTT back to the telecoms operator.
Taxpayers had been asked to pay an additional Y11,200bn towards the estimated Y19,000bn cost of rebuilding Tohoku over five years. But opposition to the tax increase both from within the DPJ and the major opposition parties forced the government to find other revenue sources.
The DPJ estimates that the privatisation plan, which requires Diet approval, will reduce the extra tax burden to Y9,200bn.
The strong opposition to the original tax increase was partly due to concerns that the added burden would undermine consumption and further depress the economy.
Japan’s economy shrank by more than initially estimated in the three months to June, with gross domestic product falling 2.1 per cent on an annualised basis compared with a projected 1.3 per cent.
“If taxes are raised in this uncertain environment, there will definitely be an impact on the economy,” said Masaaki Kanno, chief economist at JPMorgan in Tokyo.
The Japanese government, whose stake in JT is worth an estimated Y1,700bn, plans to sell its stakes in Inpex, an oil company, and Japex, an oil exploration and production company. Those stakes are worth a combined Y566bn.
The JT sale will be welcomed by international investors, who have long argued that the company should buy back its shares from the government to raise its earnings per share and boost its share price.
The Children’s Investment Fund, the activist fund, has written twice to the finance ministry urging the government to use its role as JT’s largest shareholder to encourage the company to raise its dividend and buy back its shares.
“It’s in the public interest. This could be an example of [better corporate governance] and attract foreign investors back into Japan,” said Oscar Veldhuijzen, TCI partner.
The government is likely to face opposition to its plan from politicians close to tobacco leaf farmers, who want JT to continue to be required by law to buy the entire domestic tobacco leaf crop, at significantly higher prices than in international markets.
Although there are only about 10,000 tobacco leaf farmers, they have been able to wield significant influence over the debate on a government sale of JT shares.
Before a final decision is reached, “I think there will be one or two more turbulent moments,” Mr Kanno said.