Editors at The Australian have made clear their opposition to the Federal Government’s proposals to legislate plain cigarette packaging that incorporates graphic health warnings. The paper’s Friday 8 April editorial Smokescreen or deterrent? argues that smoking rates have been dropping for decades without this “latest proposal for even more hideous cigarette packaging”, managing to imply that tobacco control legislation enacted to date has played no part in this trend. The editorial states that cigarette manufacturers should be allowed to present their brands to consumers in much the ... Jump to full article >>

WASHINGTON, DC — The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is honored to be a partner in Joining Forces, the new White House initiative to support military families and improve the health of active-duty personnel, their families and veterans. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are to be commended for their extraordinary effort in putting together a broad coalition to honor the service of our military personnel as well as the sacrifices they and their families make. We are pleased that the wellness component of the White House initiati ... Jump to full article >>

Australia on Thursday unveiled draft laws banning logos and branding from tobacco packaging, the first government in the world to take such a stance, likely setting lawmakers up for a pitched battle with cigarette makers. Under the proposed laws, logos, branding, colors and promotional text will be restricted on packets. Product names will appear in standard colors and positions in a regular font and size on packets coloured a dark olive/brown, which government research has found holds the lowest appeal to smokers. Health warnings with graphic images of the harmful effects of smoking will have ... Jump to full article >>

An anti-tobacco group urged Olive Branch elected officials Tuesday night to adopt one of two types of bans against smoking in public places. The local chapter of the Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition asked for an all-out ban or a partial one that would restrict smoking at certain types of businesses during certain hours. The Board of Aldermen did not take any action, but an ordinance may be before them later. The aldermen also heard from residents who are upset about noise from a residential dirt track. The anti-tobacco presentation was the first item on the board’s agenda after approva ... Jump to full article >>

The number of tobacco users in Ghana increases by the day, despite the health implications associated with it. Compared to the western countries, where most people smoke tobacco due to the excessive cold weather, smokers in Ghana have other reasons for smoking – either for pleasure or to get rid of an excessive nasty smell – which they later get addicted to. The number of tobacco smokers in Ghana, definitely, cannot be compared to smokers in the west, however, the adverse effects of smoking, unfortunately, does not affect users only, but people who find themselves present during the momen ... Jump to full article >>

With the debate on smoking in vehicles garnering considerable attention, researchers have fuelled the concern that smoking in a car can put passengers at risk. Young children are particularly vulnerable when it comes to smoke in such a confined space and research has suggested that they could be at risk for ‘up to an hour’ after their parent or guardian has lit a cigarette. Many people had previous believed that simply opening windows or throwing away cigarettes was enough to guard youngsters against health threats. But researchers have discovered that many of the dangerous chemicals foun ... Jump to full article >>

Emory is considering the implementation of a tobacco-free campus policy — tentatively slated to take effect in fall 2011 — that would ban the use of tobacco on University property but would not be accompanied by punitive measures for noncompliance. A task force co-headed by Director of Communications David Payne has been investigating the possibility of such a policy since January and is still working out the details. According to Payne, the efficacy of the policy will rely on community enforcement. This means voluntary compliance and encouragement from community members will likely be the ... Jump to full article >>

They’re not cigarettes, but they’re are close enough to catch the attention of Clark County Public Health. E-cigarettes often look like normal cigarettes, but rather than burning tobacco, smokers puff on vaporized nicotine solutions. They’re battery-powered and have a red LED at the end that mimics the burning tip of the real thing. Health department leaders briefed the Clark County commissioners, who also act as the county’s Board of Health, on the issue and proposed adopting an ordinance that would ban sale of the devices to people younger than 18. [caption id="attach ... Jump to full article >>

NEW DELHI: Can smokeless and chewing tobacco, India’s major public health problem, be called food items and then be tested and asked to reveal contents? That’s what the Union health ministry now wants to find out. The ministry has called a crucial consultation with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) — the nodal body to implement the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 — on April 4 and 5. The Act replaced the earlier Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of 1954 in which smokeless tobacco was not considered a food item. The ministry now wants to see that if ... Jump to full article >>

Kids in New York are promising to “kick butts” tomorrow in a special anti-smoking drive. The children taking part in Kick Butts day, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, want tobacco companies to stop targeting them with marketing for cigarette and other tobacco products. The series of events will include a “they put WHAT in cigarettes?” talk, that will be aimed at educating kids about the dangerous chemicals that cigarettes contain. Research shows that one in two smokers take their first puffs on cigarettes during their teenage years, and smoking cessation campaigners say ... Jump to full article >>

Texas can’t afford to stop funding its tobacco control programs. Tobacco is a deadly addiction that costs Texans $20 billion every year in medical costs, lost productivity and premature deaths. Tobacco is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in Texas, with more than 24,500 deaths each year in Texas linked to tobacco. And Big Tobacco spends an estimated $854 million every year to market its products to Texans. The state of Texas currently spends just $10 million of the $1.8 billion it collects each year in tobacco settlement and tobacco tax revenue to help prevent children from smoking an ... Jump to full article >>