California Assembly votes to outlaw smoking on hospital campuses

Californians may soon be adding hospital campuses to the list of smoke-free workplaces.

The Assembly passed a bill Monday that would expand current limits on smoking at hospitals to entire campuses. Existing law makes it illegal to smoke in buildings and areas adjacent to entrances. Assemblyman Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) argued that the legislation would not only encourage patients, visitors and employees to quit the habit but protect people against exposure to secondhand smoke.

The bill drew the ire of Republicans who said it was another example of California's "nanny state" politics. Many hospitals, they said, have already voluntarily banned smoking.

"California is one of the least-free states in the union," said Assemblyman Curt Hagman (R-Chino Hills).

Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-San Bernardino) said that although he appreciated the health risks of smoking, the bill went too far. "You want to ban smoking outside," he said. "The last thing California needs is another law for the rest of the country to make fun of us."

The measure, AB 1278, passed, 45-23. It now heads to the state Senate.

Last year, lawmakers tried and failed to widen the state's smoke-free workplace laws by removing exemptions that allow smoking in certain areas of hotel lobbies, meeting and banquet rooms, warehouses, break rooms and at many businesses with five or fewer employees. The bill passed the Senate but stalled in the Assembly.

400 children in Lincolnshire given help to quit smoking

HUNDREDS of children in Lincolnshire have tried to get help to quit smoking in less than a year, according to new figures.

The Phoenix Stop Smoking Service has been approached by nearly 400 youngsters aged under 16 since April last year.
And service manager Gary Burroughs believes this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to children smoking in the county.

He said: "This is a good start, but we need a lot more young people to come in and chose to quit smoking.

"Of those 400, only about a quarter of them actually quit."

Phoenix has joined forces with the Lincolnshire County Council-led Smokefree Lincs Alliance to try and give children advice about the hazards of lighting up.

Mr Burroughs added: "The important thing is to stop young people from starting smoking in the first place."

The young persons' smoking service was set up in late 2009, but before that the only help Phoenix could give was to try and change children's behaviour.

Now it can offer patches as well as guidance to under 16s.

Together with Phoenix, the Smokefree Lincs Alliance will develop a youth service that is tailored to the specific needs of young people.

Ros Watson, Smokefree Lincs co-ordinator, said that young people may not even consider themselves as smokers and therefore do not feel like they need help quitting.

She said: "If they are only smoking one or two a week then they are less likely to recognise that they are becoming addicted to the nicotine."

Pro-smoking lobby launches campaign against plain tobacco packaging

The smokers’ lobby group Forest has launched a website that gives opponents of plain packaging of tobacco the opportunity to petition the government when it begins a UK-wide public consultation on the issue in the spring.
The petition, says Forest, is in response to Plain Packs Protect, a campaign launched in January by an alliance of tobacco control groups including Smokefree South West and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: “Public consultations on tobacco control are effectively public sector consultations. Thousands of public workers are deployed to persuade MPs that there is overwhelming support for the latest tobacco control initiative.
“All over the country groups funded by the taxpayer will be gathering signatures or signing their own petitions. We want to give opponents of pointless regulation the voice they are often denied.
“The Hands Off Our Packs website and petition will give ordinary consumers the chance to have their say as well.”
Clark added: “Stephen Williams MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health, has challenged us to ‘rise to the debate’. We are delighted to accept the challenge and look forward to sharing a platform with Mr Williams and other advocates of plain packaging in the very near future.”
The Hands Off Our Packs campaign will be launched next month. It will be run and managed by Forest which is supported by British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Limited and Gallaher Limited (a member of the Japan Tobacco Group).

San Francisco medical marijuana licensing program resumes

San Francisco's medical cannabis dispensary program resumed licensing and inspecting medical marijuana collectives, Department of Public Health officials announced Monday. The move comes after the agency said last week that the application process was suspended.

Under clarified rules, existing dispensaries must sign a statement swearing that all medical marijuana sold on-site is cultivated in California and comes from a grower who is a member of the dispensary's nonprofit collective.

The health department is responsible for inspecting and permitting The City's 21 existing medical marijuana businesses and accepting applications for new clubs. New applications stopped being processed in December following a ruling in a state appeals court. In that case, Pack vs. the City of Long Beach, the court ruled that California cities violated federal law by regulating and permitting medical marijuana.

That ruling was vacated when the California Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal, and San Francisco’s city attorney gave the health department the green light to resume its program Jan. 20, but the department had announced last week that all applications were still on hold indefinitely.

Despite reviving the licensing and inspection program, some changes were made.

Several types of medical marijuana-laced food produced by companies outside San Francisco and sold at many dispensaries throughout the Bay Area are now banned at city dispensaries, according to a memo issued by Larry Kessler, a senior inspector at the health department who runs the dispensary program.

Dispensaries also "may not sell or distribute medical cannabis or medical cannabis products produced by commercial enterprises or by another collective/cooperative," Kessler wrote.

San Francisco became the first city in California to license dispensaries when the Board of Supervisors passed the Medical Cannabis Act in 2005.

The city currently has 21 such businesses, down from 26 a year ago. Sine November, five have closed after receiving warning letters from Melinda Haag, the U.S. attorney for Northern California.

The City’s Planning Department is expected to hear two applications for new dispensaries in the Excelsior district at its Feb. 16 meeting, including one that submitted its application more than a year ago.

Police shut down last medical marijuana storefront

Los Angeles police say three people were arrested during the closure of the last remaining medical marijuana storefront in the Chatsworth area.

LAPD Devonshire Division narcotics officers served a search warrant Monday afternoon at the Herbal Medicine Care facility on Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Police say an extensive investigation into criminal conduct at the storefront provided detectives with probable cause to serve the warrant and close down the business.

Police say three people were arrested for investigation of possession of marijuana for sale. More than 50 pounds of marijuana and more than $6,000 in cash were seized along with the store's medical records.

There were once more than 60 medical marijuana stores in the Devonshire Division, but police say all have been shut down because of illegal activity.

Tobacco Outlet Cigars Helps Clear the Air

The owner of new retailer, Tobacco Outlet is skeptical of why the government consistently raises fines, taxes and inspections every year under the premise of protecting the public. Recently the Alberta government has stated that it would like to raise "sin taxes" by as much as $2 per pack. Politicians are quick to justify the fact that these practices are aimed at reducing smoking, however as a store owner, he explains that his business actually increased after some of the rule changes.


The owner (a non-smoker himself) speculates that while there are some legitimate attempts to curb the habit, most rule changes appear to be made to appease anti-smoking voters while still collecting taxes. He feels that the government's addiction to increasing revenues is becoming a worse problem than the issues they are claiming to fight against (i.e. gambling, tobacco, speeding, DUI's) and while these are valid issues too, the government needs to build some credibility.

Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that each year selling tobacco has become more complex and risky for retailers. Holding inventories of several thousands of dollars (the majority of which is actually owed to the government in tobacco, sales and business taxes), while at the same time taking responsibility for upholding numerous laws is becoming much more difficult. Each increase or new law presents a challenge for retailers to explain to customers that the product they wanted would cost more yet again, and perhaps even became illegal. Many changes resulted in retailers having to throw away thousands of dollars of tobacco products that did not agree with revised laws. Normally such products would be returned to the distributors, but the changes put those companies out of business.

Seeing the increased complexity of regulations and cost of inventory despite a higher demand from consumers each year, he decided to create a store that can focus on tobacco alone. In recent years convenience stores have tended to sell cigarettes and the cigar stores focus simply on the connoisseur. Tobacco Outlet was created to serve all smokers to provide a store that could focus on following rules and regulations and provide a convenient store that would allow consenting, informed adults the ability to see the products. Staff are trained not only on product information, but on strict government rules and regulations that must be followed. A convenience store on the other hand has to train staff on dozens of areas, thus making it hard to focus on proper tobacco controls.

Tobacco Outlet understands that healthy living should be promoted, but not forced upon. As well, people's vices should not be preyed upon. Business owners are currently caught selling a legal product to informed willing adults but taxed by governments and often harassed by overzealous inspectors. Business owners would like to see some more legitimate actions that truly protect people without infringing on their rights to free speech or individuals' ability to make their own decisions. Tobacco Outlet would simply like to raise the issue of over-taxation and over-regulation.

Mike Strantz's Utterly Unique Tobacco Road

Playing Tobacco Road Golf Club during its grand-opening round with architect Mike Strantz more than a decade ago now, I hit what I thought was a horrible drive on No. 15, striking it some 50 yards off-line to the right. As I cussed my way off the tee, Strantz interrupted my tirade with a "that's perfect" utterance.
I turned and laughed, and spewed yet another profanity toward the Carolina Blue sky.

Unsuspecting to me, the hole turned out to be a split fairway, parted by one of a number of sandy graves placed throughout the course on land that was once a productive sand quarry used to build roads and baseball fields across North Carolina.

My golf ball was indeed in the short grass. I knew it well before that hole on a golf layout that will literally "scare you straight," but it was a poignant moment and one where I realized what Strantz created in 1998 was, to use a baseball term, "out of left field."

There is some debate as to just how many blind shots golfers face at Tobacco Road. My tally is 10 of the 18 approach shots, and that doesn't count the two tobacco smokestacks used as aiming tools on your drives at Nos. 16 and 18. There are also five bells to ring for the "all clear" sign and several 10-foot-high flags as players stretch their necks at times to see where to aim.

And did I mention the 33 wooden steps you must descend to a vast sand pit if you try to go for the green (now 40 feet above you) in two on the par-5 11th hole - and come up short?

Tobacco Road is a crew-cut haircut by today's distance standards, the par-71 course measuring just 6,532 yards from the "Ripper" tees, named after a metal tool used back in the day to till and break up hard soil for cultivating tobacco. But with a 150 Slope rating from the tips, it's beyond a James Bond thriller.
Tobacco Road quickly overcame its original "goofy golf" label and has thrived to the tune of 35,000 rounds a year as the fun alternative to a round of traditional golf in the Pinehurst area, one of the world's golfing Meccas that's located about 25 miles south of the Strantz layout.

Tobacco Road has been so successful in holding golfers' interest it now demands $134 for a weekend round from March 19 to May 6 as its reputation among "Snowbirds" has grown quicker than a tobacco plant in Carolina's August heat.

"We were just excited as it progressed because we could see what Mike (Strantz) had seen all along," said Mark Stewart, who co-owns the upscale public course with brother-in-law Tony Woodell. "It was visually stimulating and we figured it would attract interest and play. And we wanted a course that would be marketable.

"Most golfers feel like they can design a golf course and . . . think it is easy, but you have to be able to sell it to the public. It was so unique and dramatic we knew it would photograph well. What do they say; a picture is worth a thousand words."

Much of the successful marketing of Tobacco Road has been orchestrated by director of golf Joe Gay, a former N.C. State University standout golfer who has been at the Sanford course since Day One.

Foster City Flunks Key Tobacco Prevention Test

Foster City’s efforts to protect its citizenry from the ravages of tobacco over the past year have been inadequate, a leading health organization says.

The American Lung Association gave Foster City an “F” grade in an annual report released on Thursday.

The national study measures how well local governments provide smoke-free environments outdoors, in apartment rentals, as well as their effectiveness reducing tobacco sales.

Foster City flunked all three categories.

The study was released in advance of the California Cancer Research Act, an ALA-backed measure that will appear on the June ballot.

The CCRA would increase the state’s tobacco tax by $1.00 per pack, putting those revenues towards the treatment, prevention and, ultimately, cures for lung disease, heart disease, strokes, cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses.

The CCRA also would triple state funding for tobacco prevention and cessation efforts.

Foster City isn’t the Peninsula’s only tobacco prevention deadbeat named in the report.

The 20 Peninsula cities and the unincorporated area governed by the county combined for a 0.57 GPA.

Also receiving F grades were Atherton, Brisbane, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Millbrae, Portola Valley, San Bruno, South City and Woodside.

The ALA gave just one Peninsula city a B grade (Belmont) and two got C’s (Menlo Park and Pacifica).

Burlingame, Redwood City, San Mateo and the unincorporated areas got D’s.

Albany, Richmond, and Union City were the only Bay Area cities and among just 12 municipalities in the state to receive A grades

California, once a leader in promoting antismoking laws, got F grades for failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention and coverage of smoking cessation and treatment services, and a D for its low cigarette tax.

California currently ranks 33rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for its $0.87 per-pack tax, far below the $1.46 national average.

The lone bright spot for California was an A grade for smoke-free air policies.

The low grades at local and state levels as state point to the need for California to pass the CCRA, ALA in California President and CEO Jane Warner said in a prepared statement.

The American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have endorsed the CCRA.

“Now is the time for California to raise the grade,” Warner said.

“The California Cancer Research Act is an historic opportunity for California voters to provide more than $855 million annually to fund research for cancer and other tobacco-related diseases as well as proven tobacco prevention, education, and law enforcement efforts which will prevent 228,700 kids in California from becoming addicted smokers.”

Quitting smoking cold turkey just as effective as using the patch

Saving money is one of the more popular spurs to quit smoking, but with nicotine patches and gum lumped into pricey kick-the-habit programs (hell, they even have hypnotism these days), the quitting can be pretty expensive itself. As it turns out, nicotine patches don't actually help smokers much at all, and quitting cold turkey is just as effective.

That old smoker's joke — "quitting's easy; I've done it tons of times" — has particular relevance in a sample of 787 adults who had quit smoking two years previous and were checked in with twice during that time. The first time, 30.6 percent has relapsed. The second time, 31.6 percent had.

The kicker: ex-smokers using the gum and nicotine patches were just as likely to cease their expensive habit than those who had quit cold turkey (which means simply tossing your smokes into the trash and dealing with some less-than-fantastic feelings for a while).

Tobacco Control, a journal, published these results, which conflict with results published previously by the Food and Drug Administration. That study showed that folks are three times more likely to kick smoking with a stylish patch than they are with nothing but the power of human will.

But the majority of real-world studies show these smoking cessation aids are not helpful and often times can actually be detrimental to quitting.

Wrote the researchers: "This may indicate that some heavily dependent smokers perceive NRT [nicotine replacement therapy] as a sort of 'magic' pill, and upon realizing it is not, they find themselves without support in their quitting efforts, doomed to failure."

Since Americans spend $1.5 billion — yeah, with a "b" — on smoking cessation products every year, and a good chunk of that particular change comes from public health programs, this study has more impact than simply can neighbor Bob quit ruining your porch-sitting time with his cigs.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, the cleverly named company that makes Nicorette, Nicoderm and Commit lozenges said most adults in the study didn't use the products for eight weeks, as directed (and that following directions is important).

Said the company, "Hundreds of clinical trials involving more than 35,000 participants and extensive consumer use for more than 20 years have proven both the efficacy and safety of NRT when used as directed."

In the end, though, smokers wanting to quit one of the most addictive substances in the world need to do whatever works for them. So if you're thinking of kicking that habit to the curb, then good luck to you.

Just remember, it won't be easy, whatever method you choose.

Harper urges Canadians to quit smoking

National Non-Smoking Week began Sunday, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement encouraging smokers to make a resolution "to quit the habit both for themselves and for their loved ones.

"Every year smoking adversely impacts the health of millions of Canadians - including those affected by second-hand smoke - heightening their risk of cancer, heart disease, emphysema and a number of other conditions. It also costs our healthcare system - and therefore taxpayers - a substantial amount of money" Harper said in the statement released Sunday.

The Ontario Pharmacists' Association (OPA) also took the opportunity to remind Ontarians that eligible patients who want to stop smoking can receive free counselling at many of the province's pharmacies.

According to Health Canada, our government invests $15.8 million annually to help people stop smoking, prevent youth from starting to smoke, and protect Canadians from exposure to second-hand smoke. It says Canada has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world, but that tobacco use is still the most significant cause of preventable disease, disability, and premature death in Canada, and is responsible for more than 37,000 deaths every year.

Smoking soon to be banned on all Seminole school property

Smoking will be outlawed on all Seminole school district property, both inside and out, under a tough new anti-smoking policy the School Board plans to adopt.

Seminole school district employees won't be allowed to step outside to smoke, and fans at football games will be prohibited from lighting up, as well.
Better health for smokers and bystanders is the goal of the new policy, which would take effect July 1, officials say.

"It certainly is beneficial to the employees not to smoke," Deputy Superintendent George Kosmac said. "But people complained about second hand smoke, and that is the real motivator."

While smoking inside Seminole school district buildings and vehicles has been prohibited for years, employees and other adults were permitted to smoke outside in designated areas. But the state Legislature changed the law last year to let school districts ban smoking outside, too, School Board Attorney Ned Julian said.

Despite confusion over a school board's legal authority, Lake initiated a full ban in 2000 at the insistence of School Board member Kyleen Fischer.

And the Orange County School Board recently updated its smoking policy to a full ban as well, although spokeswoman Shari Bobinski said it largely had been in effect for years. A main effort of the recent revisions was to prohibit smoking outside the school district office in downtown Orlando, she said.

Although there is no exact count, in Seminole the number of school district employees who smoke has fallen in recent years, Deputy Superintendent Kosmac indicated. He estimated there might be only 10 smokers among the more than 250 employees in the school district headquarters on Lake Mary Boulevard in Sanford. Other smokers are scattered in schools and other school system work locations throughout the county.

David Apfelbaum, director of risk management for Seminole schools, said smokers will be encouraged to sign up for smoking cessation programs available through the district. They will have access to chewing gum, nicotine patches and low-cost prescription drugs to help them overcome the habit.

Tony Gentile, director of the school system's employee unions, said he personally does not favor smoking. But he expects objections to the new policy, which will come up for School Board approval later this winter.

Scientists design a safer cigarette

In a study published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments, scientists from Cornell University designed a filter made with lycopene and grape seed extract. These natural antioxidants reduce the amount of free radicals inhaled during cigarette smoking.

While tobacco tars and other ingredients in cigarettes are the major causes of carcinogens and disease, free radicals produced and inhaled during smoking attack cells, damaging protein structure and increasing the risk of a person developing lung cancer. Reducing the number of free radicals therefore could make cigarettes a bit safer.

Filters that work in similar ways have already been studied, but because they can be expensive to produce they have not been adopted by cigarette manufactures. The advantages of using antioxidants such as lycopene and grape seed extract is that they’re cheaper to produce.

Unfortunately, scientists also noticed the filters made out of the antioxidants lost much of their efficacy after a week in storage at room temperature.

Local man charged in cigarette trafficking operation

A 48-year-old man from Hollywood, SC was charged in federal court for conspiracy to
traffic contraband cigarettes.

Nathaniel Elmore along with 41-year-old William Helton of Commack, NY and 41-year-old Charley Antonio Davis Jr of Bishopville, SC were charged in a 23 count indictment with conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes and money laundering.

Prosecutors claim that the three men were involved in a scheme to purchase millions of dollars in cigarettes in South Carolina and then resell the cigarettes in other states without paying applicable taxes.

United States Attorney Bill Nettles said the maximum penalty the men face for the charges is ten years imprisonment.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Internal Revenue Service.

Cigarettes and alcohol stolen from Devon safe

Police said they believed intruders had entered by cutting holes in the office roof of the Kilmington Garage, near Axminster.

One safe was cut open and part of an external wall demolished next to another, police added.

The incident happened between 03:00 and 04:00 GMT on Tuesday morning. Police are appealing for information.

A stolen vehicle, a Ford Focus, was found nearby with a quantity of stolen cigarettes inside, a police spokesperson said.

They added that they were unsure how the intruders cut holes in the roof, broke open the safe or part demolished the wall.

E Cigarettes Get a Thumbs up from the NZ Health Ministry

Electronic cigarettes are steadily gaining acceptance as a healthier smoking alternative to tobacco cigarettes by authorities all across the world; and the latest one to join the league of such authorities is the New Zealand Ministry of Health.

The revelation was made recently when the official announcement from the New Zealand Ministry of Health came that it “recommends electronic cigarettes as a healthier alternative to tobacco.” The electronic smoking community is enthralled at this development since their most favored e cigarettes have now gained acceptance as a health-friendly smoking option by yet another country’s government.

For those living in the New Zealand, this news means a lot as the smokers can now enjoy the privilege to smoke anywhere and anywhere without being frowned upon. At the same time, they can smoke without the guilt of ruining their own as well their loved ones’ health while indulging in their smoking mode. The sentiment is echoed in a local resident, Jenny’s excitement over the news. “I am happy beyond expression. It’s like getting an official stamp to my favorite cigarettes….I never felt so free while smoking as I do now.” Another e cigarette reviews fan joined in to share his views and added how he could now “flaunt e-cigs telling everyone in the face that I am smart enough to care for myself as well as the environment.”

Interestingly, electric cigarettes are not just human-health friendly, but are harmless for the environment too. These do not contain carcinogens or emit offensive smoke. Instead e cigarettes emit pure vapors from combustion of nicotine mixed with vegetable glycerin. The fact that an e-smoker gets to enjoy pure nicotine vapor without falling prey to any hazards at all weighs tremendously in the favor of e cigs.

Comparison of e cigs with traditional cigarettes is obvious since the former are modeled on and developed as a better version of their traditional counterparts. “Smoking an entire cartridge of e cigarettes is over 500 times better for the health than smoking one traditional cigarette” informed Prof. Siegel, an MD from the Chicago University in order to assert the point.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has been prudent enough to recognize and spread to its people the benefits of smoking the best electronic cigarette over the regular ones in time. It is speculated that many more countries would soon follow this suit set up by some of the well developed and leading nations of the world.

FDA Flap Could Snuff Out Smokeless Growth At Altria

Smokeless tobacco products have come under fire after a report by key advisory to Food and Drug Administration alleged that tobacco companies do not have sufficient scientific evidence to prove they are less harmful to health than cigarettes. [1] This can be detrimental for Altria Group as smokeless tobacco is the only segment that has been growing for the company in the past several quarters. The competes with Reynolds American and Lorillard, two of its biggest competitors in the U.S.

See our complete analysis of Altria stock here

Tobacco Companies Claim Otherwise

Tobacco companies claim the smokeless products are less harmful than cigarettes since they do not release carcinogens through combustion. In fact, Reynolds American attempted to get the warning label for smokeless products to change to “No tobacco product is safe, but this product presents substantially lower risks to health than cigarettes.” Currently, the warning reads “This product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes.” [1] The report advises FDA to approve third party bodies which can independently research on the effects of smokeless tobacco products.

So Far So Good

The sales of smokeless products grew by 14% in 2010 and is expected to grow by 9% this year. Since they are smoke-free, their usage is not restricted only to smoking zones. These are also a hit with the retailers as they enjoy margins as high as 30%. [2] Altria operates in the smokeless tobacco segment through Copenhagen, Skoal and Red Seal.

As per our estimates, smokeless tobacco products constitute 15% of Altria’s stock price while cigarettes constitute 73%.

Cigarette consumption is on a decline in the U.S. as tobacco companies are left with no option but to pass on the tax increases to consumers. Smokeless tobacco products is the segment that offers a significant growth potential for Altria. We expect the size of smokeless products to grow at an annual rate of 7% over the next few years.