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Senators put profit (and campaign donations) above health

U.S. Senators Warn EU Over Proposed Cigarette Rules By THOMAS CATAN And WILLIAM MAULDIN WASHINGTON—Europe is encountering fierce opposition from an unexpected source over its efforts to curb smoking: Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. In a sharply-worded letter, the Senate minority leader has warned the European Union its proposed

WNTD: The Nightmare Epidemic Created by Tobacco Marketing

Tobacco is a Deadly Product – Tobacco kills up to half of its users. – Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year, of whom more than 5 million are from direct tobacco use and more than 600 000 are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Unless urgent action is taken,

Tobacco Companies Are Not Public Health Stakeholders, Experts Conclude

When assessing information presented by the tobacco industry, the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulatory bodies in other countries, should be aware that they are dealing with companies with a long history of intentionally misleading the public. They therefore should actively protect their public-health policies on

Testimony on the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP)

From May 29-30, the United States Trade Representative held hearings on the upcoming negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). May 20, 2013, ASH’s Chris Bostic testified about tobacco, urging the U.S. to exclude it from the treaty. The text of his verbal comments is below. To read

Ireland: a Hero of Tobacco Control

Ireland set to become 2nd country in the world to introduce plain pack cigarettes   “It is with great pleasure that I announce, ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Friday, that I have received Government approval to begin the process of introducing standardised/plain packaging of tobacco products in Ireland.

World No Tobacco Day 2013: Protecting Public Health Requires Global Effort

TOBACCO INDUSTRY RELENTLESSLY UNDERMINING ADVERTISING BANS WASHINGTON, DC. 30 May – The days of actors dressing up as doctors to promote cigarette brands may be long over, but if you think tobacco advertising has been effectively banned, think again. Slick ads in magazines, in stores and on the Internet still

MEP calls for more regulation on tobacco products

The EU has been urged to do more to prevent children and young people from taking up smoking. Parliament’s tobacco products directive rapporteur Linda McAvan told theparliament.com, “The biggest worry for me is that more young people smoke than adults in the European Union. “We have to do something to

ASH Mourns the Passing of Our Beloved Trustee Martin A Jacobs

It is with deep sadness that Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) announces the passing of devoted ASH Trustee and former Chair, Martin Adam Jacobs, on May 14, 2013. Mr. Jacobs was a true pioneer in the public health movement. His vision prompted him to take action against the tobacco

3 tobacco companies in $27B lawsuit begin their defence

Defence’s witness argues dangers of smoking have been common knowledge for decades.   Three of Canada’s tobacco giants began their defence Monday against a $27-billion class-action lawsuit in Montreal by calling a witness who said the dangers of smoking are no secret. Historian and professor Jacques Lacoursière testified tobacco’s health

ASH Scotland Conference: Towards a Generation Free From Tobacco

This engaging and interactive international conference will look at the ideas and actions that will drive us towards a generation free from tobacco – a time when ideally the only people smoking would be the small number of adults who knowingly choose to do so. Speakers from Hong Kong, New

Do We Get Sick Like Rats? A New Philip Morris Prize Asks the Crowd

It might be surprising to hear a tobacco giant described as a tech innovator. But Philip Morris researchers are pioneering new territory with a crowdsourced approach to checking the accuracy of life sciences data. In partnership with computational biologists at IBM’s Watson Research Center, Philip Morris’s so-called sbv IMPROVER project

Bloomberg Wants to Raise Age Limit for Buying Cigarettes

No one under 21 would be able to buy cigarettes in New York City, under a new proposal announced Monday that marks the latest in a decade of moves to crack down on smoking in the nation’s largest city. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn discussed details of a

HHS Takes Proactive Role on Trade and Tobacco

A senior official in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today (April 22) said that the department is playing a larger role than ever before in the development of U.S. trade policy, including on sensitive issues in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations like a draft proposal for a

Protect Our Children’s Health

CALL TO ACTION: Protect Our Children! Today we ask each of you to take a moment to support the cause of a 24-year-old Michigan State University graduate and recently naturalized American citizen, Greg Holland, as he petitions the White House ( https://wh.gov/Mj4J) to protect children from tobacco smoke while riding

The Upside of Obama’s Tobacco Tax Hike

It could raise revenue, reduce youth smoking, and could fund early childhood education. Under his new budget plan, President Obama would use $78 billion from new tobacco taxes to fund early-childhood education. It’s one of the more-notable parts of his proposal and one that The Washington Post‘s Ezra Klein says

TRICARE Expands Assistance to Reduce Tobacco Use

The Defense Department is committed to helping troops, their families and all beneficiaries of the TRICARE health care plan reduce their reliance on tobacco products, a TRICARE official said here today. During an interview with American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel, Paul Fitzpatrick, TRICARE’s “Quit Tobacco” program manager,

How Obama’s tobacco tax would drive down smoking rates

President Obama’s proposal to nearly double the federal tobacco tax would help fund a universal pre-K program. And, if history is any guide, it would likely have a marked impact on driving down the country’s smoking rates. “Increasing the price of tobacco is the single most effective way to discourage

Obama to announce Tobacco Tax plan for funding Pre K

California is seen as a shining example of how tobacco taxes can be used to both dissuade smoking and also improve children’s health and readiness for school. Now President Obama is following California’s lead. When he presents his budget Wednesday, the president will outline a similar scheme to fund universal

Ban Tobacco Product Marketing

Tobacco advertising is everywhere – in magazines, outside nearly every store and gas station, and inside convenience shops. Ads are often right at a child’s eye level. Legislation only exists in the U.S. to limit and not to prevent all of this: 1973 – Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act

Drugs to kick smoking now free by mail except for elderly

Smoking cessation drugs now are available at no charge through the Tricare Mail Order Program for service members, military family members and retirees under age 65 who want to kick this unhealthy habit.   The free cessation drugs finally are available almost five years after Congress ordered them. The free

UN concerned over tobacco trade show in Philippines

The World Health Organization has expressed concern that the Philippines is encouraging smoking by hosting one of the world’s largest tobacco trade shows. The two-day fair called ProTobEx Asia opened Wednesday in the capital’s Pasay city for the second consecutive year. Organizers said they chose the Philippines over other locations

Government changes course on graphic cigarette warnings

The government has dropped its push for cigarette labels to carry images of diseased lungs and other graphic health warnings, and will craft new anti-smoking ads that do not run afoul of free speech rights. In a letter to Republican House Speaker John Boehner last Friday, Attorney General Eric Holder

A Steadfast Commitment to End the Tobacco Epidemic

For far too long, tobacco use has remained the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. That’s why the President has prioritized protecting Americans from tobacco’s deadly health consequences. From the early months of his first term, President Obama has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to ending