Imperial Tobacco Must Drop Cigarettes Price

Britain’s antitrust regulator must scrap its price-fixing trial over U.K. cigarette sales after being forced to abandon several claims in the seven-year-old case, Imperial Tobacco Plc told a tribunal today. Mark Howard, a lawyer for the company, told the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London that the Office of Fair Trading’s case had been “destroyed.” The court had asked the regulator to explain how it will continue fighting appeals of fines against Imperial Tobacco, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and 10 other manufacturers and retailers. “One can’t conduct litigation on this basis,” Imperial’s lawyer, Howard said. “To say this is hopeless is really an understatement.”

Smoking Ban in Austin Has Positive Effects

From now on if you are headed to one of Austin’s city parks, preserves or pools, you may want to leave the cheapest Winston cigarettes behind. A permanent smoking ban is now in effect. For months the Austin City Council heard lengthy debates about the smoking ban. City council ultimately decided that the temporary smoking ban, started earlier this year, should remain permanent. “When you’re taking away our rights to smoke outside in a park, it’s kind of like tightening the noose,” smoker Robert Ojeda said. According to the City of Austin, workers picked up more than 37,000 discarded cigarette butts this year across Austin’s 251 parks. Officials also said smoking can be especially dangerous during droughts.

Many Women Smoke During Pregnancy, Marathon News

Experts in Marathon County are sharing some shocking news about the number of women using tobacco during pregnancy. The data, from the Marathon County Life Report, says almost a fifth of women who give birth in the county use tobacco. "The state rate for pregnant women who smoke is quite high, but in Marathon County we even have a higer rate than the state," says Public Health Educator, Renee Trowbridge. "But yeah when you see a pregnant woman smoking that just goes to show how strong the addiction is." Experts say babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have a low birth weight as well as a cleft lip.

Smoking Rates Among NZ Students High

A new study published by researchers from University of Otago, Wellington has found that smoking rates have declined rapidly amongst many occupational groups over the last 25 years. However, among some key 'role model' occupations smoking rates remain high. The researchers suggest that targeted support to help them give up smoking discount Pall Mall cigarettes should be considered. The research from the ASPIRE 2025 research collaboration has been published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. It describes smoking prevalence by occupational groups, which may be role models in society, using data from the 1981 and 2006 censuses.

Smoking Ordinance and Smoke Outside

Smokers are free to light up on Burlington's Church Street. Just days after the city council passed an ordinance prohibiting it in certain sections, Mayor Bob Kiss vetoed the measure Friday. In a written statement Kiss said: "This smoking ordinance opens the door to difficult, inconsistent and selective enforcement." Kiss' decision was not welcome news at the Sweet Lady Jane women's clothing store. "It promotes a flow along Church Street, sometimes there were people that gathered in places, literally, just to smoke," said the store's Ginny O'Reilly.

Less Toxic Cigarettes with Wine and Tomatoes

Though emphasizing that quitting is the best remedy to combat health problems for smokers, Cornell researchers have found a way to make best Camel cigarettes less toxic. Researchers from the lab of Jack H. Freed, the Frank and Robert Laughlin Professor of Physical Chemistry, have demonstrated that lycopene and grape seed extract literally stuffed into a conventional cigarette filter drastically lowers the amount of cancer-causing agents passing through. Their research is published in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE). "The implications of this technique can help reduce the hazardous effects of tobacco smoke," said Boris Dzikovski, research associate and paper co-author.

Student Smokers Should know More About Smoking

It’s been almost two years since smoking was prohibited in Michigan bars, restaurants and businesses, so I would think that my encounters with smokers would have decreased. Yet, here on MSU’s campus, I still come in contact with the effects of smoking on a daily basis. In my opinion, college campuses should be some of the least likely places to find smokers because this generation should be well aware of the health risks associated with it. Now, student smoking does have its personal effects on me. For starters, my day is ruined when I have to sit next to someone who has just been smoking for a two-hour lecture. And don’t even get me started on when I get behind a smoker and have to inhale secondhand smoke all the way to my next class.

Smoking Ban Could Affects Restaurants Business

With the city’s new restaurant patio smoking ban going into effect on New Year’s Day, area restaurants are bracing for fallout from customers. “About 50 percent of my customers are Marlboro smokers,” reported Igor Nicholas, managing partner of Isla Cantina located at 8788 Sunset Blvd. at Holloway Street. “We have a very multi-culti clientele and they won’t like it.” George Germanides, owner of Mirabelle Restaurant at 8768 Sunset Blvd., expects some frustrated customers. “They’re not going to be happy about this,” said Germanies, who estimates 20 percent of his patio customers smoke. “There are going to be a lot of complaints.” The city is expecting there to be some resistance.

Smoking Areas Built in Airport Area

For those people who get frustrated at having to hold their breath as they race past the just-arrived smokers at the entrance to the Perth Airport, clean air is not too far away. A purpose built smoking area is being built at the domestic terminal of Perth Airport to create a cleaner entrance and exit and provide a dedicated area for smokers. Construction has begun at the southern end of terminal three, the terminal that houses Virgin Australia and other smaller airlines and the area is expected to be in use next month While the spokeswoman would not say what the facility would look like, she said it would be 44 square metres in size and would have capacity for about 60 people.