WHO report published
One of the most interesting questions to arise from the latest WHO tobacco report concerns why, after four and a half years, has its illegal-trade protocol not entered into force.
Author Archive: speccomm
Illegal trade exposed
The revenues that governments and law-abiding manufacturers lose every year to the illegal trade in tobacco are huge, the US Commission on Security and Co-operation has been told.
Illegal trade increasing
In Greece, where a relentless pursuit of austerity has imposed financial hardships on ordinary people, it was only to be expected that the illegal trade in cigarettes would increase.
BAT-RAI deal approved
As expected, shareholders in British American Tobacco and Reynolds Inc. have approved the acquisition of RAI by BAT.
Discussing vaping locally
People in Dublin, Ireland, and Durham and London, England, are being offered the opportunity of taking part in local dialogues that will seek to understand vaping.
Industry accused of murder
In highlighting a complaint of murder filed in the Netherlands against the tobacco industry, Action on Smoking and Health says that criminal charges against the industry would be feasible in the US.
You can’t please everybody
The UK government’s new Tobacco Control Plan for England has been welcomed by at least one vapers’ organization, but it has not gone down well with a smokers’ group.
Smokers face discrimination
Discrimination that would be unthinkable against certain groups of people is visited on smokers daily.
Plea for common sense
When people break the law and are sent to prison the punishment they suffer is their loss of freedom. To then not allow them to smoke smacks of vindictiveness rather than punishment.
Change of tack
It would be wrong to describe Iowa’s Attorney General Tom Miller as a game keeper turned poacher. He’s still a game keeper; he’s just added another weapon to his armoury.
New end game in sight
Talk of the tobacco-smoking end-game has been around for some time, but lately it has taken on a different form: one that offers smokers alternative products rather than nothing.
Tobacco production secure
Even though they have been offered incentives to diversify into other crops and even though some diversification has occurred, tobacco growers in the Philippines seem happy to keep growing tobacco.
Casino risk lottery ending
Previously, it would seem that unlike their hoi polloi brothers, non-smokers among the ‘very important people’ visiting Macau’s gambling establishments were not afforded protection from smoke.
Government accused
A law suit launched in Canada accuses the federal government of failing to stop, as agreed, the proliferation of contraband tobacco producers.
Quit-services remote
A rule-change in Japan to allow smokers access to quit-smoking services without first seeing a doctor seems to imply that these people are sick patients in need of treatment.
Jail for misplaced smokers
A law change in Jordan raises the question of whether a jail term could be defended morally in the case of a person who smokes in a public place.
Jail for uniformed smoker
A story from Kuwait raises the question of whether a jail term could be defended morally in the case of a person who smokes in a public place in uniform, rather than in mufti.
Tracking questions
With time running out, questions are being asked about where the EU’ s tobacco-products tracking and tracing initiatives are heading.
DIY smoking ban
It appears that in the Philippines businesses and other establishments are being asked to comply with the provisions of a smoking ban that are not yet in place.
IQOS aimed at GCC states
Philip Morris International is aiming to introduce IQOS to Gulf Co-operation Council states, subject to capacity.
Read them here >>
