2 cigarette plants closing as demand declines

Tobacco company Reynolds American said Friday it will close two cigarette plants — one in its headquarters city in Winston-Salem, N.C., and another in Puerto Rico — as it adjusts to declining demand for cigarettes.

The company said production of cigarettes like Camel and Pall Mall will start to shift to its largest facility in nearby Tobaccoville, N.C., this summer.

Workers at the Winston-Salem plant will transition to the other facility.In December, Reynolds offered buyouts to about 1,800 workers at the North Carolina manufacturing plants to cut costs.About 400 workers opted to take the offer.

Most of the reductions were scheduled to take place in 2010 and begin as early as January, and others will have release dates in early 2011. Reynolds said about 60 jobs in Puerto Rico will be eliminated in the consolidation.

60 cartons of cigarettes reported stolen from South Fort Myers gas station

A man walked into a South Fort Myers Hess gas station Sunday afternoon and walked out with 60 cartons of cigarettes worth nearly $3,000.According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report:

Theresa Johnson, 56, an employee of Hess, 9281 Daniels Parkway, told deputies on Monday she counted the Marlboro Light 100s cartons of cigarettes several times and found the store was 60 cartons – 600 packs – short.

She replayed the store’s video from about 9:30 a.m. Sunday and saw a dark-skinned Hispanic or white man wearing a camouflage baseball cap, black shirt and jeans enter the store after parking his car – possibly a black BMW 3 – and go toward the employee only door.

That door was unlocked, but another interior storage room door was locked. The man pried opens the door, went to the two boxes of cigarettes, picked them up and discarded the cardboard boxes. When the clerk was busy with other boxes, the man walked to his car, put the cigarettes inside it and left.

Another Hess clerk on duty did not see anything.The cigarettes were valued at $2,927.40.

2 senators concerned over Noynoy’s smoking

Two senators Wednesday expressed concern over the growing clamor for presidential front runner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to quit smoking.
Noynoyis a fan of Marlboro cigarettes.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr. and Senator Francis Escudero made their observation in separate text messages in the wake of the observation made by Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral.

Cabral earlier suggested that Aquino make a conscious effort to stop smoking and to keep in mind that smoking is bad for one's health and that he should also set himself as an example to the nation, particularly to the youth.

Former president Fidel V. Ramos had also advised Aquino to cut down on smoking as well.But Escudero said the public should bear in mind that the president-apparent is entitled to whatever he wants to do with his life.“Those giving him advice on this mean well and I believe that he also wants to but in his own time,” Escudero pointed out.“These things cannot be dictated,” he added.

Pimentel also said he was also bothered by Aquino’s smoking behavior.“I also told Noynoy to stop smoking long ago,” said Pimentel.

Aquino, in an interview with reporters at the Senate last Monday, called for understanding, saying he is not yet ready to stop smoking but will do so “at the appropriate time.”He said what is important is that he is conforming to the law and would not subject himself to other “unnecessary” pressure.

Peru passes smoke-free law

Enclosed public spaces and work places will soon be smoke-free in Peru, thanks to a law that passed on 30 March 2010.

The new law also includes that heath warnings cover 50 per cent of tobacco products - instead of the current 30 per cent that covers the lower section of packs.

Framework Convention Alliance Latin American Director Eduardo Bianco said the new law marks an extremely important step for a smoke-free America.

"Previously, tobacco law didn’t protect Peruvians from tobacco smoke exposure related damages," he said.

"It is estimated that 9,000 Peruvians die annually due to tobacco related diseases.”

Bianco also said the new law sends a message to other Latin American governments that are not protecting their people from tobacco-related diseases.

According to Bianco, since the Peruvian law was passed Paraguay will soon become smoke-free.

"Making it the fourth South American country to rule for protecting the health of its people," he said.

"In 2006 Uruguay and in 2008 Panama paved the way for a smoke-free Latin America. Then Guatemala and Colombia followed their example," he said.

"We trust that in short time a 'strong wind' of smoke-free air will blow through the whole of Latin America."

Philip Morris is making advertising changes

On June 22, 2009, President Obama signed legislation granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products.

Effective June 22, 2010, the law prohibits the use of certain terms such as “light,” “mild,” or “low” in cigarette labeling and advertising.

To comply with this prohibition, PM USA is removing these terms where they appear from its packaging and advertising. Our products, which have not changed as a result of this law, continue to be available, but their packaging may be different.

PM USA sells a variety of cigarette brands distinguished by their flavor, strength of taste and packaging design. the best cigarette brand are Marlboro cigarettes. The FDA has not determined that any cigarette is less risky or results in less exposure to harmful compounds compared to any other cigarette.

* No aspect of any of our cigarettes should be interpreted as suggesting that any cigarette is less risky or results in less exposure to harmful compounds than any other cigarette.
* The amount of tar, nicotine or other constituents in smoke a smoker inhales from a cigarette can vary based upon how a smoker smokes. The amount a smoker inhales will be higher, for example, if a smoker blocks ventilation holes, inhales more deeply, takes more puffs, or smokes more cigarettes.
* There is no safe cigarette. If smokers are concerned about the risks of cigarette smoking, the best thing to do is to quit.

Switchblades and brass knuckles help sell cigarettes

Sixteen-year-old kid walks into a convenience store, grabs a 12-ounce can of Dr. Pepper, a bag of Doritos and walks up to the counter. “Pack of Marlboros, please.” The clerk scans the soda, bag of chips, and the cigarettes. “That’s $7.28.” Kid hands the clerk four bills, collects his change and exits the store.

A similar but more eye-popping story unfolds in the City of Watsonville. A storeowner willingly sells switchblade knives and brass knuckles at his chain of discount cigarette stores, in a city plagued by gang violence. Parents shudder at the thought of kids cruising their neighborhood strip malls buying soda pop, candy, Michael Jackson posters and toy guns over the same counter where gang members buy implements of mayhem.

But without all the gang hardware, the scenes aren’t really different. They play out time and again in this and many other communities.

And what is it parents should be most alarmed about? The switchblades? Brass knuckles? Imitation assault rifles? Well ... yes and no.

Store owner Khalil Rahim will surely get his. And I’m bettin’ his stores will soon close for good. But a cigarette smoker is far more likely to die from smoking than from being stabbed or bludgeoned to death by brass knuckles. In fact, smoking kills more people in the United States every year than AIDS, illegal drugs, alcohol, car crashes, suicides and murders combined! (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

According to a 2008 survey by the Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition, a group dedicated to reducing tobacco sales to minors, underage youth can expect to be successful buying cigarettes in one out of every six local stores. Any 16-year-old kid who is carded and turned away by a responsible retailer won’t have far to go to find an irresponsible one sympathetic to his wants.

From the point of view of that retailer, the kid’s going to get his cigarettes one way or another, and someone’s going to get that $5. And there’s very little downside. Law enforcement everywhere is understaffed and overburdened with higher-profile crimes. At this time there are no resources available to support the enforcement of laws against selling tobacco to minors. It’s not a priority, unless switchblades are involved.

Tobacco companies know youth are the future of their profits. Creating opportunities to introduce young people to the glamour, excitement — or whatever — of smoking is an ongoing battle. The more governments act to control the sale of tobacco, the more creative are the marketing schemes to sell it. The environment in Rahim’s cigarette shops is one youth could relate to. One with pop culture posters, candy, soda pop, chips, marijuana stuff, imitation guns, forbidden toys ... and forbidden cigarettes. Youth are drawn to the sweet and forbidden.

To address the concern of sales to youth, the coalition proposes an ordinance, successfully implemented in more than 60 California counties and cities, that has dramatically reduced the number of stores willing to sell cigarettes to minors. It requires sellers to be licensed. The Tobacco Retail License fees would provide resources for sting operations — like the ones recently visited upon Mr. Rahim’s stores. Violators would face fines and suspension or revocation of their licenses.

The Santa Cruz County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission unanimously passed a resolution in July urging the board of supervisors to adopt such an ordinance. This month, in support of the coalition’s current effort to recruit a supervisor to sponsor the ordinance, the commission unanimously reaffirmed its July resolution.

It’s time the County of Santa Cruz took action to protect youth from clever tobacco marketers and irresponsible retailers. And in the City of Watsonville, it’s time to put one of them out of business.

Litter Study Shows Chicago Misses 75 Percent of Cigarette Taxes

A random sample of littered cigarette packs reveals that 75 percent of the cigarettes used in Chicago bring no tax revenue to the city, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Every cigarette brand, either Esse cigarettes or Marlboro brand they all suffer some changes regarding their prices.

The lost potential revenue totals about $10 million per month, said David Merriman, professor of public administration and head of UIC’s economics department. He has studied cigarette tax avoidance worldwide for 15 years.

Merriman organized teams of researchers to collect littered cigarette packs in 100 Chicago neighborhoods and nearby jurisdictions to examine their tax stamps. He reported on the study in the May issue of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.

Chicago’s state and local taxes totaled $4.05 per pack, compared to $1.37 outside Cook County, in July 2007, when the researchers collected the packs. The $2.68 difference reduced the likelihood that a pack was taxed in Chicago by almost 60 percent.

By comparison, New York City loses only about half its potential cigarette tax revenue to tax avoidance, even though its taxes are higher than Chicago’s.

Distance reduces tax avoidance, Merriman said. Every mile between Chicago and the lower-tax source increased the likelihood of a Chicago stamp by about one percent.

"This research suggests that an increase of $1 per pack in Illinois, as recently proposed, would drive more Chicago residents to buy their cigarettes in Indiana, but would be likely to have a relatively small effect in the rest of the state," Merriman said.

"Cigarettes are a useful laboratory for the study of tax avoidance, given their cost, the easy access to low- or no-tax cigarette sources like Native American reservations or the Internet, and a relative lack of enforcement," he said.

Merriman said that many states increase cigarette taxes to discourage smoking and raise revenue, but higher taxes might lead smokers to use lower-priced, hand-rolled or smuggled cigarettes, or to smoke fewer cigarettes more intensively.

A separate survey of appropriately disposed cigarette packs indicated that the sample of 1,000 littered packs was representative of all packs. Despite the evidence, Merriman acknowledged that the use of littered packs as concrete, empirical evidence might allow some bias.

"Litterers may be disproportionately scofflaws," he said. "People who smoke only in their homes and don’t litter may be disproportionately inclined to comply with taxes."

The study was conducted with UIC’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. It was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Substance Abuse Policy Research Program.

UIC ranks among the nation's leading research universities and is Chicago's largest university with 26,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world

Yet another smoking ban in effect

Are you a smoker? If you are, everyone at a Seattle park now has a restraining order against you.

Smoke all you want in the park but make sure to avoid play areas, beaches, playgrounds and picnic areas (which seems like anywhere in a park). And of course, don’t come within 25 feet of anybody not smoking.

A violation of the new policy will have you banned for 24 hours from the park. Come back before then and it could be criminal trespassing.

The new ban is the first step in a gradual approach to ban the use of tobacco products in parks all together, says Seattle Parks Superintendent Timothy Gallagher.

This 25-foot ban was actually the ‘relaxed’ version of what Gallagher really wanted: a complete smoking ban.

Great, another ban!

It was only last week I was outside a bar smoking with a friend in the damn rain, pissed that this was the reality. One of those occasional miserable situations you find yourself in just to smoke a cigarette. And why are you in this situation? Because you got yourself addicted to cigarettes? No, you’re missing the point… Its all the nancys inside that are afraid of breathing in or even smelling one one thousandth of the much more concentrated cloud you suck down every damn day.

Chances are those Nancy’s who pushed for the ban aren’t even inside the dimly lit bar you had to exit anyway.

As well, have you looked at how many cigarette buts are right outside any given bar now? At least inside you can use an ashtray but who in the world actually brings a but back inside to throw away?–I say this ban incites littering? Maybe that’s a push. Maybe I’m just bitter that I missed those days when you could smoke inside at least a bar-which come on.. How did they not escape the ban?

But now it seems those same nancys weren’t content. Apparently second hand smoke is a problem in the wide open outdoors and the examples we set for the children are wrong.

A news release from the Parks Department said, “It sends a message to Seattle’s youth that the norm is for public places to be smoke-free.”-(This is funny because the stereotypical Seattle youth has a beanie, tight black jeans, black-rimmed glasses and a cigarette in his lips).

I think the youth should know that people do smoke. That they know it is killing them slowly and do it anyway. That’ll make ‘em think… Plus damn, don’t we have a smoking age anyways? One that makes kids wait until they are old enough to buy a pack, you know, when just seeing a guy smoke in the park doesn’t make them want to take up the habit. Seriously. Can we have another seat belt law too? Or some sort of law that makes it illegal for me to say mean things. I don’t know anything that doesn’t let me think for myself would be great!

Alright I know no one really gives a (**t about smokers- but you might say they are victims of the latest and super weak form of segregation- besides, did anyone tell Chief Sitting Bull to smoke his peace pipe 25 feet away from the tepee? Think about it, I haven’t.

It’s always, ‘ooo, sorry but you can’t do that unless you’re in our smoking area… its around the block in the ally, thanks!’

Man, what happened to the days you could smoke just about anywhere, and people wore hats? I sure missed out on those days.

At least the other rules that went into effect today made sense: No glass containers, acids, explosives or material capable of causing serious harm to others.

Can people’s bodies really not withstand a waft of a dissipated smoke cloud, even OUTSIDE? Whatever- inside, restaurants, bars and now parks-let the witch-hunt continue.

Special way to light up a cigar that maximazes the satisfaction.

Each person has his own way to understand the world and what is happening arround it. Somebody takes the decision to read, other persons just travel and there are people that just enjoy cigarettes or a cigar smoking. There are many ways how to light up a cigar, but you have to find the right one, that maximazes the pleasure.

There is no comparison in smoking a cigar or a Parliament cigarette , because they both offer different feelings.

Though most individuals that are not familiar with the distinction of the high-profile cigar aficionado do not often realize it, there is a considerable precision as well as an art to the act of lighting an upper class cigar. This is not simply a generic cigarette that you are about to set fire too. This is a thing of value.

This cigar was hand-sculpted by a master artisan, taking great care to make absolutely certain that every aspect was perfect, flawless. Take as much care in lighting it as the artist did in making it.On February the 20th it is celebrated the International Pipe Smoking Day, when everybody shares their experiences.

Once the cigar is cut, you are prepared for the process of lighting. First, remember that the flavor of the cigar is the most important aspect of it. You do not want to taint it in any way. With this in mind, it is wise to either use matches or a butane type lighter.

Now, taking into account the size of the tip of a cigar, it can be quite tricky to get an even light onto it. This is important, as you do not want an uneven burn. An uneven burn can result in having to cut the end off to even it up, and this is just a shameful waste. The Puff and Roll method is the most used by cigar entrepreneurs. Place the flame on the tip of the cigar and begin to turn it slowly, making sure to only go around one time.

Then, after you get a good cloud of smoke, inspect the end and make sure that the light is even. If it is not, puff and roll once more. Continue until you have an even burn. If you do get a one-sided burn going, puff mainly on that side to even it up. Do not let the burn get too far up the cigar unevenly, or you will have to cut and start over.

Now, just start enjoying your smoke.

Why Smoking Makes You Happy

When a smoker inhales a single "shot" of nicotine from a cigarette the lungs allow the nicotine to pass into the blood stream almost instantly. The smoker then feels the "hit" from the nicotine in their bloodstream and this is the sensation that they crave later on.

Don't just assume that you're inhaling "pure" tobacco smoke either. That cigarette you're smoking contains up to 4,000 separate chemicals - many of which are extremely toxic.

That smoke you inhale from a cigarette contains 43 carcinogenic substances. These are substances which have been clinically proven to cause various types of cancer. Cigarette smoke also contains 400 other toxins that can be found in rat poison, nail polish remover and various types of wood varnish.

Would you willingly eat any of these products? Of course not because you know that they're incredibly bad for you. As these carcinogens and toxins gather in the body they begin to cause serious problems for the heart and lungs. Of all the diseases associated with smoking cancer is the most common. Cancer is a relatively new disease that has really only become prevalent since the beginning of the industrial revolution. In effect cancer is a manmade disease for which there is, as of yet, no cure.

Philip Morris targets Indian tobacco market

Tobacco giant Philip Morris is funding an aggressive ad campaign against the Indian tobacco industry, urging the state to collect taxes on cigarettes sold on Indian reservations.

Indian leaders and business people say the ads are just the latest effort to force sovereign nations to collect taxes for the state, effectively putting them out of business – a scenario that would help Philip Morris’ efforts to dominate the cigarette market.

Playing off the fact that the state faces a $9.2 billion deficit, the ad uses citizens’ anxiety about the economy as an emotional hook.

“The state loses revenue. Retailers lose sales. Their employees could even lose jobs. And it adds to the burden on hardworking taxpayers,” the ad says, disregarding the fact that Indian citizens also pay federal income taxes and state taxes on off-reservation purchases.

But it wasn’t always that way, said Robert Hilburger, the director of business development for the Oneida Indian Nation.

Philip Morris, for more than a decade, encouraged and helped build up Native American cigarette sales by signing contracts with Indian retailers for preferential programs that would provide stores with racks, signage, special coupon sales, and “backside” payments for every carton of Marlboros sold, a strategy that is legal and widely practiced in the trade, Hilburger said.

“The reason they were so good to us is because they wanted low-priced product to get out to the public. Now they have utter disdain for the Native American retailers that helped them build to the point of monopoly they have today. We believe now that because their sales are being impacted by Native-manufactured cigarettes that are retailed through Native stores, they hope to knock us out of business altogether so they could increase their market share even more.”

Philip Morris’ attack ads are the latest volley in New York’s longstanding cigarette tax war with Indian nations. The state claims it’s losing millions or billions of dollars in “lost taxes,” while the nations say they are not responsible as sovereigns to collect state taxes.

Snow said Philip Morris was clearly losing market share on the reservations because of the success of Indian manufactured cigarettes.

“I probably sell 10 to 1 Seneca cigarettes over Marlboros.”

Native-manufactured cigarettes have a cost advantage over Philip Morris products. Currently, Marlboro cigarettes cost $65 a carton while Native-manufactured Niagara brand cigarettes cost $32 a carton.

Indian retailers can’t fight Philip Morris’ big bucks ad campaign, Snow said, “so we’re pretty much just trying to expose them for what they are and let people make up their own minds. We have a lot of face-to-face customers so we try to get to them through those transactions.”

The Indian tobacco industry, which contributes hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the general economy directly and indirectly through jobs and tobacco industry-related businesses, is under siege right now.

Last year, President Barack Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, granting the Food and Drug Administration federal regulatory authority over tobacco products.

Both the FSOTCA and the PACT Act will hugely benefit the tobacco company. FSOTCA puts onerous demands on small manufacturers, such as requiring changes in the design and packaging of cigarettes and restrictions in advertising and promotions, among other things, that will be easily accommodated by big budget Philip Morris, but not by small manufacturers.

Hilburger said that he and another Oneida representative met with Philip Morris representatives around two years ago and told them the Oneida Nation was continuing to negotiate with the state to try to reach a settlement regarding tobacco sales.

“The Philip Morris reps said they encouraged a negotiated settlement and wouldn’t do anything to hurt it, that they would maintain a position of neutrality with regard to the state tax situation. Then 14 days ago out of the blue and without even the courtesy of a phone call to tell us we’re going to be attacked, they take out these ads and they almost label us as criminals, even though they’re the ones who helped grow our business so greatly,” Hilburger said.

Asked why Philip Morris abandoned its position of neutrality, Sutton said, “I’m not going to comment on Philip Morris USA’s relationships with the company’s specific retail partners.”

The company’s lobbyists were active in the state capitol of Albany late last year and early this year leading up to the posting of the new tax regulations. The Altria Group made political contributions of $127,190 in 2009 and in early 2010, according to a Gannett Albany Bureau report. The payments included $50,000 to the Democratic Senate Campaign Housekeeping Committee and $30,000 to the equivalent committee for Republican senators. Altria spent $224,558 on lobbying in the second half of 2009, records filed with the state Commission on Public Integrity show.

Asked about the status of the new regulations, Morgan Hook, a spokesman in Gov. David Paterson’s office said, “We do not comment on legislation that has not passed both houses. We have no position on the bill, as it has not been passed yet and is essentially a draft.”

The Choice of Quitting Smoking

One way to stop smoking is to go cold turkey. Quitting smoking is not easy and some turn to nicotine replacement therapies to ease the process. Unfortunately, using nicotine-based aids don’t always work. When the going gets tough, smokers may give in to the temptation to light up again.

Using nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) may help. The nicotine that enters your body is not as much as when you smoke. It eliminates your need for nicotine by giving you less and less nicotine each treatment.

If you are one of the smokers who need some help to quit smoking, then you need to rely on stop smoking aids. Perhaps you are perplexed with the choices of quit smoking aids that are available on the market. Not all of them will give you the outcome you want.

Studies also reveal that the gradual decrease of smoking cigarette makes the withdrawal symptoms worse and the habit more difficult to break. Most smokers end up smoking again because they go into a relapse.

Herbal quit smoking aids usually don’t contain nicotine. You don’t have to include nicotine into your quit smoking efforts. Because you are dealing with herbal ingredients, you don’t have to worry about side effects like you do with drugs. I’m sure you’ll agree that this method of fighting the difficulties of stop smoking is better and safer.

One of the reasons many smokers fail to quit is because they can’t handle the withdrawal symptoms. You can find aids that do not use nicotine. If you think you need prescribed drugs to solve your smoking problem, then you are wrong because they are not considered to be the best quit smoking aids. You can beat the withdrawal symptoms with a herbal solution.

Once you choose to put away the cigarettes, you have to be ready to face the cravings that will make life most miserable indeed. You can make life a little easier with quit smoking.

Definitely your quality of life will be better after you have succeeded to stop smoking. You will have more energy, be more focused and breathe easier.