January 14, 2008 - Our Kids are still our number one priority..The Standing Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), received the assignment from the European Union (EU) Commission to investigate the health risks of smokeless tobacco products, including Swedish snus. The committee presented a preliminary report at the beginning of July, 2007 which was based on a review of a large number of scientific studies and reports, and particular attention was paid to Swedish experience of snus. Traditional cigarette companies such as British American Tobacco (BAT), Reynolds American, Imperial Tobacco and Philip Morris that have started to diversify into smokeless products anxiously wait for the final decision. But why should the ban be lifted - the major problem that existed in 1990 still exists today. Small bags of tobacco were banned in Britain in 1990 after the US Smokeless Tobacco company tried to introduce sweet-flavored tobacco capsules called Skoal Bandits . It was feared that they would appeal to children. The ban was supplanted by EU-wide legislation in May, 1992. The legislation prohibited the placing on the market of tobacco for oral use; the primary reason "...products for oral use will be used above all by young people, thus leading to nicotine addiction..." . (The prohibition was introduced by Directive 92/41/EEC amending Directive 89/622/EEC.) However, as we all know Sweden negotiated an exception - these people have been using Snus for over 200 years; it's a tradition--it's part of their culture. The legal age to purchase tobacco products in Britain was just raised from 16 to 18 - why wasn't the age raise to 21 - we all know the majority of smokers start smoking before the age of 21. The art of snusing - the placement of the portioned bag between the upper lip and gum and then sucking while the bag is totally stationary - is not an easy task to master. Public health proponents of smokeless tobacco tell us they are targeting inveterate (hard-nosed, long established, deep-rooted) smokers but as tobacco companies are finding at test sites in the U.S. it's not an easy sell. The Chief Operating Officer of this company, Murray Kessler has stated that "Nine out of 10 smokers that try smokeless still reject the product." Professor John Britton, chairman of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, a proponent of SNUS as a harm reduction solution has concluded "It's their (tobacco companies) job to sell as much tobacco as possible, so they will be targeting non-smokers rather than current ones, that's the worry." Those that will give Snus a chance are young adults and kids that want to be young adults; as a result we'll end up with another generation of nicotine addicts never able to achieve their full potential. In Norway (not an EU member) to hook kids on Snus you find starter kits with various Snus packets flavored with various fruit flavors. As Swedish Match learned in Russia (Snus product called Click) with no prior Snus tradition - it is a matter of marketing an entire new behavior pattern and teaching consumers. You would think, that if a tobacco users have to change their behavior, they might as well give up tobacco products and live longer. The EU ban against the use of Snus must be upheld. (TobaccoWatch.org)

January 12, 2008 - Philip Morris USA (PM) continues to stumble in the smokeless tobacco arena.. Taboka the first product in PM's adjacency growth strategy had has poor sales and will be discontinued, Marlboro SNUS introduced in August, 2007 now available in about 4,000 stores in the Dallas area has not been widely accepted and now there are problems with Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco (MST) that was introduced into the Atlanta test market in October 2007.(TobaccoWatch.org) On January 10, 2008, Davenport & Company, a Virginia investment firm, released a research report analyzing the recent test launch of Altria's (NYSE: MO) MST. The price for a can of Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco was initially set at $3, a dollar cheaper than either of UST's popular brands -- Copenhagen and Skoal (each worth more than $1 billion at retail - TW) -- which are consistently priced at $4 per can in the area. As Davenport's checks went around to different convenience stores in the Atlanta test market, they surprisingly discovered that many stores had to lower their prices on cans of the Marlboro brand to $1.50. The retailers said they had to cut the price on the Marlboro brand as the product was either already old or just about to be, and needed to be sold or thrown away. Almost every retailer (Wal-Mart was the exception) that was testing the Marlboro product said they saw noticeably slow sales, despite the smokeless tobacco product being brand new. Most retailers also noted a strong brand loyalty for UST's products: clerks would specifically ask customers buying smokeless tobacco products if they would try the new Marlboro brand for a cheaper price, but the majority of the consumers would respond 'no' and ask again for their favorite brand. Going on, retailers noted to Davenport's checks that they had seen little or no return buyers out of the consumers who did try the Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco. In fact, one store said it had not sold a single can of the Marlboro product for two weeks, at a time when UST brand sales remained solid. Initially, consumers seemed some-what interested in the Marlboro product and would at least ask questions about it, but as the trial period went on, fewer and fewer buyers of tobacco would inquire about the new Marlboro product. ( Altria's (MO) New Product Not Up to Snuff, StreetInsider.com, January 11, 2008 11:55 AM EST) Related Marlboro MST news briefs: January 4, 2008 and August 21, 2007. There has been speculation that PM might acquire a smokeless company to gain a foothold in the category.

January 11, 2008 - Cigarette Makers Face Thousands of New Florida Suits.. Florida lawyers rushed to beat this week's deadline to file individual claims after the Florida Supreme Court in July 2006 overturned a $145 billion punitive-damage verdict, the biggest in history, saying plaintiffs couldn't proceed as a group. The court upheld jury findings that the companies were negligent and sold defective products, which will apply in the individual cases. Plaintiffs' lawyers said the total number of claims filed against the industry may reach 10,000. Philip Morris, the biggest U.S. cigarette maker, faces new Florida suits filed on behalf of about 1,700 dead and injured smokers so far, said spokesman John Sorrells. Reynolds American Inc.'s R.J. Reynolds unit has received claims from about 1,650 plaintiffs, spokesman David Howard said. There is some overlap in the companies' tallies because plaintiffs who smoked more than one brand may name several manufacturers as defendants. Plaintiffs' lawyers are hoping that Florida trial courts interpret the ruling to mean they must do little more than prove the amount of their clients' damages. (Bob Van Voris Bloomberg.com, 1/10/2008) This action may cause foreign tobacco companies to think twice about entering the lucrative U.S. tobacco market. Click on image to enlarge..

January 11, 2008 - Philip Morris USA (PM)To Also Test Marlboro Snus In Indianapolis.. Altria Group Inc.'s (MO) Philip Morris USA said it will be introducing Marlboro Snus into an additional test market in the Indianapolis area. The cigarette maker said Marlboro Snus is a tobacco pouch product designed for adult smokers who are interested in smokeless tobacco alternatives to cigarettes. The company said it is "pleased" with the initial reaction by adult consumers, wholesalers and retailers to Marlboro Snus in the Dallas/Fort Worth test market. Marlboro Snus will be available in the Indianapolis area in March, 2008. At present, Taboka Tobaccopaks, the original PM Snus pouch product is being test marketed in Indianapolis with little success. It has been reported that PM will discontinue its Indianapolis test market of Taboka, which it introduced in July 2006. ( "Philip Morris Revises Smokeless Tobacco Market Tests" by JOHN REID BLACKWELL/Richmond Times-Dispatch Jan 11, 2008) See related news brief: Altria - NOT in Any Hurry to Expand Marlboro SNUS Distribution.. Click on image to enlarge..

January 11, 2008 - C-store: RJR replaces large entrance Camel SNUS sign with Camel No. 9 sign.. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. said on November 27, 2007 that it will not advertise its cigarette brands like Camel No. 9 in newspapers and consumer magazines in 2008. The company indicated it would focus marketing in three areas - one of these being the retail outlet - point of sale advertising. Camel SNUS along with the other SNUS products being test marketed have not sold well and the majority of smokers have rejected this alternative tobacco product. Remember nine of 10 smokers who try smokeless reject the product.. Tobacco companies are in agreement for SNUS to catch on and be a strong seller it's going to require more public awareness and education. But even programs to station a person in c-stores passing out coupons for a free can of Camel SNUS don't seem to work. It is a difficult task to learn the art of snusing especially for the inveterate (hard-nosed, long established, deep-rooted) cigarette smokers public health SNUS advocates are targeting. You have to wonder if Philip Morris USA wants to associate the Marlboro name, one of the strongest brand names in consumer packaged goods, with a loser - Marlboro SNUS. (TobaccoWatch.org) Click on either image to enlarge..

January 10, 2008 - Encouraging smokeless tobacco use is not only a dangerous tactic in the drive to reduce smoking rates, but scientifically unproven as well.. "This approach puts us at great risk of repeating the fiasco of ‘Light’ and ‘Mild’ cigarettes," says Michael Thun, MD, ACS Vice President of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research. "There is no evidence that smokers will switch to smokeless tobacco products and give up smoking. In fact, the tobacco companies market these products as a ‘bridge’ that provides smokers with nicotine in settings where smoking is prohibited. Any product that encourages smokers to postpone quitting will increase rather than decrease their risk of lung cancer, as was the case with ‘Light’ and ‘Mild’ cigarettes." Thun adds another problem with promoting smokeless tobacco over cigarettes is the danger of youth uptake. "Now that all of the large tobacco companies have introduced their own lines of smokeless products, their marketing strategies will inevitably target susceptible adolescents. They have already introduced flavors such as apple, peach, and mint." ( SMOKELESS TOBACCO: HARM REDUCTION DEBATABLE, CA Cancer J Clin 2008 doi: 10.3322/CA.2007.0006,© 2008 American Cancer Society) Britain’s Royal College of Physicians (RCP) says tobacco harm-reduction strategies are urgently needed to help hard-core smokers who can’t kick the habit—and smokeless tobacco should be among the options. There chief spokesman, Dr. John Britton agrees that more research on the long term effects of SNUS (smokeless tobacco) would be helpful. Professor Britton is also concerned about our youngsters being enticed to use smokless tobacco. "It's their (tobacco companies) job to sell as much tobacco as possible, so they will be targeting non-smokers rather than current ones, that's the worry." An example high school kids on SNUS. In a recent debate on this subject in the UK Dr. Britton lost badly to Dr. Keir Lewis, a physician against the use of smokeless tobacco. (TobaccoWatch.org)

January 9, 2008 - Evaluation Process for Potential Reduced-Risk Tobacco Products.. A team of scientists and physicians affiliated with the Life Sciences Research Office (LSRO) in Maryland, USA, has reviewed and identified preclinical and clinical methods that can be used to examine the biological effects of potential reduced-risk tobacco products. Their findings, conclusions and recommendations are presented in the most recent LSRO report, titled Biological Effects Assessment in the Evaluation of Potential Reduced-Risk Tobacco Products. The report was produced under a contract between Philip Morris USA and the LSRO, but the findings, conclusions and recommendations were developed independently of Philip Morris and represent the views of the LSRO alone. Tobacco is deadly in any form or disguise.. (theme of the World Health Organization, WHO, World No Tobacco Day)

January 9, 2007 - Healthy living can add 14 years to your life.. The research involving 20,000 people for over a decade was carried out by the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council in the English county of Norfolk between 1993 and 2006. The study found that exercising , not drinking too much alcohol, eating enough fruit and vegetables and not smoking (most likely all tobacco products - TW) can add up to 14 years to your life, a study says. "This is good news and shows that by living a healthy life, people can reduce their risk of dying from heart and circulatory disease," said Judy O'Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation. those who failed on all criteria were four times more likely to have died than those who succeeded. You are in charge of your own health - work at it.. Exercise has also been shown to reduce common nicotine withdrawal symptoms and the desire to smoke.

January 8, 2008 - Raise Age to 21 to Purchase Tobacco Products.. Scottish cancer specialist (Dr. Jayant Vaidya) is calling for the age at which people can buy tobacco be raised to 21. Dr Vaidya told the BBC Scotland news website: "Most people start smoking before they are 21, and after they are 21 they are wise enough to realise that it's not in their interest to use tobacco products." Dr Vaidya said that in Goa in India, where he was born, raising the smoking age to 21 has led to a considerable drop in the number of tobacco-related diseases. "Children, before they are proper grown-ups at 21, have the right to be protected from the onslaught of the tobacco industry," he said. As of October 1, 2007 the legal minimum age at which tobacco can be bought in England, Scotland and Wales went from 16 to 18. The BBC's Healthy Britain survey questioned more than one thousand people. More than half (55%) of those polled supported raising the legal age from 16 to 21. Why these baby steps when it comes to tobacco control why wasn't the age raised to 21?? - let's talk tobacco elimination when it comes to kids - our future leaders. It is estimated that at least 4.5 million U.S. adolescents are cigarette smokers and approximately 90 percent of smokers begin smoking before the age of 21. (" The Cigarette Smoking Tragedy" by Dr. Jenny Tylee, Ezine Articles) Click on image to enlarge..

January 7, 2008 - If you thought Tobacco Butts Everywhere Were Bad Wait Until Disguarded SNUS Bags.. Sweden where SNUS originated grimy/scuzzy used snus packets litter the otherwise clean streets and subway stations of Stockholm. Besides the effect on the environment these used discarded bags after being in the snusers mouth for at least 15 minutes will enhance the transmission of contagious diseases. See related news :July 15, 2007 and March 10, 2007.

January 6, 2008 - Wegmans, Rochester, NY, based Supermarket Chain Will NO Longer Sell Tobacco Products Starting February 10, 2008. Thank God for Danny Wegman.. Wegman's owns more than 70 stores in five states, most of them in western New York. The Wegman family says it still respects a person's right to smoke. And even though the company says cigarettes are very profitable, sales have been declining. Wegmans moved cigarettes from the checkout to behind the service counter years ago. A brief letter to employees from Danny and Coleen Wegman spelled out their decision. "We believe in a person's right to smoke. But we believe there are few of us who would introduce our children to smoking." Wegmans is also about helping consumers live healthier life.

January 5, 2008 - Encourage Smokeless Tobacco Use Though Banned in Australia Since 1991.. Dr. Wayne Hall, a professor of public health policy at the University of Queensland, and his colleagues argue that SNUS may be effective in helping some of Australia's 2.9 million smokers give up smoking. Hall feels that with legislative changes smokeless tobacco could be sold under the counter in pharmacies and doctors and quit lines could encourage inveterate (hard-nosed, long-established, deep-rooted) smokers to make the switch "as a way of reducing the harm caused by their tobacco use." How does the good doctor know that inveterate smokers will learn the art of snusing?? Unites States Smokeless Tobacco Company has been trying to market a SNUS product, Revel, since 2001 with little success. The Chief Operating Officer of this company, Murray Kessler has stated that "Nine out of 10 smokers that try smokeless still reject the product." Some tobacco companies are test marketing SNUS products (e.g., Camel SNUS, Marlboro SNUS, Skoal Dry) in the U.S. have had very little success. Dr. Lars E. Rutqvist, the Vice President for Scientific Affairs at Swedish Match (the world's second largest maker of snuff and chewing tobacco and market leader in Sweden - volume share of 90% at the end of 2006) tells us the drive in snus sales in Sweden has been in response to the smoking ban rather than the perceived advantage to user’s health. Compared to tobacco smoking very little is known about smokeless tobacco. Dr. John Britton, probably the foremost proponent in the British Commonwealth for the use of SNUS agrees that more research into the long-term health effects of SNUS would be helpful. (TobaccoWatch.org) Professor John Britton has also stated, "It's their (tobacco companies) job to sell as much tobacco as possible, so they will be targeting non-smokers rather than current ones, that's the worry." Here in the states we have entire grocery store chains getting rid of all tobacco products but down under(it must be the summer heat) they want to lift the ban and add another tobacco product. Let's not forget the American Cancer Society study of more than 116,000 men found that cigarette smokers who switched to spit tobacco products had a higher risk of dying prematurely from tobacco-related diseases than former smokers who stopped using all forms of tobacco. Click on image to enlarge..

January 4, 2008 - County Refuses to Employee People that Use Tobacco Products.. The only people who will be considered for employment as of January 1, 2008 in Marion County, FL must sign a sworn statement affirming that they have not used tobacco within 12 months, and further, that they will not use such products while they work for the county. Violators of the policy can be fired. Current tobacco users are exempted, although they will be offered programs to help them quit. So as it stands, any smoker hired last Monday or earlier is in the clear, but a tobacco consumer who wants a job now should just steer clear. County officials say they trying to cut down on health insurance costs by not hiring people who use tobacco. The county is not alone. The city of Ocala, FL instituted a similar policy effective Oct. 1, 2007 and local governments in Florida have been able to legally turn aside smokers as prospective employees since 1995. Related news brief: August 13, 2007. From SNUS.biz: Companies concerned about paying high health insurance premiums are hesitant to employ people that smoke or use other tobacco products. A healthcare benefits company fired four of its employees for refusing to take a test that determines whether they smoke cigarettes. Weyco Inc., a health benefits administrator based in Okemos, MI adopted this policy January 1, 2005 that allows employees to be fired if they smoke even if the smoking happens after business hours or at home. The company cites concerns over rising healthcare costs for those that smoke. "Wyco Inc. is a non-smoking company that strongly supports its employees in living healthy lifestyles."(TheBostonChannel.com, 1/25/2005). Effective January 1, 2002, as a part of our public health policy, and because of the known effects tobacco use has on our community, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department does not hire applicants who use tobacco. Smokers at Scott's Miracle-Gro Co. won't even be able to do that much longer. In October 2006, the Marysville, OH based company will begin randomly testing employees and giving pink slips to those who test positive for nicotine. The company announced the ultimatum in November, saying it was giving employees a year to quit, and offered to help with smoking-cessation programs. Scott's officials say it's part of a larger effort to help their employees become healthier (Clock ticking down for smokers at Scott's Miracle-Grow, Susan Deutschle, Business First of Columbus, April 14, 2006). More and more tobacco use is being looked upon as anti-social and unacceptable behavior. Schools are considering making the use of smokeless tobacco a suspendable offense. (TobaccoWatch.org)

January 4, 2008 - Philip Morris USA Snuff Products: Marlboro SNUS and Marlboro Moist Smokeless Tobacco (MST).. Marlboro SNUS was introduced in August 2007 and is being test marketed in the Dallas, TX area (a simliar product Taboka was introduced into the test market of Indianapolis in July 2006) and Marlboro MST was introduced into test market in the the Atlanta area in October 2007. What's the difference in these snuff tobacco products?? With MST instead of chewing on tobacco, a small clump (also called dip) is ‘pinched ‘ out of the tin and placed between the lower or upper lip and gums. The tobacco clump rests on the inside of the mouth for approximately 20-30 minutes. The presence of the clump inside the mouth produces excess saliva. This is typically spit out on the ground or in a bottle because the swallowing can cause irritation of the esophagus, nausea and vomiting. Taboka and Marlboro Snus pouches are similar to those SNUS products sold in Sweden; meaning among other things that they are smoke-free, pasteurized and also typically spit-free. These products usually contains less water and salt then MST products. There is a technique to master in placing the SNUS in a particular location at the front of the mouth between the upper lip and gums. Any movement will result in an increased flow of saliva increasing the urge to spit or swallow more of the toxic tobacco juice. Users of these tobacco products besides being nicotine addicts are at a greater risk of chronic diseases such as pancreatic and stomach cancer and cardiovascular disease. In September 2007 Swedish Match North America started testing an MST named after the the most popular chewing tobacco Red Man called Red Man Premium Moist Snuff. Testing is being carried out in 11 states: IN, OH, WV, KY, LA, MS, AR, NC, VA, western PA and southwest TN--representing 36% of the moist snuff category volume. MST category is dominated by UST's Copenhagen and Skoal and Conwood's (now owned by Reynolds American) premium brand Kodiak. Click on image to enlarge..(TobaccoWatch.org)

January 3, 2008 - Hospital Best Place to Survive A Cardiac Arrest??? - This news brief is a little off topic but it's important for people to realize they are in charge of their own health. As you get older you'll realize Your Health Is Your Wealth. Just because you're in the hospital doesn't mean you'll get treated quickly if your heart stops beating. About one-third of patients don't get a potentially live-saving shock within the recommended two minutes, a new study published today (1/3/2008)in the New England Journal of Medicine found. Those who don't get prompt defibrillation are more likely to die or end up brain-damaged or disabled, the study showed. For every minute of delay, the chances of survival worsen. "It is probably fair to say that most patients assume -- unfortunately, incorrectly -- that a hospital would be the best place to survive a cardiac arrest," Dr. Leslie A. Saxon, a cardiologist at the University of Southern California, wrote in an editorial in the journal. (" Hospitals often miss deadline to restart stopped heart" by Stephanie Nano, The Associated Press, The News & Observer, 1/3/2008)

January 2, 2008 - SMOKERS, heavy drinkers and obese people will be banned from NHS treatment under a new plan.. The National Health Service (NHS)is a publicly funded health care system of England. It provides the majority of health care free of charge - the founding principle of the NHS. Ministers believe that withholding treatment from people with unhealthy lives could potentially save the NHS billions of pounds a year. Mr Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, outlines his plans in a New Year message to health staff today (01/01/2008), heralding the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS this year. He will announce plans to draw up a Health Service constitution clearly outlining “rights and responsibilities” for patients. ( "NHS BAN IF YOU SMOKE, DRINK OR EAT TOO MUCH" by Macer Hall, Daily Express, 01/01/2008)