National

Tobacco Industry Faces Formidable Opponent: Support for SCHIP Expansion
Tobacco lobbyists are hitting Washington, DC hard to gain support in the fight against the SCHIP bill, and President Bush is remaining steadfast in his plans to veto any children’s health insurance legislation that involves a tobacco tax increase. A bipartisan group is redrafting the bill to be more attractive to Republicans, but hopes of passing the bill are weak. While a Philip Morris representative declined to discuss lobbying, he did state that opposition to tobacco taxes stems from concern about tobacco company’s profits. Read the full article here. Read more about SCHIP from the American College of Emergency Physicians here.

Wu tries to contain damage to SCHIP
Oregon’s Senator David Wu is attempting to prevent Oregonians’ rejection of Measure 50 from gaining national momentum. He described Measure 50’s demise not as a defeat for children’s healthcare, but as an effect of the tobacco industry’s relentless lobbying and advertising. Get more information about Senator Wu’s efforts here.

Senate seeks to clear hazy 'light' cigarette label
The FDA testified at a Senate hearing in November to prevent cigarettes from being labeled and promoted as “light” based on their tar and nicotine levels. Because of variations in the way smokers smoke their cigarettes, it is impossible to know exactly how much tar and other chemicals are being delivered with each cigarette. Furthermore, smokers may inhale more heavily or smoke more cigarettes to compensate for using “light” cigarettes, even though they are just as harmful. Since the FDA took on the responsibility of regulating the tobacco industry earlier this year, they have the authority “to prosecute a variety of unfair and deceptive cigarette advertising practices.” Find out more about the hearing by clicking here, or read the FTC statement here.

Senate ends cigarette sales on Capitol Hill
Senate convenience shops will no longer carry cigarettes as of January 1, 2008. Cigarettes were previously not taxed in the senate’s shops, making cigarettes a popular bargain for Senate staffers. Read more here.

Lung Cancer Alliance Hails Massachusetts Senator for Taking Lead on Lung Cancer Legislation
Senator Susan Fargo of Massachusetts introduced a state senate bill to dedicate a portion of tobacco excise taxes to health screenings in high-risk populations, launch cancer research, and tobacco disparity research. Click here to find out more.

The economic impact of clean indoor air laws
Indoor smoking bans have become more common and extensive nationwide and scientific evidence indicates that they have been effective in both reducing nonsmokers’ exposure to smoke and in reducing healthcare costs. However, tobacco companies have traditionally turned business owners, particularly in the hospitality industry, against these bans with claims that smoking bans will hurt business. This journal article compiles the results of multiple studies that do not show evidence of adverse financial consequences for the hospitality industry as a result of smoking bans. Read the article here.

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International

EU Parliment calls for workplace smoking ban
The European Parliament voted to approve a report recommending a smoking ban for all indoor workplaces, tighter restrictions on underage smoking, and protections for nonsmokers. Though this vote carries no legal repercussions, it does indicate a united movement toward a tobacco-free Europe. Click here for more details.

As the smoke clears: The myths and reality of smoke-free England
This document compares the myths to the real outcomes of the recent smoking bans in England. So far, the hospitality industry has not seen financial drawbacks, and restaurants and pubs have been compliant with the ban. Furthermore, secondhand smoke exposure in the home has decreased, according to a survey. Read the full report here.

Act now on cigarettes, expert says
Dr. Nigel Gray, an advisor for the World Health Organization (WHO), made recommendations for the Australian government to begin regulating tobacco. As the debate continues in the United States regarding FDA regulation of tobacco products, a similar argument plays out in Australia. While some argue that government regulation of tobacco would imply endorsement of tobacco products’ safety, others maintain that a lack of government regulation would be negligent. Click here for the full article.

Charity calls for cigarette machine ban
The British Heart Foundation is calling on UK lawmakers to ban cigarette machines. Despite age restrictions on smoking, 1 in 6 teenagers in Wales buy cigarettes from vending machines. A vast amount of adult smoking and tobacco-related health problems could be prevented if teenagers had less access to cigarettes. Read more on the call for the ban here.

Residents fume as smoking banned in parks, near kids
A new law in Naples, Italy will prevent smoking at outdoor demonstrations, in parks, near pregnant women, and near children under age 12. This legislation adds to previous indoor smoking bans. Since Neapolitans are famous for disregarding city rules, the new outdoor smoking ban is being met with skepticism, but the ban may help to reduce the city’s lung cancer rate, which is higher than in much of Italy. Click here to find out more.

China tries to wean itself from its tobacco habit
Although China’s prominent citizens--including 50% of its doctors and the mayor of Beijing--are smokers, and the state’s highly profitable monopoly on cigarette production, the nation is making small steps toward tobacco control. Smoking has become ingrained in Chinese culture and economics, and at 30 cents a pack, cigarettes are available even to migrant laborers. In the face of dire tobacco-related health statistics such as a 63% smoking rate among males, cigarettes will be given warning labels by 2009, and cigarette advertising prohibited by 2011. Furthermore, Beijing is promoting the 2008 Olympic Games as the “smoke-free Olympics” and imposing fines on those who smoke in taxi cabs. For more information on smoking in China, click here.

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