Cigarette News: India can be a major player in the international tobacco market if it can harness emerging opportunities and enhance its exports

New Delhi: India’s tobacco exports are likely to touch Rs16,050 million towards the end of current fiscal, from Rs15060.20 million in last fiscal, as growers get ready to export more than 60% of their produce in view of domestic tobacco’s rising demand in countries like Russia, Vietnam, UK, Germany and Belgium.
According to a study carried out by Assocham on ‘Prospects of tobacco to exports for current fiscal’, domestic tobacco sector in the past few years has come out of ressession, impact of which would be favourable, leading to higher tobacco exports. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette News: Japan Tobacco to Seek More Takeovers From 2009

Japan Tobacco Inc., the world's third-largest cigarette maker, will seek more takeovers from 2009 to build on the 7.5 billion pound ($15 billion) purchase of Gallaher Group Plc, President Hiroshi Kimura said.
Further acquisitions ``would be realistic from 2009,'' Kimura said in an Aug. 29 interview. The integration of the British maker of Benson & Hedges cigarettes, purchased in April, will be completed in two years, he said.
Kimura, 54, is seeking to expand overseas as cigarette consumption falls in the Tokyo-based company's home market, which accounts for 76 percent of sales. Japanese tobacco revenue slumped 13 percent in the first quarter as the nation's population declined and anti-smoking campaigns increased. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette News: EU's Kyprianou advocates tobacco advertising ban for Formula 1 racing

FRANKFURT - EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou aims to ban tobacco companies from sponsoring Formula 1 automotive racing, according to an interview by Financial Times Deutschland.
'Formula 1 is a symbol,' Kyprianou told the newspaper.
'We have to reduce tobacco advertising as much as possible so that we can eliminate the influence on young people.' Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette News: Untaxed cigarettes case yields money for Valley law enforcement

Three local law enforcement agencies will share more than $191,000 seized during a lengthy federal investigation into sales of untaxed cigarettes in the Northwest.
The distributions are part of a federal forfeiture program that shares proceeds with agencies that assist in federal investigations.
James McDevitt of Spokane, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the funding Thursday . Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

British American Tobacco has been lobbying for a tax reduction on its “Pall Mall” cigarettes

Nobody said that it’s a sin for our top government officials to be seen in the company of executives of foreign multinational groups.
It’s just plain suspicious, that’s all!
That includes the dinner for the Lola at the Palace there in London during her official trip early this year, hosted by British American Tobacco, or BAT, the world’s second-biggest cigarette company.
Today, we happen to know that BAT has been lobbying this administration for a huge tax reduction on its “Pall Mall” brand of cigarettes, from P25 per pack to P5.60 per pack, or an amazing 80-percent discount. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Illegal cigarettes seized in raid

ILLEGAL cigarettes were seized in a raid in on Monday.
HM Revenue and Customs officers broke up two gangs selling illicit cigarettes from a prominent holiday location on Sea Lane. Officers stopped and arrested three individuals on suspicion of selling illegal tobacco goods from a makeshift table. The men were interviewed at Skegness Police Station and later released pending further enquiries. A second group ran from the scene but were successfully disrupted from selling their goods to holidaymakers on one of the busiest days of the year. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Democrat legislator withdraws bid to snuff chew tobacco in House

AR - A state representative who is trying to kick a more than 20-year habit of smoking cigarettes wants colleagues who chew tobacco to change their ways, too.
Rep. Pam Adcock, D-Little Rock, on Wednesday proposed changing House rules to bar representatives from chewing tobacco in the House chamber and committee rooms. They’re already barred from smoking there under House rules and state law.
“They can do what they want. I just don’t want them spitting near me,” she said. “As some guys have said, it’s gross. You can’t even have a glass of water at our desk.” Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Gross Images Placed On Cigarette Packs In Britain

The British government is trying to shock smokers into quitting the habit by using images.
Some people have called the images gross but doctors hope they will demonstrate just how damaging smoking can be to your health.
All British cigarette packages must display one of the graphic images by October of next year. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Progress seen in campaign against cigarette litter

LA - Nearly two months into an intensive blitz to raise awareness of cigarette litter, members of Keep Morehouse Beautiful are beginning to see signs of progress. With a $10,000 grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful, a campaign of television advertisements and billboards showing a cigarette butt on a brick sidewalk have been used to help smokers aware "This Is Little, Too. "The grant, made possible through a donation from Phillip Morris, was also used to place cigarette receptacles throughout the city's Historic District. Grant chairman Mark Rainwater said a tour of the area Monday indicated the media blitz is paying dividends. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette tax suit's aim is to block vote

OR - Opponents of the proposed cigarette-tax increase on Oregon's Nov. 6 ballot filed a lawsuit in Marion Circuit Court that seeks to prevent a public vote on the health-care funding measure.
The complaint was filed by an attorney representing state Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, two tobacco retailers and others. The lawyer has represented the tobacco industry in the past.
The plaintiffs argue that the Legislature failed to allow challenges to the ballot explanations for Measure 50, and therefore it should be kept off the ballot. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Religious Leader Calls For FDA Cigarette Regulation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Religious leaders have a "moral imperative" to urge Congress to allow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate cigarettes, a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention said Tuesday.
Richard Land, head of public policy for the SBC, was among leaders from several religious denominations who gathered at a Nashville church Tuesday to urge members of the Tennessee congressional delegation to support such legislation. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

RI warns U.S. of WTO violation in cigarette bill

Jakarta - The government has warned the United States Trade Representative against violating a WTO agreement if the U.S. decides to adopt a ban on the sale of clove cigarette.
The protest will be conveyed in a letter signed by Trade Minister Mari Elka Pengestu which will be sent Thursday, according to Halida Miljani, an advisor on international cooperation to the Trade Ministry.
"The content of the letter is generally the same as our previous complaint on the discrimination of the bill," Halida told The Jakarta Post Wednesday, adding that the first letter was sent to a joint committee on Indonesia-U.S. trade and investment. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

British American Tobacco hoping to be allowed to supply 97 million cigarettes to Belarus

The British American Tobacco Trading Company, Belarus' subsidiary of the BAT cigarette maker, hopes that the Belarusian government will allow it to supply 97 million cigarettes to the country in September. "As far as we know, (the government) is considering such a decision and it is likely to be made," Syarhey Bury, head of the company's corporate relations department, told BelaPAN. The company used up its annual import quota of 650 million pieces earlier this month and currently does not supply cigarettes to Belarus. Trade Minister Alyaksandr Ivankow told reporters on July 23 that only one company, Belaruszamezhhandal controlled by the Presidential Administration, would be allowed to import tobacco products. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Reynolds American Paid Lobbyist $100,000

WASHINGTON - Cigarette maker Reynolds American Inc. paid Aduston Consulting LLC $100,000 to lobby Congress in the first half of 2007, according to a disclosure form.
The firm lobbied on legislation that would allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products for the first time. Reynolds American, which makes Camel and Kool brand cigarettes, opposes the legislation, which would allow the government to remove certain ingredients from cigarettes. Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Democrat Bill would require smokeless cigarettes

CO - Where there is no smoke, there is no fire.
That's why an Aurora state senator plans to introduce a bill that would require all cigarettes sold in Colorado to be self-extinguishing.
Although they're called smokeless cigarettes, in reality they are cigarettes that stop burning if smokers stop puffing.
Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, wants Colorado to join 22 other states that have passed legislation requiring the sale of such cigarettes to prevent the leading cause of house fire deaths. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Tobacco farmers welcome harvest

Two cigar enthusiasts from Tromtösunda in southeastern Sweden are currently bringing in the last of this year's tobacco harvest. Lasse Carlsson and Fredrik Wernstedt came up with idea of growing the crop as they each puffed on a cigar and spoke of the fact that tobacco was grown commercially in the Swedish countryside from the middle of the 17th century right up until 1964.
"We said to each other: 'If they could grow it then, we can grow it now'," said Lasse Carlsson. Together the pair spend almost all their free time cultivating, harvesting, drying, curing and fermenting the leaves. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Contraband cigarettes found under floorboard of bus

SINGAPORE: Over 800 cartons of contraband cigarettes were seized by Immigration and Checkpoint Authority officers from a bus at Woodlands Checkpoint on Monday morning. The cigarettes were found inside a modified compartment hidden under the floorboard of the Malaysian-registered vehicle. The cigarettes have an estimated market value of S$77,000.

Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Democratic Congressman Barrow Campaigns for FDA to Regulate Cigarettes

The Federal Food and Drug Administration regulates the manufacture and distribution of everyday items such as Cheerios, lipstick and macaroni and cheese. Now, a local lawmaker wants cigarettes added to that list.
Democratic Congressman John Barrow met with a family and children's group this morning calling for more basic health regulations on tobacco. FDA legislation began 100 years ago and back then, cigarettes were not on the list to be regulated.
Barrow says it's something that's long overdue. "This is all about trying to fix what's broken and it started way back when nobody thought of nicotine that you get from tobacco as a drug. Well, it sure is a drug. We know that and it has huge health care costs for the rest of us," he said. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Brothers caught with 40,000 hot cigarettes

KARLSHAMN, Sweden - Two Swedish brothers were sent to jail for a month after unsuccessfully claiming that they were smuggling 40,000 cigarettes for personal use. The brothers, who live in Karlshamn on the east coast of southern Sweden, were caught retrieving the cigarettes after they had been tossed overboard from a ferry from Lithuania, The Local reported. One brother stood guard on shore while the other rowed out in an inflatable boat. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Taxes on spirits and cigarettes rise today

The Cabinet yesterday approved higher excise taxes on spirits and tobacco from today.
Spirits go up by 9-12 baht a bottle and cigarettes by 1-3 baht a pack.
Deputy government spokesman Chodchai Suwanaporn said the cabinet agreed with the Finance Ministry the increase was in order to make competition fairer among the producers of liquor, special liquor, wine and beer.
"Spirits with a higher alcohol content should face higher taxes," he said.
Excise Department director-general Wisudhi Srisuphan said sin tax revenue was expected to increase by six billion baht per year.
At the same time, the higher taxes should lower consumption of spirits by 60-65 million litres a year and cigarettes by 20 million packs. Last year, 450 million litres of alcoholic drinks were consumed in Thailand and 1.7 billion packs of cigarettes.
"The tax increases have been introduced under the old law," he said. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Deputy burned with cigarette in Texas

PEARLAND — A Brazoria County man was charged with felony assault of a public servant on allegations he burned a sheriff’s office deputy with a cigarette over the weekend.Jose Guadalupe Arreola, 28, was charged with the offense after allegedly touching Deputy Nicholas Bentley on the left hand with a lit cigarette at about 3:40 a.m. Saturday, said Patrol Capt. Richard Foreman. Officers had been responding to an alleged domestic violence call at a home in the 7000 block of Jenkins Road, near Pearland, Foreman said.A man fled the scene on a bicycle, deputies said, but they brought him back to the area without force, Foreman said. Bentley was reportedly burned attempting to arrest the man. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Officials hope to re-ignite cigarette tax

Facing a doomsday budget, several DuPage County leaders are hoping a cigarette tax proposal before Illinois lawmakers still has some life in it.
A majority of finance committee members agreed Tuesday the county should ask Chairman Robert Schillerstrom to delay his planned mid-September budget presentation.
They reasoned that it's premature to produce a fiscal plan with significant cuts if a new source of revenue is around the corner.
"It may send the wrong message to Springfield," finance Chairman Patrick O'Shea said. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Pub sprayed with cigarette smell

A pub in Birmingham is spraying the smell of cigarettes around its bar after locals said they missed the smoky atmosphere.
The Craven Arms pub in the city centre is now using a special "Fag Ash" aerosol to recreate the smoking aroma.
Landlady Sarah Thornton said customers were missing its traditional atmosphere since the smoking ban was introduced in England on 1 July. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Indonesian cigarette producers oppose US ban

Indonesian cigarette producers called on US authorities to drop a plan to ban import of traditional Indonesian cigarettes made from a blend of tobacco and clove, the industry association said Wednesday. The distinctive Indonesian cigarettes, locally known as "kretek ", will potentially face restriction in the U.S. markets which ban flavored cigarettes." Local cigarettes flavored with strawberry or vanilla have been produced in America recently, causing worries that they can encourage children to smoke. So, there was an idea to ban flavored cigarettes, including kretek cigarettes," said Ismanu Soemiran, chairman of the Indonesian Cigarette Producers Association (GAPRI). Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

A costly drag - Man fined £115 for dropping cigarette butt

A Chesterfield man has been fined £115 for dropping a cigarette butt in the town centre.
A Chesterfield Borough Council enforcement officer saw Paul Stanyard, of Coronation Road, Brimington drop a cigarette butt in Burlington Street on May 15.
Mr Stanyard had pleaded not guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing.
Chesterfield Magistrates Court was told today that the enforcement officer saw Mr Stanyard smoking outside a shop and saw him drop the cigarette butt before entering the shop. When he came out, the officer spoke to him and after cautioning him, issued a fixed penalty notice. This was not paid. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Racial Disparity Affirmed in Tobacco Advertising

The density of billboards advertising tobacco products is more than twice as high in black neighborhoods as in white, researchers have found in a review of studies.
The studies were selected from an original group of 131 papers if they were peer-reviewed and directly compared protobacco media messages in African-American and Caucasian markets. That left 11 studies of tobacco advertising, 7 of them involving billboards or other signs, and 4 on magazine advertising. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

OSU-Stillwater moves up deadline for campus going tobacco-free

Effective July 1, OSU-Stillwater will become the first tobacco-free campus in the Big 12.“We do want to be known as the healthiest campus in America, and this is one step that’s going to help us get there,” said Robin Purdie, the director of the Seretean Wellness Center. In July 2006, the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust awarded the Seretean Wellness Center a $500,000 grant to decrease tobacco-use among college students. A Tobacco Task Force was formed in December to review tobacco policy recommendations from the Student Government Association, the Staff Advisory Council and the Faculty Council. The SGA recommendation passed 21-9 with two abstentions and nine members absent while the Faculty Council recommendation passed 13-11 with two abstentions. The Staff Advisory Council passed 20-0 with one abstention. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

China to ban tobacco advertising from 2011

BEIJING - China intends to ban all tobacco advertising by the beginning of 2011, the latest possible date required under an international treaty, state press reported today.
The end of the advertising will be in line with China's commitments to a World Health Organisation convention, Xinhua news agency said, citing Jiang Yuan from the health ministry-affiliated State Tobacco Control Office. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Thieves break in for cigarettes

Mayerthorpe RCMP is asking the public to be on the lookout for anyone approaching them to buy cigarettes. In the early morning of August second, Police responded to a break in at Western Camp Services. Unknown culprit(s) broke into the building through an open window in the backroom, broke a lock and stole cartons of cigarettes. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

State lawmakers consider self-extinguishing cigarettes

DENVER - Smokers in Colorado would have a new product to buy if some state lawmakers have their way.
Efforts are under way to require the sale of fire-safe cigarettes throughout the state in an effort to cut down on the fires which kill the most people nationwide every year, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. That group is the leading advocate for self-extinguishing cigarettes nationwide. Supporters of the proposal say two separate fires in Denver retirement homes this past weekend, likely caused by cigarettes, provide further evidence Colorado should require the sale of fire-safe cigarettes. Three people were injured in one of those fires, one critically. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette Blamed for Fatal Blaze Near Ground Zero

A construction firm employee's cigarette likely sparked a blaze that killed two firefighters in the former Deutsche Bank building last week, city officials said yesterday.
Cigarette smoking, although forbidden, was "rampant" throughout the building during a delicate demolition project that involved the participation of three private contractors and the oversight of several city and state agencies, a New York City Fire Department spokesman said.
"Smoking was engaged in throughout the building, and particularly on the 17th floor, where the fire originated," Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said earlier at a news conference, noting that electrical failure had been ruled out as a possible cause. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Cigarette ignites sofa, then house during summer bash

It will be at least two months until all the repairs are done on the three-unit house that caught fire after a party June 11, Tupper said. He plans to rent it again in the spring."Literally, a cigarette butt almost cost these kids their lives," Tupper said.The fire started early that Tuesday morning and was caused by a cigarette that was carelessly discarded onto the second-floor balcony couch, said Syracuse Fire Department Lt. Ken Heffernan.Only one tenant was living in the three-unit house at the time of the fire, Tupper said. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Score Employee Admits Cigarette Theft

A cleaner with the Lobatse Score Supermarket was sentenced to seven years in prison and five strokes after he pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing by servant at Peleng Customary Court on Thursday.
However, Moses Mooketsi of Peleng earned a reprieve when Kgosi Pius Letsholo wholly suspended his seven-year jail term. Before the sentence, the convict said he does not know what tempted him to commit the crime. "I had no intention of stealing at all." He asked the court not to sentence him to prison as he is the one looking after his ailing grandmother. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

'Put graphic warnings on cigarette packs now

KUALA LUMPUR: Graphic pictures of what smoking does to the body must be put on cigarette packages sooner rather than later.
He is calling on the government not to wait until the deadline to fulfil its obligations under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Under the agreement, which Malaysia ratified in 2005, countries have three years to put in place limits on the production, sale, distribution and advertising of cigarettes, and to formulate government anti-smoking policies, like taxation, to limit smoking.
Dr Rahmat said the government should not wait until the November 2008 deadline, but implement the warnings now because the current warnings on cigarette packets were ineffective. Singapore and Thailand had already done so. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Govt raises alcohol, cigarette taxes

Bangkok Post - The government agreed on Tuesday to increase alcohol and cigarette taxes to lower consumption.Price of locally-made liquor is raised nine to 12 baht per bottle while that of locally-made cigarette is raised by one to two baht a pack. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Keith Richards eats cigarette onstage

The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards ate a cigarette onstage at what is rumoured to be the band's last-ever show in London on Sunday (August 26). The band wrapped up their European tour with a third night at the 02 Arena. And, after being criticised the previous week for smoking onstage despite a ban being in place, Richards decided to make fun of the furore by chomping on a ciggy. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Good Crop Shows Life Left in Georgia Tobacco

ATHENS, GA - For the past few years, Georgia's tobacco industry has been like a tired, old man seeking a peaceful way to die. Acres and yields declined. Farmers quit. But the old man isn't giving up yet, says a University of Georgia expert. The trend could reverse this year.
"I believe this is going to be a year to reassure growers that there may be a future for tobacco in the state and that there's a good reason for the ones left to stay in it," said J. Michael Moore, a UGA Cooperative Extension tobacco specialist.
About 350 farmers still grow tobacco in the state, mostly in the south-central region. There were four times that many a decade ago. But hard times hit. Diseases dropped yields, and production costs skyrocketed. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

British American Tobacco moves to new premises

British American Tobacco Malta moved to new premises in Qormi. General Manager Ronnie Abela said: "We moved to new modern premises in a central location, following the Central Cigarette factory closure. This is a new beginning for us, however British American Tobacco has been in Malta for a hundred years." The premises were officially opened by the Minister for Investment, Industry and I.T., Dr. Austin Gatt, on July 30, in the presence of BAT's Director, Stephan Liechti. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Fuming over smoking

Stamping out Saskatchewan's smoking habit requires more government action, says the leader of the provincial Liberal party.
Calling Saskatchewan the only province without a formal tobacco control strategy, David Karwacki says the province should put more funds towards combating "abnormally high" smoking rates.
"I believe the government has dropped the ball on this issue," Karwacki said.
"Investing dollars in an anti-tobacco strategy has a direct impact on bringing down health-care costs in our province and getting them under control." Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Hillary Clinton: FDA should regulate tobacco

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton called for U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco and a national war on cancer.The New York Democrat and presidential candidate made the remarks Monday at the Livestrong Presidential Cancer Form in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Clinton urged "a much more aggressive outreach. That's why I favor the FDA being able to regulate advertising about nicotine and tobacco products. And we're going to push through, I hope, a bill to get that done."Such regulation would require an amendment to an old law. The Clinton-era FDA asserted the authority to regulate tobacco in 1996 but the tobacco companies challenged that authority in court. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000's FDA et al vs. Brown & Williamson et al that the federal act creating the FDA didn't give it that authority. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Japan Tobacco sets tough targets in Europe

Japan Tobacco, which completed a takeover of UK-based Gallaher in April, has laid out aggressive targets for its European business.
Hiroshi Kimura, chief executive of the world’s third-biggest cigarette maker, said JT could generate pre-tax profits of $1bn or more in top overseas markets such as the UK and Russia, a significant increase even after the addition of Gallaher’s brands.
“I think there are some places where we can hope to earn at least $1bn from a single market,” he said. “Right now only Japan is that big for us.”
JT, half owned by the Japanese government, paid £7.5bn ($15bn) for Gallaher in an acquisition designed to close the gap with the world’s top two – Altria, parent of Phillip Morris, and British American Tobacco. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

100-year-old celebrates her birthday by smoking 170,000th cigarette

An iron-lunged pensioner has celebrated her 100th birthday by lighting up her 170,000th cigerette from a candle on her birthday cake.
Winnie Langley started smoking only days after the First World War broke out in June 1914 when she was just seven-years-old - and has got through five a day ever since.
She has no intention of quitting, even after the nationwide ban forced tobacco-lovers outside.
Speaking at her 100th birthday party Winnie said: "I have smoked ever since infant school and I have never thought about quitting. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Keith Richards smokes cotton wool cigarette

Rocker Keith Richards has apparently found an unusual and amusing way to poke fun at anti-tobacco laws, for he puffed a cotton wool filled roll-up during a show at London’s O2 Arena recently. The ‘The Rolling Stones’ star lit up in defiance of the smoking ban, but later told fans his cigarette was full of cotton wool. The 63-year-old star’s action prompted Greenwich Council to investigate the matter. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Altria Eyes Spinoff Of Overseas Cigarette Business

New York - Altria Group, the parent of Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International, will meet this Wednesday to consider spinning off the overseas division of its cigarette business in a bid to boost the stock price, according to sources who spoke to the New York Times.
The move would help Philip Morris International be more aggressive and allow Philip Morris USA to develop other products like smokeless tobacco, and also to make acquisitions, the Times reported in its Saturday edition. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Man shot 'for having no cigarettes'

A 25-year-old man was shot on Saturday night, apparently for not having any cigarettes. He was found by a school in Saltsjö-Boo, east of Stockholm. "We have found a person and he has been shot in the shoulder," said Jens Mårtensson, duty officer at Stockholm police.
According to the injured man, a stranger approached him and asked if he had any cigarettes. When he replied that he did not, the man produced a gun and shot him. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Inspectors seize huge quantities of fake cigarettes

Inspectors from the Department of Economic Development on Sunday seized huge quantities of different brands of fake cigarettes as part of the ongoing campaign to monitor the emirate's markets.
A senior official from the department said supermarkets and groceries will be inspected for fake cigarettes. The official added that the department had earlier received instructions from the Ministry of Economy to conduct the nationwide campaign. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Smokeless Tobacco Not a Safe Substitute for Cigarettes

According to the results of a study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, urine levels of a potent carcinogen found in tobacco appear to be at least as high in users of smokeless tobacco as in cigarette smokers.
Smokeless tobacco refers to chewing tobacco and snuff. Both these types of smokeless tobacco contain cancer-causing agents, and users of smokeless tobacco have an increased risk of oral cancer. Oral cancer includes cancers of the lip, tongue, cheeks, gums, and the floor and roof of the mouth.
Because smokeless tobacco does not involve exposure to the harmful components of tobacco smoke, some have suggested that it may be less harmful than cigarettes.
Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

GANGS 'ARE TRYING TO SELL TOXIC CIGARETTES'

Criminal gangs are attempting to flood Leicester with imported counterfeit cigarettes which contain terrifying levels of poisons.The cigarettes, chiefly smuggled into Leicester from Eastern Europe and the Far East, contain far higher levels of tar, arsenic, nicotine, carbon monoxide and lead than non-counterfeit brands.Shopkeepers said gangs were offering to sell them bulk consignments of leading-brand fakes for as little as £1 for a packet of 20.Customs officials said the fakes were hard to spot because the gangs had mastered the technique of producing packaging which is indistinguishable from the real thing. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions

Contraband cigarettes found under floorboard of bus

SINGAPORE: Over 800 cartons of contraband cigarettes were seized by Immigration and Checkpoint Authority officers from a bus at Woodlands Checkpoint on Monday morning. The cigarettes were found inside a modified compartment hidden under the floorboard of the Malaysian-registered vehicle. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions