Written by FDA Tobacco Regulation
US Senate Appropriations Committee approves legislation that includes language by Senators Durbin and Lautenberg urging FDA to issue “deeming” regulation to apply Chapter IX of FSPTCA to currently unregulated tobacco products (i.e. little cigars, large cigars, pipe tobacco, shisha/hookah tobacco, electronic cigarettes, nicotine dissolvables, skin cream, etc.) and urging FDA to ban flavorings in cigars. Republican Senators McConnell, Alexander and Graham vote for bill.
http://durbin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=a35cc914-6cdf-44e4-9e76-4cc12dca062c
http://www.halfwheel.com/?p=26780
http://www.cspnet.com/news/tobacco/articles/flavored-cigar-ban-inches-forward
Some of the many negative impacts a “deeming” regulation would have on tobacco harm reduction, consumer and public health, electronic cigarettes, dissolvable nicotine and other new far less hazardous smokefree alternatives are revealed at:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/legislation-news/244558-fda-may-soon-propose-regulation-could-ban-many-most-e-cigarette-products-eliminate-many-most-companies.html (please note 12/1/11 posting date)
Mike Siegel gives Senator Dick Durbin “2012 Hypocrisy Award” for urging FDA to ban flavored cigars after insisting the FSPTCA exempt menthol from cigarette flavoring ban.
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/04/senator-dick-durbin-urges-fda-to-ban.html
FDA: On the Verge of Regulating Cigars, Pipe Tobacco, & E-cigarettes?
http://catalog.proemags.com/publication/95a5bd6e#/95a5bd6e/52
Scott Ballin advocates federal tobacco/nicotine legislative/regulatory reform at FDLI conference in DC
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/legislation-news/291535-scott-ballin-presentation-fdli-conference-urges-tobacco-nicotine-regulatory-reform.html#post5931124
E-cigarettes
blu ecigs acquired by Lorillard for $135 million
http://www.cspnet.com/news/tobacco/articles/lorillard-acquires-blu-ecigs
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-lorillard_acquires_blu_ecigs_for_$135m-60981.html
http://www.reflector.com/ap/statef/cigarette-maker-lorillard-1q-profit-falls-1040235
http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/04/25/lorillard-1q-net-off-10-buying-e-cigarette-maker-for-135-million/
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lorillard-profit-off-10-buying-ecigarette-firm-2012-04-25
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304723304577365723851497152.html
Dragonite settles patent lawsuit with blu ecigs, updates other patent litigation results, reveals new US patent for Aerosol Electronic Cigarette
(please note this patent settlement was announced one week before Lorillard’s acquisition of blu ecigs was announced)
http://vapersforum.com/showthread.php?t=38558
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/legislation-news/289386-dragonite-receives-u-s-patent-blu-cig-settles-dragonite.html
The electronic-cigarette: Effects on desire to smoke, withdrawal symptoms and cognition
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460312000913
Electronic Cigarettes Ignite Major Health Debate
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-electronic-cigarettes-debate,0,1958505.story
Indianapolis Mayor Ballard signs law to ban e-cigarette use in hundreds of thousands of workplaces and ban smoking in several hundred, fails to address e-cigarette usage ban.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20120419/NEWS05/204190394/Ballard-signs-tavern-smoking-ban-into-law?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|IndyStar.com
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/indy-mayor-signs-smoking-ban-into-law
Ban on Electronic Cigarettes? (Fort Wayne, IN)
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Ban-on-Electronic-Cigarettes-148770745.html
Enter the smoky world of e-cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes raise a few questions, but Craig Smith’s not allowed to answer them (London, Ontario)
http://www.lfpress.com/news/columnists/ian_gillespie/2012/04/24/19673761.html#/news/columnists/ian_gillespie/2012/04/24/pf-19673756.html
Electronic cigarette store opens in Coon Rapids (MN)
http://abcnewspapers.com/2012/04/23/electronic-cigarettes-story-opens-in-coon-rapids/
E-cigarette store to open in Albany (GA)
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2012/apr/14/smokeless-cigarette-shop-ready-open/
Smokeless Tobacco
EU may ban snus in Sweden by banning flavorings in tobacco
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article14700177.ab (Swedish)
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/eu-legislation/291548-eu-ban-snus-sweden-banning-flavorings.html#post5931476 (English)
Larry Waters: No Snus Allowed in Sweden? EU Moves Against Snus.
http://www.snuscentral.org/latest-snus-news/no-snus-allowed-in-sweden-eu-moves-against-snus.html
ACSH: The news about snus: Not good
http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.3560/news_detail.asp
Brad Rodu: I’m a smokeless tobacco user – Will I get mouth cancer?
http://rodutobaccotruth.blogspot.com/2012/04/im-smokeless-tobacco-user-will-i-get.html
Health Risk Communication
Tobacco Atlas’ Continuum of Risk chart falsely claims snus and dissolvables are nearly as hazardous as cigarettes, falsely claims e-cigarettes pose half the risks of cigarettes; World Lung Association and American Cancer Society deceive public and public health community about health risks of different tobacco products.
http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/products/nicotine_delivery/continuum_of_harm/
CDC estimates Human Papillomavirus (HPV) attributable for 26,000 new cases of cancer annually in the US, including 7,400 oropharyngeal cancers (5,900 among men and 1,500 among women).
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6115a2.htm?s_cid=mm6115a2_e
Smokefree Indoor Air
Some PA bars, eateries still let patrons light up
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/some-bars-eateries-still-let-patrons-light-up-633612/
Survey finds nearly one third of apartment residents still exposed to tobacco smoke from neighbors in building
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/aaop-ado042012.php
Momentum Gathers for Smoking Bans. Two Attorneys Tell How to Implement.
http://www.habitatmag.com/Publication-Content/2012-April/Featured-Articles/Practical-Legal-Implement-Co-op-Condo-Smoking-Bans
Taxation
NZ Ministry of Health absurdly considers raising cigarette price to $100/pack
http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16214173
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/smoking-could-targeted-100-cigarette-packets-4845318?ref=rss
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/national/6789819/100-price-for-cigarettes-mulled
Prop 29 in California (to be voted on June 5) would increase cigarette tax from $.87 to $1.87/pack, increase OTP tax from 31.73% to 54.89% of wholesale price, but wouldn’t tax e-cigarettes.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Text_of_California_Proposition_29_(June_2012)
http://vig.cdn.sos.ca.gov/2012/primary/pdf/english/text-proposed-laws.pdf#nameddest=prop29
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/16465
http://californiansforacure.org/ (campaign to approve Prop 29)
http://www.noon29.com/ (cigarette industry opposition to Prop 29)
Sacramento Bee endorses Prop 29
http://m.sacbee.com/sacramento/db_99544/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=hqITjSUz&full=true#display
Tobacco industry gearing up to take down California cigarette tax initiative
http://www.mercurynews.com/elections/ci_20479944/tobacco-industry-gearing-up-take-down-california-cigarette?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com
IL Governor Quinn proposes $1/pack cigarette tax increase to fund healthcare
http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x787558596/Quinn-wants-Medicaid-cuts-1-cigarette-tax-hike
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-04-26/news/ct-met-illinois-legislature-cigarette-tax-0426-20120426_1_cigarette-tax-personal-income-tax-rate-medicaid-program
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-quinn-defends-proposal-to-raise-cigarette-taxes-for-health-care-20120424,0,1649149.story
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/635769eeec3e4bf7b9092f1f95268dfc/IL–Closer-Look-Cigarette-Tax/
Speaker Madigan doubts cigarette tax hike will pass Illinois House
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-04-26/news/ct-met-illinois-legislature-cigarette-tax-0426-20120426_1_cigarette-tax-personal-income-tax-rate-medicaid-program
Federal Tax Hike Drives Roll-Your-Own Smokers to Pipe Tobacco
http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2012/04/18/federal-tax-hike-drives-roll-your-own-smokers-to-pipe-tobacco/
Cigar tax hike proponents in MD exaggerate youth usage and cite flavorings and marijuana as reasons to increase tax.
http://www.somdnews.com/article/20120406/NEWS/704069843/1074/could-increasing-the-cost-of-cheap-cigars-reduce-teenage-marijuana&template=southernMaryland
DC Council urged to increase tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco, but not far more hazardous cigarettes
http://www.lfpress.com/news/columnists/ian_gillespie/2012/04/24/19673761.html#/news/columnists/ian_gillespie/2012/04/24/pf-19673756.html
Dubai gov’t to double price of cigarettes
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/dubai-gov-t-double-price-of-cigarettes-454601.html
Flavorings
Legacy created and funded Citizens’ Commission to Protect the Truth urges US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to urge FDA to ban menthol cigarettes, fails to acknowledge that doing so would create black markets and eliminate up to $14 billion annually in federal, state and local tax and MSA revenue that funds many public health and tobacco control programs.
http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2012/20120418traderepltr.pdf
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-hew-hhs-secretaries-surgeons-general-and-cdc-directors-urge-trade-representative-to-comply-with-wto-appellate-body-decision-and-encourage-fda-to-ban-menthol-flavoring-in-cigarettes-147932705.html
Health agencies and anti tobacco groups in Rhode Island file briefs supporting Providence ordinances that would ban tobacco price discounts and flavorings in OTP (but not menthol cigarettes)
http://news.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/2012/04/ri-health-agenc-1.html
Ontario bill targets flavoured tobacco
http://www.leaderpost.com/life/fashion-beauty/Bill%20targets%20flavoured%20tobacco/6501184/story.html
Cigarettes
Altria Bid to End US Court Oversight Draws Judges’ Skepticism
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-20/altria-bid-to-end-court-oversight-draws-judges-skepticism-2-.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20442885/judges-seem-wary-overruling-tobacco-judgment
Indonesia to Require Graphic Warning Labels on Cigarettes
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-to-require-graphic-warning-labels-on-cigarettes/512554
Survey finds 46% of NZ residents support banning cigarette sales in 10 years if effective nicotine substitutes are available, but NZ government still refuses to legalize sale of far less hazardous snus or e-cigarettes.
http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2012/04/24/tobaccocontrol-2011-050324.abstract?papetoc
Plain Packaging
Fab To Drab, The Story of Plain Cigarette Packs
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/fab-to-drab-the-story-of-plain-cigarette-packs-20120420-00621
Australian high court considers plain packaging legal challenge
http://theconversation.edu.au/big-tobaccos-box-fetish-plain-packaging-at-the-high-court-6518
High Court of Australia Transcripts: JT International SA v Commonwealth of Australia; British American Tobacco Australia Limited & Ors v Commonwealth of Australia
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/HCATrans/2012/91.html
NZ to propose mandatory plain packaging for tobacco products despite no evidence it would reduce smoking or diseases
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/nz-moves-to-plain-packs-for-cigarettes-20120419-1x9rx.html
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/plain-cigarette-packets-step-closer-4842420
http://www.3news.co.nz/Tobacco-firms-could-take-on-Government-over-new-law/tabid/423/articleID/251110/Default.aspx
US Chamber of Commerce attacks plain packaging plan in NZ
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6784656/US-Chamber-of-Commerce-attacks-cigarette-packaging-plan
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/103938/us-group-warns-of-consequences-of-plain-packaged-tobacco
NZ Labour Party backs plain packaging for tobacco products
http://www.3news.co.nz/Labour-backs-plain-tobacco-packaging/tabid/1607/articleID/252014/Default.aspx
Former UK Trade Marks chief slams plain packaging
http://www.packaginggazette.co.uk/former-trade-marks-chief-slams-plain-packaging-cms-2413
http://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/plain-packaging-proposals-for-tobacco-will-%E2%80%98damage-business%E2%80%99
Cancer Research UK strongly backs plain packaging despite no evidence it would reduce cancer morbidity or mortality
http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2012/04/26/the-answer-is-plain/
Retailers
Big Implications for Little Village’s Tobacco Display Ban (NY/US)
http://www.cspnet.com/news/tobacco/articles/big-implications-little-villages-ban
Dublin (CA) City Council considers banning new tobacco retail stores within 1,000 feet of schools, daycare centers and parks.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_20426730/dublin-begins-work-stamp-out-smoking-tobacco-related
Drug industry funded CTFK and CDC funded Break Free Alliance bully Family Dollar to stop selling tobacco, but not other tobacco retailers
http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/tobacco_unfiltered/post/2012_04_25_familydollar/?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tobacco_unfiltered
http://familydollarvalues.com/fdletter.pdf
http://healthedcouncil.org/breakfreealliance/
Mike Siegel criticizes CTFK and Break Free Alliance for selective bullying of Family Dollar
http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/04/campaign-for-tobacco-free-kids-lambasts.html
Contraband
Windsor, Ont., leads province in illegal cigarette busts
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2012/04/19/wdr-windsor-illegal-cigarettes.html
Illegal Tobacco Manufacturing Network Dismantled and 7 Charged
http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1342165–illegal-cigarette-network-dismantled
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/960965/illegal-tobacco-manufacturing-network-dismantled-and-7-charged
More than 100 brands of illegal cigarettes openly sold in the Egyption market
http://www.zawya.com/story/ZAWYA20120423122904/More-Than-100-Brands-of-Illicit-Cigarettes-Openly-Sold-in-the-Egyptian-Market/
Four million pieces of smuggled cigarettes seized at Kulata checkpoint
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n276336
Bill Godshall
Executive Director
Smokefree Pennsylvania
1926 Monongahela Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
