New Yorkers Accused for Illegal Tobacco Sales

Five men from New York City face charges in Shenandoah County linking them to an alleged scheme to sell thousands of packs of untaxed cigarettes, according to authorities. Maj. Scott Proctor of the Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office identified the five men arrested Aug. 5 as Jose Daniel Utate-Hidalgo, 38; Jose Edwin Guzman, 38; John Taveras, 40; Vidal Rodriquez, 39; and Jose Peralta, 44. Proctor said Shenandoah County sheriff's deputies seized at least three vehicles and more than 15,000 packs of cigarettes as evidence at the arrest scene.

Cigarette Makers Lose Challenge

General Nicola Roxon has urged tobacco companies to "accept the decision of the umpire" after the High Court rejected a challenge to the Federal Government's world-first plain packaging legislation. From December 1, cigarettes will be sold in drab, olive green packaging with graphic health warnings after the High Court ruled the legislation did not infringe on the property rights of tobacco companies. It means tobacco companies will be required to begin producing plain packaging from October 1, which Ms Roxon said would give businesses an adequate phase-in period before the laws kick in.

Quitting Smoking Does not Help Rheumatoid Arthritis

A new study suggests that quitting tobacco use (smoking) may not make any difference in the disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Tobacco use is a known environmental risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis, but it is unknown whether quitting tobacco use affects the Clinical Disease Activity Index in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study involved rheumatoid arthritis patients. During the follow-up, ceased smokers did not have a better Clinical Disease Activity Index, compared to those who continued to use tobacco.

Cigarette Prices Hike, Quit Smoking

The recent increase in the Illinois cigarette tax is an example of how making smoking more expensive can convince some people it's time to quit. For example, being a smoker in Chicago can easily cost $300 a month, which is more than twice as expensive as a monthly prescription of medications to help a person quit smoking. But even when the cost of smoking convinces a person to quit, it can be hard to kick the habit, said Dr. Phillip McAndrew, an internal medicine physician and occupational health expert at Loyola University Health System. "Nicotine really is that addictive. It's a hard battle, but every one that we win, including increasing the cost of cigarettes through taxes, brings individual smokers to the tipping point where the pain of smoking overcomes the joys of nicotine and they quit," McAndrew noted. "The tipping point could be a life-altering health experience, but often it's the impact on the pocketbook that makes people really consider quitting," he explained in a Loyola news release.