Lack of Knowledge Kill a Lot of Smokers

Ignorance is a harsh word. But imagine reaching for that next cigarette until it kills you, without ever really understanding why. Imagine wanting to stop yet not knowing the only rule needed to succeed. And imagine never once investigating the truth as to how most ex-smokers quit. Half of adult smokers smoke themselves to death. More than five million smoking deaths annually, with one billion expected by century's end, why don't smokers take their self-destruction and slow suicide more seriously?

Korean Tobacco Maker Urged to Cut Illegal Cigs

Billions of pine brand cigarette sticks have long been smuggled into Pakistan, most likely from the neighboring Afghanistan, revealed industry sources latest data here on Tuesday. They told Business Recorder that the amount of smuggled pine cigarettes was so substantial that it prompted Pakistani authorities to formally complain to the Korean government and KT&G last year. The KT&G, the nation's leading tobacco maker, exports to 45 countries, including four countries in the Middle East - Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iraq and Iran - through the firm's regional offices and UAE-based importer Alokozay International. The company does not have any official dealer or representative office in Pakistan. A pack of 20 cigarettes is said to be sold at around Rs 30 (400 won). Sources said tobacco maker was made aware of the smuggling when Pakistan Embassy in Seoul raised the issue with Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance in April 2011.

Smokers Responsability, Councils Decision

Regarding the non-smoking OAP who was fined for dropping a cigarette (Post, April 28), I am not a big fan of Swansea or Neath Port Talbot councils but in their defense I have to point out the council did not throw that butt on the ground an irresponsible smoker did. Councils are spending thousands of our taxes to clean up the disgusting mess made outside all buildings where employees and customers step outside to smoke. A few places have bins for stubs but many smokers don't use them.

Japaness Tobacco Companies Tax

British American Tobacco, the world’s second-largest cigarette maker, has asked the government to remove the preferential treatment the products of PMFTC Inc. and other old cigarette brands to level the playing field in the Philippines. James Lafferty, general manager of British American Tobacco Philippines, said the company was open to any increase in the excise tax rates and a change in the structure of the so-called sin taxes if it would allow new entrants like BAT to do business in the country.

Indian Smokers and Tobacco Addiction

Smoking kills, but most smokers still don’t know how. One in two Indian smokers isn’t aware that tobacco addiction can lead to stroke and 38% that it can cause heart disease. These are some of the startling findings of a World Heart Federation report that will be released at the World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) in Dubai on Saturday. India is high on tobacco addiction. It has 138 million smokers and 28% of its people in the 15-49 age group use tobacco in some form or the other. Bidis are the most popular (48%) followed by tobacco-chewing (38%) and cigarettes (14%).

Cost of Tobacco Smoking

An employee's money-saving idea is one hot topic in Fort Worth. He wants the city to hire only non-smokers, and that proposal is getting a reaction from co-workers and City Council members.

City Manager Tom Higgins presented the idea informally as one of several possibilities to the Council at Tuesday's meeting. Council member Frank Moss raised serious issues with the idea. "We may lose a lot of good people by excluding smokers," he said.

Tobacco Smoking and Teens

You may have recently noticed a surge on the anti-tobacco war front. This increase in the anti-tobacco campaign comes at the heels of national cancer statistics, which report that there has been a decrease in national cancer rates. The fact is that adolescents are hard to reach when it comes to preventive health care. From 1997-2003, cigarette use declined sharply, but more recent statistics show that current rates are declining at a much slower rate. Nearly all first time tobacco use occurs before high school graduation.

Smoking Promotion Effective

Many of us know that long term smoking can lead to harmful effects, but now a recent ad campaign is showing positive signs of helping people kick the habit. You may have noticed the graphic commercials recently that show the effects of smoking.According to some recent numbers, those stop smoking ads are doing their job. The often gruesome ads are turning heads and turning over some new life choices for smokers.

The number of calls to tobacco quit lines has increased considerably in Ohio and across the nation ever since the government launched the graphic ad campaign.