CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Tobacco farmers have expressed jubilation over the outcome of a recent global convention on tobacco control held in Uruguay that allegedly resulted in the protection of the tobacco industry against “excessive and restrictive” guidelines in the manufacture of tobacco products. At the same time, the Philippine Tobacco Growers’ Association (PTGA) through its president Winston Uy commended the Philippine delegation to the convention headed by Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya for reportedly being able to convince delegates from other nations not to digress from the real intent of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Other members of the delegation came from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, and the UP College of Law. The Philippine delegation attended the 171-nation conference in Uruguay to … Read entire article »

Some owners of the kiosks of Orissa State Co-operative Milk producers’ Federation (Omfed) are allegedly employing children to sell tobacco products. In most cases, these products like gutka and cigarettes are being sold in kiosks that are virtual extension of the Omfed booths. Booths in Master Canteen Square area and at Behera Sahi Square near Kalinga Stadium can be seen engaging in such trade. This is in gross violation of rules as Omfed booths under the milk supply agreement are meant only to sale milk products. “The sale of tobacco and tobacco related products in Omfed booths is strictly prohibited. Some Omfed booth-owners are clearly violating the laws,” said Md Imran Ali of Nasha Mukti Yuva Sankalp, an NGO that works against use of tobacco. “Engaging children to sell these products also violates the … Read entire article »

Members of the public and incoming passengers are reminded to comply with the new measure on the quantity of tobacco products that they may bring into Hong Kong from August 1. A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department said today (July 27) that under the Dutiable Commodities (Exempted Quantities) (Amendment) Notice 2010, an incoming passenger aged 18 or above could only bring into Hong Kong for his/her own use no more than the following quantities of tobacco products: (i) 19 cigarettes; or (ii) one cigar or 25 grams of cigars; or (iii) 25 grams of other manufactured tobacco. “Incoming passengers bringing in tobacco products in excess of the above exempted quantities should enter the Red Channel to make a declaration to Customs officers. Failure to do so will render the … Read entire article »

A coalition trying to combat smoking and tobacco use is pressuring Tops Markets to stop selling tobacco products at its stores. They want to forbid all the cigarette brands not only those that are too strong for example Parliament Night Blue cigarettes. Kevin Keenan, director of the Smoke Free NOW campaign in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, is distributing cards to residents, asking them to send a message to Tops. He has offered to hand deliver the cards.Keenan would like to see Tops follow Wegmans’ example of ridding its stores of all tobacco products. If that doesn’t happen, Keenan is distributing cards that ask the store to reduce tobacco advertising and make tobacco products less visible in their stores. “The more cigarette marketing that teens are exposed to in retail stores, … Read entire article »