Category: News This Week

Gallup researchers have found that only 12 percent of smokers have never tried to quit the habit, according to a blog in the Huffington Post.

Forty percent have tried to quit once or twice in their lives, 41 percent have tried to quit three to 10 times, and 4 percent have tried to quit more than 10 times.

The researchers noted in their report findings that the survey results suggested “smokers on average are engaging in a habit they wish they didn’t have; and, in fact, the average smoker has attempted to quit at least three times in their lifetime.”

The survey, which included phone interviews with 2,027 adults in the U.S. last month, revealed also that three out of four smokers would like to quit.

A U.S. doctor in Beckley, West Virginia, believes that he has developed a product for helping people quit or cut down on smoking, chewing tobacco, alcohol and food, according to a story by Lisa Shrewsberry for the Beckley Register Herald.

Dr. Hassan Amjad, an oncologist and herbalist known for preferring natural remedies, has developed a compound that he calls Smoke-Less.

Placed on the tongue, the herbal substance changes taste perceptions so that smoking can taste like “licking a tire” and food can taste rancid.

Amjad says that after using the substance for a short time people quit their habits.

He believes he has developed a safe and effective way to support the desire to quit without creating further harm, and with the added bonus of potential weight loss.

Most people who don’t want to quit smoking or tobacco were afraid they would gain weight, he said, but by using Smoke-Less their food – especially sugary food – would not taste great either.

Oil palm cultivation in Nigeria’s Cross River State is being boosted by British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), which has so far invested more than N10 million in the state’s oil palm revival program, according to a story by Jude Okwe for This Day.

The investment figure was revealed by Francis Adie, a director at the Cross River State Ministry for Agriculture, during the inauguration of an oil palm processing cottage industry by the BATN foundation at Itigidi, in the Abi local government area.

Adie, who was representing the commissioner for agriculture, said that BATN had, over the years, supported a series of local initiatives by empowering farmers through agricultural development.

And he said the foundation had provided also a water supply, environmental protection and support to educational institutions.

“This palm oil cottage industry is the product of successful collaboration between government and the private sector,” Aide said.

“We do encourage private organisations to invest in our local communities to create employment, embark on income generating activities and tackle poverty,’’ he added.

The electronic cigarette company Gamucci has been appointed category leader by WHSmith as part of the U.K. retailer’s plans to expand its range of electronic cigarettes.

The partnership will see a gradual roll-out of Gamucci’s products in 600 high street stores from today.

WHSmith will display electronic cigarettes through Gamucci branded fixtures, either as part of its tobacco merchandising units or on branded display units, which will appear adjacent to its existing unbranded tobacco fixtures.

According to Nielsen, the independent consumer research company, Gamucci is now the fastest-growing participant in the U.K. electronic cigarettes category, with year-on-year growth of more than 2,000 percent.

“We are delighted to have secured this partnership with WHSmith,” said John Dunne, head of U.K. sales at Gamucci.

“As electronic cigarettes move from niche to mass-market category, we think the quality and consistency of our products will become increasingly important to retailers and consumers alike.”

Smokers, who normally comprise one of the most submissive large minority groups of all, are starting to voice their opposition to the designation of no-smoking streets and areas in Seoul, South Korea, according to a story in the Korea Times.

The latest no-smoking street is a 250-meter-long strip called Hwigyeong-ro, which leads from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies to a subway station in front of the school.

Those found to be violating the ban will face a WON100,000 fine from next year—following a four-month period of grace starting in September.

Lee Yeon-ik, head of a local smoker’s community, I Love Smoking, said that whereas his group understood the reasons behind the government’s effort to reduce the harm caused by passive smoking, the designation of nonsmoking areas was killing the rights of smokers who had paid high levels of taxes for the privilege of smoking.

Smokers’ tax revenue should be used for smokers who needed smoking booths within otherwise smoke-free areas, he said.

The designation of smoke-free zones and the installation of smoking booths should occur at the same time, he added.

The Vietnamese government has decided to establish under the Ministry of Health a fund to be used for the control and prevention of tobacco harm, according to a story in Vietnam Plus.

The fund, which will be regulated under the Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm law, will be operated on a nonprofit basis.

It is expected to support a range of activities, such as the dissemination of information on the negative impacts of tobacco and the introduction of smoke-free working-place initiatives, initially through the use of pilot models.

It will organize designated smoking areas in public places and support the establishment of community-based services to help smokers give up their habit.

The fund is being established with money from the compulsory contributions of tobacco manufacturers and importers, as well as with donations from national and international organizations and individuals.

Universal Corp. is due to webcast a conference call at www.universalcorp.com from 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Aug. 6 following the mid-afternoon release of its results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014.

The conference call, which will be in listen-only mode, will be hosted by Candace C. Formacek, vice president and treasurer.

A replay of the conference call will be available at the same website until Nov. 5.

And a taped replay of the conference call will be available from 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 6 until Aug. 20 at (855) 859-2056, using the telephone replay identification number 27518030.

Miguel Martin, a former senior tobacco executive, has joined the electronic cigarette company Logic Technology as president.

According to a press note issued through PRNewswire, Martin “will lead Logic Technology’s rapid growth, developing and implementing a strategic plan to accelerate Logic’s status as a leader in the electronic cigarette industry.”

“This is an exciting time for Logic Technology, and we are thrilled to bring a key executive with vast experience of the tobacco industry on board,” said Eli Alelov, CEO of Logic. “Miguel’s unique background, relationships and understanding of the business will build upon Logic’s vision for its consumers and trade partners.”

Martin began his career at Philip Morris USA, and, over the course of 18 years, he served in various sales and marketing roles, ultimately as senior vice president field sales, where he ran the largest tobacco sales and distribution organization in the U.S., responsible for Philip Morris USA, UST and John Middleton tobacco products.

“This is a pivotal moment in the electronic cigarette industry, and I’m thrilled to be joining Logic’s team at a time of great opportunity for the industry as a whole and particularly for Logic and its trade partners,” said Martin. “Logic is a leader in the space, and I’m looking forward to further enhancing the brand’s presence in the United States.”

Martin has joined at the right time. Logic said yesterday that the results of Nielsen’s Item Rank Report had indicated the company outperformed its competitors in the second quarter of 2013 for sales per point of distribution.

“Just six months after an independent survey found Logic to be the best-selling and most popular electronic cigarette brand in New York City, the total U.S. Nielsen Item Rank Report is more evidence to support the company’s solid, continuous growth,” the company said in a press note issued through PRNewswire.

Tomorrow’s mini-budget will contain bad news for Australian smokers, according to a story by Mark Kenny for The Sydney Morning Herald.

The government is set to announce the imposition of four 12.5 percent annual increases in federal tobacco excise, which will push the price of cigarettes toward a dollar each.

The measure is among several unpopular decisions to be unveiled in the budget statement designed to pay for new election spending while maintaining Labor’s promise to get back to surplus in 2016–2017.

The four tobacco excise hikes will occur on Dec. 1; Sept. 1, 2014; Sept. 1, 2015; and Sept. 1, 2016.

The Treasury estimates they will raise $5.3 billion over the four-year period.

It is expected that the price of a pack of 20 Winfield Blue cigarettes will rise by $0.98 after the first increase and by $5.25 by December 1, 2016.

Treasurer Chris Bowen said the increase would fund cancer-related health services while discouraging smoking and helping the budget.

The increases seem likely also to ensure that supporters of standardized packs will be able to point to declines in sales of licit cigarettes following the introduction of such packs in December last year.

Khoi Pham, who has been NewCo International’s main Vietnam-based supplier of leaf tobacco, has agreed to be the company’s representative in Vietnam with immediate effect.

Khoi will oversee NewCo’s sourcing and sales of tobacco in Vietnam.

And his presence, the company said, would mean that it would be able to offer additional tobaccos and services out of Vietnam.