Impact of cigarette taxes on demand for cigarettes

A number of studies have examined the effect of cigarette taxes on retail prices. When those studies conclude that increases in cigarette and other tobacco taxes would certainly result in a higher price for these products, differences exist in the estimated magnitude of the increase in retail prices for a give level of tax increases. Early studies concluded that pricing behaviour of the cigarette industry was similar to that of firms in a competitive industry in spite of its oligopolistic structure, thus cigarette taxes were fully passed to the price of cigarettes at the retail level. Recent studies, which accounted for the dynamic nature of an oligopolistic industry, or modelling the demand and supply for cigarettes simultaneously, however, found that cigarette prices were increased by more than amount of the tax increase.

Large Meta-Analysis Purports to Find Huge Effect of Smokefree Laws

In the largest meta-analysis to date of studies examining the effect of smoking bans on heart attack admissions, a paper published this week in the journal Circulation concludes that smoking bans lead to an immediate 15% decline in heart attack admissions or deaths. The typical follow-up period in the reviewed studies was approximately one year. Thus, the paper is concluding that smoking bans produce a 15% decline in heart attacks in the first year following implementation of these bans. Furthermore, the paper argues that the observed decline is due to a reduction in secondhand smoke exposure.

n What Passes for Science in Tobacco Control

A study published in the journal Preventive Medicine in 2011 purported to demonstrate that a tobacco-free campus policy led to a decrease in smoking among students at Indiana University.

(See: Seo D-C, Macy JT, Torabi MR, Middlestadt SE. The effect of a smoke-free campus policy on college students' smoking behaviors and attitudes. Preventive Medicine 2011; 53:347-352.)

The study was a quasi-experiment, using a repeated cross-section design with a comparison group.

Reynolds Seeks Success In 'Total Tobacco Space'

It's no secret that cigarettes, while on the decline, are still the key driver in tobacco sales. Reynolds American Inc. producer of Camel cigarette brand recognizes this and as such, will continue to devote 80% of its brand support budget and 90% of its other resources (such as research and development) on combustible products; however, as Reynolds president and CEO Daniel Delen shared on Monday's annual Investor's Day, the company's pioneering efforts on smoke-free products will set Reynolds up for long-term success in the total tobacco market. "Everything we're working on from an innovation standpoint has a higher margin than cigarettes," Delen said, noting the company's recent forays into snus, electronic cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). "I think we're very well positioned in an evolving market."

Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Launches Butt Recycling Program

Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. (SFNTC) has teamed up with TerraCycle Inc., a developer of solutions for hard-to-recycle materials, to do something about cigarette butt litter. With funding from SFNTC, TerraCycle is launching a national program to collect and recycle cigarette waste. The Cigarette Waste Brigade will divert used cigarette butts from landfills. By sponsoring this program, SFNTC is not only taking responsibility for the end-life of its products, but also for the products of its competitors, it said. "You don't have to walk or drive very far to see that smokers often discard cigarette waste in ways that litter the environment. Our company has been committed to environmental sustainability since we were founded 30 years ago, and we're proud to be the exclusive sponsor of an innovative program to reduce and recycle cigarette butt litter, regardless of which manufacturer made the cigarettes," said Cressida Lozano, the head of sales and marketing for SFNTC.

Farmers sue Big Tobacco, Monsanto for knowingly poisoning them with deadly pesticides that cause birth defects j

A group of Argentinian farmers says corporate biotechnology giant Monsanto, tobacco behemoth Philip Morris, and several other tobacco companies coerced the farmers into using dangerous amounts of Roundup (glyphosate) and other pesticide and herbicide products on their tobacco crops, which eventually resulted in a major spate of birth defects throughout the local community.

According to Courthouse News Service (CNS), dozens of farm workers in the Misiones Province of northeastern Argentina say their children suffered "devastating birth defects" after Altria Group, the parent company for Philip Morris USA, Carolina Leaf Tobacco, Universal Corporation, and Monsanto convinced the farmers to switch from their native tobacco crop to a new tobacco crop specific to Philip Morris cigarettes, are Marlboro cigarettes or Chesterfield cigarettes.

Wanna sell more drugs? Push more tobacco...

Has anyone realized the huge conflict of interest in turning over tobacco regulation to the FDA? The FDA's biggest customers (corporations that pay the FDA money) earn their profits precisely from treating the very diseases caused by tobacco consumption. This creates an incentive for the FDA to promote more tobacco, thereby boosting the long-term revenue potential of its Big Pharma clients.

How Do Smokeless Cigarettes Work

Cigarette smoking is one of those addictive habits that can be harmful to health. It is the nicotine content in cigarettes that makes people addictive to this product. Once you get used to nicotine, you will develop a craving for the same. Apart from the craving, discontinuation of smoking will also make the person anxious, depressed and irritable. Puffing a cigarette provides an immediate fix for these problems. This cycle continues and the user may find it difficult to overcome the addiction of smoking cigarettes. It is under such circumstances that smokers seek help to quit smoking.

Cigarette Smoking: Harmful Effects on the Body

Cigarette smoking is a practice of burning dried or cured tobacco leaves and inhaling its smoke. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about one-third of the total male population in the world smokes tobacco. In addition to this, non-smoking women get exposed to secondhand smoke or passive smoking, which means inhalation of the exhaled smoke from another person's cigarette. Most people smoke tobacco in the form of cigarette. People smoke for a variety of reasons, some smoke for pleasure, others smoke thinking it looks cool. Many people start smoking during their teenage due to the influence of others (family members or friends). However, if one starts smoking for any reason, it usually ends in becoming a habit. Knowingly or unknowingly, people get addicted to smoking.