Call to print warnings on cigarettes

A university health professor is calling on the Government to increase taxes on tobacco by 30 percent immediately, and print warnings on the cigarettes themselves.

Massey University College of Health pro-vice chancellor Paul McDonald made the comments on Firstline this morning, as World Smokefree Day kicks off. 

Smoking kills 5000 Kiwis every year – 350 of them non-smokers who are killed by second-hand smoke.

The Government wants New Zealand smokefree by 2025. A ban on cigarette displays in stores came into force last year, and taxes on tobacco go up 10 percent every year.

Prof McDonald says the measures are working.

"Absolutely. There's no doubt. We have evidence from multiple countries now," he says.

A University of Canterbury study backs this up, showing not only are more people quitting, but those who continue to smoke have cut down.

But Prof McDonald says if the country's to go completely smokefree by 2025, more needs to be done.

"I know the Government's quite committed to 10 percent tax increases [but] it needs to be higher," he says.

"We need a short, sharp shock to smokers to have the maximum effect, so instead of looking at a 30 percent increase over say three or four years, it should be a 30 percent increase right away.

"In addition, [we should follow] Australia's lead in terms of plain packaging – strong evidence that that's effective. Looking at things like registries of people who sell tobacco. Looking at ideas such as licensing tobacco users themselves. There's a myriad of things we could do.

One idea which Prof McDonald says resonates with smokers is to put warnings on the cigarettes themselves.

"Smokers have a right to understand the nature of the activity they're engaging in, how difficult it is, how dangerous it is. When we looked at different possibilities, one of the things that came up was, can we put it on the cigarette? And they loved the idea. They really understood for the first time how intensive the danger was."

"The one that really resonated was when we put little rings around it, identifying that every time they smoke past one of those, it was the equivalent to one minute of their life that they were sacrificing.

"As one smoker vividly said to me, 'It's the first time that I really understood how dangerous this was. You put the warnings and you made it clear, and it was right under my nose each and every time I lit up.'"

The theme of this year's Smokefree Day in New Zealand is "Quit Now". Prof McDonald says the best thing a smoker can do, if they want to quit, is to get help from their friends and family.

"Ask them – if they're smokers – to quit along with you," he says. "Certainly call the Quitline, get some advice. There's a myriad of things that are available."

Australia's war against tobacco

Here in New York, a pack of cigarettes can cost over $12. However, maybe smokers in the Empire State should thank their stars that they do not live in Australia. A pack of cigarettes could cost more than $20 which, if approved, would be the second 25-percent hike in cigarette prices in just three years, the Huffington Post reports.


This is not the first time that Australia has come after cigarettes. In 2010, Australia enacted a 25-percent tax increase on cigarette packs. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the tax prompted a rise in "panic buying", in which consumers rushed to buy cigarettes before the prices went up. Last month, Australia enacted a law that stripped cigarette packs of brand names, covering packs instead with black letters, an olive color and grotesque images of the ill health effects of smoking.

FDA Approves 2 New Cigarettes, Despite Not Being Any 'Safer' Than Other Products On Market

In its first decision on new tobacco products since being given authority over all tobacco product regulation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new types of cigarette while denying four others.
FDA officials issued a press release stating that although these products are not considered safe, they are no more hazardous than current tobacco products on the market, Reuters reported.
"While the new products have different characteristics than the predicate products, the new products do not raise different questions of public health," the release stated.

European Cigarette Brands

Many European cigarette brands are becoming more and more popular among smokers in the whole world and among US smokers too. Many persons who are smoking believe that there are great tobacco products manufactures only in U.S., but this is far from true. Almost all the best cigarette brands are made in European Union only.

Many cigarettes produced in Europe can be purchased online. The cigarettes have an outstanding quality and follow the international tobacco standards.

Premium category

Kent cigarette brands represent the largest premium brand manufactured by British American Tobacco. Today this tobacco brand is sold in 75 countries and has a big popularity among smokers who want to feel their great invigorating taste and luxury quality. A few years ago BAT launched a landmark line of Kent Nanotek, which represents king-size slim cigarettes, they have an advanced filter technology special designed and introduced for women who smoke.

Davidoff cigarettes represent an iconic cigarette brand and are produced by Imperial Tobacco Co. This tobacco company is the fourth-largest tobacco group in the entire world. Davidoff cigarettes are being sold in 100 countries and more .Davidoff cigarette brand has an impressive and successful performance in almost all those countries. The traditional size of this brand is king-size and other 100s styles, but this interesting tobacco brand also offer us the possibility to try original Davidoff Super Slims Silver and Davidoff Super Slims Gold cigarettes. These cigarettes provide a special, unique tobacco taste.

Mid-value category

Marlboro cigarettes are a real legend in the last centuries among all cigarette brands. They are well known in the U.S and in Europe. Smokers who have more experience in smoking admit that Marlboro brand has some differences in the taste of European-made cigarettes and American-made Marlboro. However many of them do not feel any difference. U.S. smokers might not know about the next styles of Marlboro brand: Marlboro Gold Edge and Marlboro Filter Plus.

Winston cigarettes are the second best selling brand of cigarettes in the whole world. Winston brand is produced by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. This Tobacco Company is known as manufacturing the highest-possible quality cigarettes. Winston cigarette brand has many varieties of styles which are different in length and strength.

Camel cigarettes are the iconic tobacco product of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Camel cigarettes are the fifth top-selling cigarettes in the world and still continue to have successes and grow annually. They have a recognizable flavor, a perfect taste and high quality. Also has a big popularity in more than 100 countries.

Low-end category:

Red & White: this special cigarette brand was produced by Philip Morris International for smokers, who don’t want to spend too much money on their tobacco, but still smoke a high quality product. Red & White cigarette is marketed in five different styles: 2 super slim styles and 3 traditional king-size styles. You can also try Red&White Special Cigarettes.
Red&White Fine Cigarettes 

Monte Carlo cigarettes are manufactured by Japan Tobacco International. This brand has a high quality and gains territory in many countries. It grows in popularity among smokers who love their nice flavor and pleasantly low price.

Bond cigarettes represent another low-cost cigarette brand produced by Philip Morris International. This tobacco brand is a perfect combination of high quality, unique taste and interesting styles. Bond brand offers from classic varieties to innovative ones.

Stop Smoking - A recommended method from the US Surgeon General

Here is a five day countdown pretty much as stated in the US Surgeon General's report. Stop Smoking a 5-Day Countdown Follow this 5-day countdown to your quit date.  5 Days Before Your Quit Date Think about your reasons for quitting. Tell your friends and family you are planning to quit. This creates peer pressure for you to follow through. Stop buying cigarettes. 4 Days Before Your Quit Date Pay attention to when and why you smoke.

Where can I buy cheap cigarettes online?

With an increase in the price of cigarette in the past few years, it has become really difficult to find cheap cigarettes. Every regular smoker is looking for a better and cheaper way to afford cigarettes in daily life. Until a decade earlier it was very difficult for a smoker to get quality cigarettes at an affordable price. They had to rely on their local stores for the supply of smokes. But things have changed and technology has allowed smoke enthusiasts to purchase cigarettes at affordable prices. Internet is one such technological invention that has made purchase of good quality tobacco products at cheap price possible. Internet has developed tremendously in past few years and it has become really easy to find cheap cigarettes over the internet. There are so many websites which are designed to cater the daily smoking needs of regular smokers. So where can I buy cheap cigarettes online? In this article, we are going to explain some of the best places for purchasing cigarettes over the internet. One of the most famous websites for purchasing cheap cigarettes is My-Cheap-Cigarettes. 
This website was developed with the purpose of providing cheap cigarettes for smoking lovers. Most of the major cigarette brands are available at discounted price over these portals. My-Cheap-Cigarettes have been rated as the number one cigarette selling site by its users. Moreover the discount offered on regular price is another benefit offered by My-Cheap-Cigarettes.com If you are looking for a website with better user interface and the facility of purchasing all the major cigarette brands of the world at a single place, then Smokin4free.com is the perfect place for you. The site provides multiple payment options including credit cards, electronic checks, and cash payment in advance to its customers. The 24/7 customer support offered by the site makes it the best place to buy cheap cigarettes. It is very important that the site offers excellent customer service because if you have any doubts or want any information about the cigarettes you have ordered or about to order then the site’s customer service should be fully competent and knowledgeable to help you.

Cigarette brand marketed to females

Because cigarette brands developed exclusively for women (e.g., Virginia Slims, Eva cigarettes , Misty, and Capri) account for only 5% to 10% of the cigarette market. Many women are also attracted to brands that appear gender neutral or overtly targeted to males. Research has shown that women’s magazines that accept tobacco advertising are significantly less likely to publish articles critical of smoking than are magazines that do not accept such advertising. The tobacco industry has targeted women through innovative promotional campaigns offering discounts on common household items unrelated to tobacco. For example, Philip Morris has offered discounts on turkeys, milk, soft drinks, and laundry detergent with the purchase of tobacco products. Cigarette brand clothing and other giveaway accessories have been use to promote cigarettes products to women and girls. Virginia Slims offered a yearly engagement calendar and the V-Wear catalog featuring clothing, jewelry, and accessories coordinated with the themes and colors of the print advertising and product packaging. Capri Superslims used point-of-sale displays and value-added gifts featuring items such as mugs and caps bearing the Capri label in colors coordinated with the advertisement and package. Misty Slims offered color-coordinated items in multiple-pack containers. The manufacturer also offered an address book, cigarette lighter, T-shirt, and fashion booklet. Evidence suggests a pattern of international tobacco advertising that associates smoking with success, similar to that seen in the United States. This development emphasizes the enormous potential of advertising to change social norms. As western-styled marketing has increased, campaigns commonly have focused on women. For example, in 1989, the brand Yves Saint Laurent introduced a new elegant package designed to appeal to women in Malaysia and other Asian countries. National tobacco monopolies and companies, such as those in Indonesia and Japan, began to copy this promotional targeting of women. One of the most popular media for reaching women—particularly in places where tobacco advertising is banned on television – is women’s magazines. Magazines can lend an air of social acceptability or stylish image to smoking. This may be particularly important in countries where smoking rates are low among women and where tobacco companies are attempting to associate smoking with Western values.