camel-inside

The maker of Camel cigarettes, Pall Mall cigarettes  and American Spirit brands of cigarettes, as well as various smokeless tobacco products, earned $304 million, or 52 cents a share, down 10.9% from year-earlier profit of $341 million, or 58 cents a share.

Excluding one-time costs related to a lawsuit, Reynolds American earned 67 cents a share, up a penny year over year. Even by that measure, the company missed analysts’ expectations who called for it to earn 71 cents a share.

Net revenue came in at $2.27 billion, up 0.9% from $2.25 billion, matching expectations.

Shares of Reynolds American were 0.5% lower in premarket trading Friday after closing 1.7% higher to $38.51 in Thursday’s session.

Reynolds American said its market share of Camel and Pall Mall improved in the recent quarter. Its smokeless brand of American Snuff booked strong volume growth, and its Grizzly brand market share grew to 27.4%. Smokeless tobacco products is one segment of the market that continues to grow even as cigarette sales decline.

Reynolds American also tightened its 2011 profit guidance to a range of $2.62 to $2.70 a share, from $2.60 to $2.70 a share. For 2011, Wall Street expected the cigarette maker to earn $1.56 billion, or $2.67 a share, on revenue of $8.68 billion.

smoking

The Food and Drug Administration is conducting an independent review of research on the public health impact of menthol cigarettes __ which are mint flavored and one of the few growth sectors of the shrinking cigarette business.

The federal agency said Monday members of its Center for Tobacco Products will gather menthol studies and then submit its review to an external peer review panel next month. The process is expected to be completed in the fall of 2011. The results of the review will be available for public comment.

FDA spokesman Jeff Ventura said the review is meant to ensure that the “best available science is used to support regulatory and programmatic decision making.”

The review comes after the FDA in March received a report from the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee on the minty smokes. Panels like the tobacco committee advise the FDA on scientific issues. The agency doesn’t have to follow its recommendations, but often does.

The report, which was mandated under the 2009 law giving the agency the authority to regulate tobacco, said removing menthol cigarettes from the market would benefit public health because the flavoring has led to an increase in smokers—— particularly among teens, African Americans, and those with low incomes. It also said that they make it harder for them to quit. The report, however, said menthol smokers are not likely to be at a higher risk of disease or exposed to a greater number of toxins.

The report concluded that more research is needed and the federal agency should develop a program to monitor marketing of menthol cigarettes. It also suggested that should the FDA choose to recommend a ban or other restrictions, the agency should study the potential for contraband menthol cigarettes, a concern raised by the tobacco industry and other trade groups.

A menthol ban or other restrictions on the flavored cigarettes would fall heavily on Lorillard Inc., whose Newport brand is the top-selling menthol cigarette in the U.S., with roughly 35 percent of the market. Lorillard, the country’s third-largest tobacco company, is based in Greensboro, N.C.

“We continue to strongly believe that an objective, thorough and rigorous scientific review will lead the agency to conclude that menthol cigarettes do not present any more harm than non-menthol cigarettes,” Gregg Perry, a spokesman for Lorillard, said in a statement on Monday.

In a statement, Richmond-based Altria Group Inc., producer of Marlboro Gold cigarettes  parent company of the nation’s largest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, said the review of menthol in cigarettes should be “science-and evidence-based.”

Lawrence Deyton, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, signaled in March that a ban is not a sure thing, saying that the report does not set FDA policy or actions. But many analysts believe the FDA won’t ban menthol, which about 19 million Americans smoke.

Menthol cigarettes are one of the few growth areas in a shrinking cigarette market. The percentage of cigarette smokers using menthol brands grew from 31 percent in 2004 to 33.9 percent in 2008, according to a study by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, with more significant growth among younger smokers.

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Effective Aug. 1, North Central Michigan College in Petoskey will implement a campus-wide tobacco free policy.

The new policy will prohibit the use of tobacco products by employees, students and visitors on the Petoskey campus, except for inside individual automobiles.

The prohibition will apply to all buildings and all outdoor locations owned or controlled by the college.

Also included in the policy are electronic, nicotine-containing devices commonly referred to as “e-cigarettes.”

However, products such as patches or gum containing nicotine are not banned by the new policy.

Members of the college’s student council led the fight to implement the new policy.

North Central’s director of public relations, Charles MacInnis, noted the new tobacco free policy will help remove the issue of secondhand smoke from the campus and will help encourage people to quit using tobacco products.

In July, the college will post signs to publicize the new policy.

smoking

THE Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas reported that most of the people diagnosed with lung cancer are smokers, although there are also non-smokers who are stricken by the disease.

Dr. Juditha Tawatao, DOH 7 non-communicable diseases division chief, said smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, which is also considered a lifestyle disease.

The symptoms include coughing that is most commonly called the smoker’s cough, pain in the affected area and loss of voice.

Based on the DOH website, lung cancer is one of the leading cancer deaths among men and women. The steady increase in rates of people developing and dying from lung cancer reflects the delayed effects of increased smoking among Filipinos.

Many people prefer smoking Gauloises cigarettes or Cosmos cigarettes.

New cases

At least 17,238 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed each year, and 15,881 deaths due to lung cancer are expected every year.

The most common causes of lung cancer are smoking, involuntary smoking and pollution, partly due to air pollutants from the combustion of diesel and other fossil fuels.

The Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center reported that in 2007 lung cancer was among the top five most common cancers for all ages in Metro Cebu for men and women.

The disease is ranked second in the different cancer sites among men, while liver cancer is the most common cause of death.

For women, lung cancer is ranked third after breast and liver cancers.

Tawatao said a cigarette stick contains 7,000 different kinds of chemicals as stated in a previous study and about 70 carcinogens or substances that cause cancer.

According to the DOH magazine “Health Beat,” these chemicals and carcinogens include cadmium that can be found in batteries, industrial solvent toluene, methanol that is used as rocket fuel, and arsenic, which is classified as a poisonous substance.

“There is no safe level of tobacco smoking,” said Tawatao, who advised that people should stop smoking and for non-smokers to avoid second-hand smoke.

She, however, said people exposed to second-hand smoke are more susceptible.

Protection

“The smoker can choose to use a filter so he or she has some protection. Wala’y panagang ang non-smoker (The non-smoker has no protection),” she said.

“There is also third-hand smoke; even if the smoker is out of the room, the smell stays. Mopilit ang chemicals nga naa sa smoke (The chemicals from the smoke stick),” she added.

The anti-smoking campaign of the regional health office is focused on encouraging local government executives to implement the anti-smoking ordinances that have been passed in compliance with Republic Act 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.

Tawatao said the agency has not yet declared a town, municipality or city as smoke-free due to the failure to implement the anti-smoking ordinances.

“There should be a designated area for smoking outside the building. The smoking area should be 10 meters away from the exit and entrance,” she said.

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Rep. Harold Ritchie was unable to gather support for a 70-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase. But he’s still pushing to maintain a 4-cent portion of the existing 36 cents levied on each 20-cigarette pack.House Bill 591 is scheduled for a vote Tuesday in the House of Representatives, where it will require 70 votes out 105 members. Ritchie, D-Franklinton, and House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Algiers, say they believe they have the votes, despite Gov. Bobby Jindal saying earlier this spring that he opposes the measure.

The governor doesn’t miss an opportunity to restate his absolute opposition to tax increases, and he said before the opening of the session that he equates renewal of a levy with a tax hike.

Tucker, who also styles himself as a champion of austere government, said this week, “I respect the governor’s position but I don’t necessarily agree with the logic of it that a renewal is an increase in taxes.” Tucker said he wants to work with the administration, “but on this one we just disagree. I’m not actively pursuing members to vote for it but I intend to vote for it because I don’t want to reduce taxes on cigarettes.”

The 4-cent renewal, which is scheduled to expire June 30, 2012, is worth about $12 million annually.

Andrew Muhl of the American Cancer Society, a principal supporter of the renewal and increase, said, “All we’re talking about doing is renewing an existing 4 cents that expires next year. This doesn’t change anything, yet the governor is still planning to veto it. As a result, our tax will actually lower. We can’t be making cigarettes cheaper for kids. The public gets it, the legislature gets it, but we just feel the governor is wrong on this issue.”

The speaker was clear that any actual increase is dead, even with news that Revenue Estimating Conference lowered the current year’s tax receipt estimates by $77 million, an action that could have a ripple effect on how the fiscal 2012 budget is written. The failed increase would have added a projected a $121.9 million per year to the state general fund.

Louisiana’s 36-cent-per-pack levy is the third-lowest among all U.S. states. The national average is $1.45. Surrounding states range from 68 cents in Mississippi, $1.15 in Arkansas and $1.41 in Texas.

Smoke Allergies - unhappy face w cigs

The doctrine of allergies is wholly commonplace and bright-eyed acknowledged encompassing the world. Most clan carry had some articulation of allergy or the other at some location in their lives. It has been also than a century by reason of allergies were defined as substances that rationale irritation as great as reactions among commonality who are touchy to these substances. The title allergy comes from two passage ‘allos’ which funds other and ‘ergon’ which implies work. The expression allergy thus refers to outermost substances that grounds bouts of irritation to individuals and could be caused by pollen, scents and perfumes or some spices and dust that are so everywhere by their presence in our surroundings.

The basic instigation why the oppose reacts to these outer or non-native substances is on invoice of the gospel that the reason perceives it as growth harmful on story of which it tries to preserve and protect itself from these deleterious thing that could impinge upon it on report of the substance. When it comes to smoke there are cats who are loath to cigarette smoke, which is admitted as cigarette allergy.

As allergies go, they could scale from ones which are as well gentle and possible or infrequent to those which are as well severe and fairly completetly debilitating in nature. Allergies can as well assume such delicate extent that they may guidance to complete incapacitation or all the more annihilation in exact severe cases. In some cigarette smoke allergy cases, dudes may empiricism breathlessness, hives and such other symptoms that are all told enduring and obligation prompt attention.

The better reason of why cigarette smoke explanation allergies is that it contains decided poisonous substances certified as toxins that are perceived by the object as existence utterly harmful and too intention irritation which is the manifestation of the allergy. It is not adore this allergy affects all family uniformly or similarly. There are some folk who are else averse to smoke and who inspire affected by the allergy as soon as the smoke enters the nostrils. The allergens or irritating substances can again feature on nation who cook not smoke themselves, nevertheless incline passive smokers in the presence of smokers.

Many persons prefer smoking Glamour cigarettes or Gauloises cigarettes.

There are some individual symptoms that accompany cigarette allergy and are a source of bull keeping to those who suffer from it. For one, the throat gets covered with mucous and there is a considerable deal of irritation and congestion in it. This may very be accompanied by severe harsh as blooming as coughing which depicts the irritation of the membranes in the nostrils as chipper as the inner portions of the throat. When the smoke enters the eyes, the allergy could arouse manifested in the conformation of watery and burning eyes that brew it positively crucial for one to yet gun clearly and for longer periods of time. One is compelled to wash the eyes and fling to entertain some degree of relief from the persistent irritation.

People who smoke and are afflicted with cigarette allergy are prone the prescription to best shot and come across up smoking as a habit, as this is leading to their wholesomeness. This is rather rigid for mortals who keep been addicted to cigarettes for so lousy with senescence and obtain not been able to kick the habit. On the other hand this is possible, and in some cases it is altogether vital too. It is further fitting that moment artisan smoke is a extreme killer and not condign a progenitor of allergies and irritation. Second plam smoke can and beginning harm to unborn babies, and much goal kids to compass all the symptoms of cigarette allergy.

In essence, getting rid of passive smoking situations is of abundant concernment as it causes untold distress to humanity on all sides of the world. This is one cause why there has been a group of legislation to prevent smoking in common which can basis these harmful part to smokers and non smokers too.

BRITISH American Tobacco Company , producer of Dunhill cigarettes has faulted the recently introduced tier based excise tax regime on cigarettes saying it is not sustainable for the industry and should be revised.

Speaking during the company’s 59th annual general meeting in Nairobi yesterday, the firms management expressed concern over the impact the current excise tax regime could have on its business in the long term. “We need the government to have a clear sustainable position on excise tax. The idea of changing the structure six months after budget reading in December makes it difficult for businesses to forecast,” noted BAT Managing Director Gary Fagan.

The government made amendments to the Finance Bill on December 8, 2010 based on pricing such that low cost cigarettes are charged lower tax.

Previously it was hybrid system where by tax was calculated according to physical components in the cigarette as well as its retail price. BAT warned that revenues for cigarette manufacturers would be compromised over the middle term and product volumes would increase faster than they should in reality if the tier taxation system is maintained.

The company recorded pre tax profit of Sh2.72 billion in financial year ended December 31, 2010, a 30 per cent rise from the previous year’s profits of Sh2.1 billion. BAT lauded the government’s efforts to stop dumping of export goods in the local market and quashing sale of counterfeits.

Recently Kenya Revenue Authority officials together with the police closed down an illegal cigarette factory that manufactured counterfeits. This, BAT said, has managed to completely stop sale of fake Sportsman cigarettes- one of the company’s key brands- in the market.

BAT also commenced exportation of cigarettes and semi processed leaf to Egypt in 2010, a market which it revealed, has performed well and buoyed the overall profits.

In addition, the company told shareholders that it managed to mitigate the high energy costs by using cheaper lighting methods for its premises and factories, use of low energy consuming factory equipment which has led to more cigarettes being produced compared to last year using same amount of energy. The company announced a dividend of Sh14.50 per share.

For the current year the firm is eyeing entry into South Sudan as well as growing its existing markets through enhanced distribution and marketing.

Last year, the firm increased its provisions for liability and charges from Sh353.6 million to Sh983.5 billion partly due to slow moving stock and restructuring cost among others according to its finance director Philip Lopokoiyit.

Restaurant patrons who enjoy a cigarette in the smoking section will have to put out their butts soon.

At their Wednesday meeting, the Rio Grande City commissioners voted to make the city’s smoking restrictions even stricter, eliminating smoking in all parts of restaurants. The previous ordinance, which was passed in March, allowed smoking in designated areas that were separated by a floor-to-ceiling partition.

The rules, however, did not require that the section have a door, thus leaving the chance that patrons in nonsmoking sections could still be breathing in secondhand smoke.

Public officials often cite Chili’s Grill and Bar as one of the city’s only restaurants with a smoking section, if not the only one.

“Chili’s plans to comply fully with the recent smoking ban ordinance passed by the Rio Grande City Council and will adjust our business needs accordingly, when the ban takes effect,” according to an email from a Chili’s public relations representative.

Serving Children and Adolescents in Need (S.C.A.N.), a part of the Starr County Community Coalition, pushed for the original ordinance and then again for a stricter, clearer ordinance.

Sandra Garza, the program’s director, brought in students and medical representatives to speak to the council for months before the original ordinance was passed.

“We bombarded them with statistics,” Garza said.

As soon as it passed in March, Garza began visiting each city councilman advocating for stricter rules that would protect more people from secondhand smoke.

Many residents also contacted the city confused about some of the wording in the original ordinance, Mayor Ruben Villarreal said.

“It wasn’t understandable,” he said. “It wasn’t clear enough.”

To clarify, the commission created several more drafts of the ordinance, until it was something they could agree on. The four commissioners who were present at Wednesday’s meeting voted for the ordinance. Mayor Pro Tem Ruben Saenz was absent.

Villarreal said residents knew the changes were coming. Some even approached him in Chili’s, he said.

They said, “Hey Mayor, how much longer can I smoke?” Villarreal said.

Along with eliminating smoking in restaurants, the new version of the ordinance also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of “any entrance to, exit from, open window or ventilation intake of any enclosed space…a sports playing field, a playground … seating areas of all outdoor arenas.”

There are still many persons who prefer to smoke cigarettes like Red&White cigarettes or Viceroy cogarettes.

Elia Revilla, who lives between Rio Grande City and Roma but often visits Rio Grande, said she is thrilled about the ordinance because secondhand smoke has such negative effects.

“It’s fantastic,” she said. “It was about time.”