Light Up and Laugh at the Anti-Smoking Policies Posted

Despite four years this month of the smoking ban in England, and a vigorous anti-smoking campaign paid for by the taxpayer, it has not lowered the number of Esse cigarettes smokers. Their number remains at about 20 per cent – the hardcore, of which I am one. It might kill me, although if it doesn’t, something else will.

Bohemia has been banned. We might pay a heavy price for that. New York City is a lot duller for its smoking ban than it was in the past. Cole Porter would think the Sunday school teachers had taken over – and they have.

I am aware how fanatical anti-smokers can be, as my father was one. My brother has a video of him trying to take a cigarette from my mouth 40 years ago.

Perhaps you can get a smoking room at a hotel in London, but you certainly can’t in the city of Oxford. In France and Germany it’s a lot more civilised.

The Lutèce Hotel in Paris has a floor of smoking rooms. It also has a small lounge near the bar with a sealed door: you can smoke in there, but you have to take your own drink in. Arriving back at the hotel one late evening, the bar was very quiet. We got a drink at the bar and opened the sealed door. It was full of music and young people dancing on the tables, cigarettes in hand. I couldn’t stop laughing (it’s good for you and it clears the lungs).

Does the new Savoy have anything like it, or Claridge’s, or any other London hotel? No.

In Germany I go to Baden Baden every few months to enjoy the rejuvenating waters at the Friedrich’s Bath. I stay in a very nice hotel, the Brenners Park. I can still smoke in the room and downstairs is a lovely cigar lounge. You don’t have to go out in the cold or rain for the enjoyment of a cigar or cigarette. Try that in London.

The smoking ban works, say some of my friends – but do you know how? Through punishment. I met a publican who was sent to jail for letting two old men smoke in his pub. England was once a tolerant place with a live-and-let live attitude to many things. Not any more. I have utter contempt for the politicians who do this. These politics stink, they have a vile, unfree stench.

You will never get rid of smoking, or alcohol or drugs: they might kill, but they also give pleasure. Tobacco is a great pleasure that a large number of people deny.

The dreary and the bossy who cannot accept this will try to take over even more: everywhere has to be safe for little Emily with asthma. Focusing on such small things, the professional anti-smokers miss out on the bigger pleasures of life. I wouldn’t want to spend much time with them. When a doctor announced that 100 million people were “killed ” by tobacco in the 20th century, I pointed out that governments killed the same number, and that their deaths were very unpleasant by comparison.

The prohibitionists can feel sorry for me all they want; I am just going to laugh at their smallness.

My little corner of Bohemia has now been reduced to my house, where free spirits are welcome and I try to keep the dreary and the boring away. I have a large sign that points out “Death awaits you even if you do not smoke”. I like to enjoy Now, as there is only now. Longevity as an aim in life seems to me to be life-denying.

Read more »

Most support smoking ban in youth movies

Three-quarters of Ontarians support a ban on smoking in youth-targeted films, a new survey released Tuesday on World No Tobacco Days shows.

“Research shows the more youth see smoking in movies, the more likely they are to start,” said Dr. Rosana Pellizzari, medical officer of health, Peterborough County-City Health Unit, one of the organizations endorsing policy recommendations to remove smoking from youth-rated movies.

“The public agrees that smoking in movies is a serious public health issue, especially as it relates to youth. As tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Ontario, this issue needs to be addressed,” Pellizzari said.

The survey commissioned by the Ontario Coalition for Smoke-Free Movies says when youth see smoking in films it has a harmful impact on them and encourages them to smoke.

“It is clear that the majority of Ontarians support getting tobacco out of films rated for youth audiences,” said Andrea Kita, co-chairman of the Ontario Coalition for Smoke-Free Movies. “We need change in Ontario to reflect what the public wants — no tobacco use or product placement in movies rated G, PG or 14A.”

Youth exposure to smoking by youth-targeted movies is more prevalent in Canada than in the United States because Canadian film review boards give movies a youth rating more often, the survey says.

“There are more than 300,000 teen smokers in Canada today, and their unnecessary exposure to smoking on screen does influence their decision to smoke,” George Habib, president of the Ontario Lung Association, said.

“Preventing youth uptake of smoking is one of the most important things that we need to do for our young people and it is clear that removing on-screen smoking in youth-rated movies is a key way to do so,” he said.

Throughout Ontario, youth groups are educating peers about how the tobacco industry has been targeting them through smoking in youth-rated movies.

“When Vince Vaughn or Keira Knightly smoke, it influences youth to do the same,” Jordan Alexander, a 17-year-old youth ambassador for smoke-free movies, said.

“These are our role models,” he said. “The tobacco industry has had a history of paying actors to smoke and paying to place its products in movies. Whether we like it or not, this type of marketing is effective and we’re here to ensure youth aren’t recruited through the movies to be the next generation of smokers.”

Ontario’s doctors want people to be aware of the dangers and risks they are taking when they smoke, especially young people.

“We need to make sure people have access to the help and support they need to quit and we need to keep contraband cigarettes out of the hands of youth,” president of the Ontario Medical Association Dr. Stewart Kennedy said.

“Too many young people can get their hands on contraband tobacco,” Kennedy said. “This access to cheap smokes is eroding the progress that we have made in the fight against tobacco illnesses. We need a comprehensive plan to stop contraband in this province.”

Read more »

Tobacco companies violate ad norms

In a clear violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, (COPT), a non-governmental organisation, Salaam Bombay has exposed how tobacco brands are indulging in rampant surrogate advertising to promote their product under the guise of selling ‘pan masalas’. A recent survey conducted among 3,000 Mumbaikars revealed that majority of them associated ‘pan masala’ with gutka. The participants of the survey were shown flash cards consisting of pan masala advertisements that are usually seen on billboards and BEST buses across the city.

“Gutka companies are promoting their tobacco products by advertising them as pan masalas. The end users perceive pan masala to be gutkas and our study confirmed that. The section 5 of COPT act, disallows any such advertisement – direct or indirect in nature when it comes to tobacco products,” said Devika Chadda of Salaam Bombay foundation.The foundation has already written to Advertising Council of India (ACI) asking them to take action against such brands for indirectly advertising tobacco products. “We will even take up the matter with the civic body and the BEST and ask them to not allow their property to be vehicles for promoting such products,” said Chadda.

The test
Two groups were selected for the study, which included children (12 to 18 years) and adults (19 to 50 years).
The respondents were exposed to different flash cards of three pan masala brands. 82 per cent of children and 84 per cent of adults responded to the first flash card by saying that it is a gutka whereas 9 per cent children and 7 per cent adults said that it was a pan masala. Similarly, when the flash card of the second brand was shown, 62 per cent children and 71 per cent of adults thought that pan masala was gutka and the figures for the same question for the third brand were 85 per cent for both the groups.

84% Adults responded to the first flash card calling it a gutka

Read more »

Smoke free at NIC

Beginning July 1, the use of all tobacco products will be prohibited on the community college campus.

Students, employees and visitors will not be allowed to smoke cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, electronic cigarettes, pipes or hookahs. The use of smokeless tobacco products – dip, chew, snuff, snu – will also be prohibited. Well known cigarettes are Dunhill cigarettes and Gauloises cigarettes.

“This is not a policy that’s been adopted by the board (of trustees),” said John Martin, the college’s vice president for community relations.

The college’s administration will begin regulating tobacco usage based on a guideline approved this spring by NIC’s various constituent groups representing students, staff and faculty.

The initiative will be reviewed in six months, and again at the end of the year.

“Then we’ll decide at that time whether we should make it a full college policy,” Martin said.

The call for a tobacco free campus was initiated last fall by student government leaders.

“One of the main reasons was, we were afraid of the health concerns. We truly want this to be a healthy campus,” said Nick Dimico, vice president of the Associated Students of North Idaho College (ASNIC.) “We want to protect our students.”

The goal, Dimico said, is to provide other, healthier options to tobacco-users.

ASNIC will begin offering a cessation program in September.

Dimico said there are many tobacco-users on campus, and many non-smokers. He expects there will be some push back, but believes the initiative will be a success.

The guideline states that smoking, tobacco use and tobacco sales will not be allowed on NIC owned, operated or leased properties including the student residence hall, the NIC beach front, parking lots, walkways, sidewalks, sports venues, and college-owned and private vehicles parked or operated on college property.

The sale and free distribution of tobacco products, the acceptance of money or gifts from tobacco companies, and tobacco advertisements in college-sponsored publications will also be prohibited.

The first year of the tobacco-free protocol will be largely educational rather than punitive, although the guideline does include enforcement measures.

It states that the college “reserves the right to initiate disciplinary procedures against any individual found to be in continuous violation of this guideline.”

“We’re working on a communication plan, and a plan for signage,” Martin said.

The guideline calls for signs at all college entrances and drives on the main campus in downtown Coeur d’Alene and at all NIC outreach facilities. Employees and students will be advised of the college’s tobacco-free status during orientation and during the hiring process.

Violators will initially receive warnings, or “courtesy tickets,” issued by student leaders, administrators, staff and college security. They will also be given educational materials.

“We’ll do our best to help people with smoking cessation programs,” Martin said. “This ties in with our wellness plan.”

Repeat offenders, or those who fail to comply after being warned, risk disciplinary action by the dean of students or the director of human resources, depending upon the offender’s campus status.

Visitors and non-employees who disregard the tobacco-free guideline, after being “politely informed” and “provided with information explaining the guideline in a supportive and educational manner,” may be issued a warning or escorted off campus by college security.

Certain activities may be exempt from the tobacco-free guideline – cultural activities by American Indians that are accordance with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and dramatic performances where “smoking is integral to artistic content.”

Prior to promoting the tobacco-free measure, Dimico said the students researched how other colleges and universities were handling similar issues.

Going tobacco and smoke-free is a growing trend on college and university campuses throughout the United States.

The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation has a list of 500 campuses, that as of April, are 100 percent smoke-free.

Boise State University and the College of Southern Idaho ban smoking on campus.

“We don’t want to tell people that they have to quit smoking. We just don’t want them to do it here,” Dimico said.

Read more »