Monday, September 24, 2012

Tid Bits Tobacco,studies,trials and prohibitions


PROJECTING THE EFFECT OF CHANGES IN SMOKING AND OBESITY ON FUTURE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE UNITED STATES

We find that both changes in smoking and in obesity are expected to
have large effects on mortality. For males, the reductions in smoking have larger effects than the rise in obesity throughout the projection period. 
By 2040, male life expectancy at age 40 is expected to have gained 0.92 years from the combined effects. 
Among women, however, the two sets of effects largely offset one another throughout the projection period , with a small gain of 0.26 years expected by 2040



Was tobacco jury right to award West Palm widow nothing?


Mrs. Baker’s attorneys argued that even though Mr. Baker was aware of the risks, the tobacco company is responsible because cigarettes are addictive and tobacco companies for years lied about the dangers and continued enticing people to smoke.
“This is a case about greed, about money, about how the defendant R.J. Reynolds put sales over safety and profit over people attorney, Harry Shevin, told the jury.
Although the jury in this case awarded nothing, Florida juries have sided with the plaintiffs in many other cases.

Farmers in Fukushima Prefecture have harvested leaf tobacco for the first time since cultivation was temporarily stopped due to the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, and are making preparations to ship the product around December.
This year, leaf tobacco farmers enthusiastic about reviving the product took measures to reduce the effects of radioactive substances. Currently, the farmers are awaiting the results of radiation tests on harvested tobacco leaves, and are pinning their hopes on making shipments this year.

Smoking and cycling to be banned at Limerick playgrounds


But in the long list of things “not to do”, it was the smoking ban which caught the attention of Rathkeale area councillors last week.
“I can see people in my mind’s eye, walking the riverbank in Askeaton and smoking their pipe. What harm are they doing?” asked Askeaton’s Cllr Kevin Sheahan. “I am totally in favour of no-smoking in enclosed areas” he added, but argued there was a “limit to the type of regulations we bring in”.
“The law says you can smoke in the open air,” declared Cllr David Naughton, who was opposed to a generalised ban on smoking within parks.
“Is it enforceable? If there is somebody caught is there anything can be done about it?” he demanded before adding: “I think it is getting to a stage where we are not living in a democracy.”
Director of services for community, Josephine Cotter-Coughlan said, however, that the smoking ban would apply only to the county’s seven playgrounds and five multi-purpose pitches.

The last story was by far the most shocking.
I don't believe I have ever seen such a list of prohibited activities in my life.
Democracy my ass,ASH asks for something and everyone runs to comply.
What a world........



Saturday, September 8, 2012

This Has Got To Stop

                           Nagpur: Caught smoking, student commits suicide

Unable to come to terms with the scolding he got from parents and teachers for smoking, a 17-year-old school boy committed suicide in Nagpur on Thursday.

According to information available, Akshay Lokhande (17), a student of Std XII at Dinanath High School and Junior College, was caught smoking along with his friends by his college lecturer Anjali Vadatkar, on the school premises on Tuesday.

She immediately informed the principal about it.
Principal Bhavani Sen, Vadatkar and another lecturer Roshan Nasre scolded him and summoned Akshay’s parents.
His mother, Julie rushed to the school and reprimanded Akshay when the teachers narrated her the entire story.
The same day, Vadatkar was intercepted by a group of masked boys, reportedly Akshay friends when she was heading home.

I'm sorry Akshay.
This is to some people just a news story another smoker dead,but to me the fanatics of tobacco control have more than their share of blood on their hands.