Monthly Archives: November 2017

Editor’s Note: For information about problems with track-and-trace, see here.

From: European Smoking Tobacco Association via EurActiv

By Peter van der Mark

EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis and his services have systematically refused meaningful dialogue and appropriate consultations, Peter van der Mark writes in reaction to an interview published on EURACTIV.com.

Peter van der Mark is the Secretary-General of ESTA, the European Smoking Tobacco Association. This opinion-piece is in reaction to an interview published last week.

In an interview published on 24 November, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis stated puzzlingly that he has not heard from the tobacco industry on what to do about the illicit trade in tobacco.

From: Fairwarning.org via Industrial Safety & Hygiene News

Paul Feldman

Anti-smoking groups, frustrated by federal inaction on restricting menthol cigarettes, are taking matters into their own hands.

In recent months, cities ranging from Oakland and Los Gatos, Calif., to Minneapolis and St. Paul have passed laws limiting the availability of menthol cigarettes, which health advocates say have a particular appeal to beginning smokers. St. Paul is the latest, voting this month to restrict sales to adult-only tobacco and liquor stores.

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Editor’s Note: For more information about Australia’s plain packaging policy, please see here, here, here, here, and here.

From: City A.M.

The nanny statists have been proven wrong – plain cigarette packaging does not work

Chris Snowdon

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Five years ago, critics of the policy had three major concerns. We said that plain packaging wouldn’t affect people’s decision to smoke, it would be a boost to the illicit trade, and it would lead to a slippery slope of regulation in which every product that displeases nanny statists would become fair game.

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From: Syracuse.com

Hazy logic behind push for ‘Tobacco 21’

By James S. Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, based in Albany.

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In other words, 15-year-olds are resourceful enough to dodge the tobacco purchase age, but 19- and 20-year-olds won’t be. They don’t have any older friends or relatives who smoke. They won’t drive to any of three adjacent counties where the purchase age remains 18. Are you kidding?

From: New York State Police

Newburgh, NY – On November 28, 2017, at approximately 8:40 p.m., State Police stopped a vehicle on I-87, in the Town of Newburgh for a moving violation. The driver of the vehicle, Mansswr Saleh, age 40, of Brooklyn, NY, was found to be in possession of over two pounds of (KHAT) or cathinone and 40 cartons of untaxed/ unstamped cigarettes. He was taken into custody, transported, and processed at SP Newburgh. He was subsequently charged with:

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 2^nd  Degree; a Class A Felony