Tobacco Asia

58 tobaccoasia CLOSING NEWS 卷尾新闻 EUROPE Poverty and Tobacco: Similar Health Risks A new study published in medical journal The Lancet has found that those at the bottom rung of the socioeconom- ic ladder may live two years less on average than those at the top. According to Lifepath, a European Commission-funded consortium that conducted the study, "Socioeconomic disadvantage has almost the same impact on health than smoking or a sedentary lifestyle." Researchers said social rank is a bigger risk factor for illness and prema- ture death than either high alcohol consumption or obesity, and it nearly equals the risk posed by physical inactivity. On average, a low social rank shaved over 25 months off the average lifespan, compared with six months for heavy alcohol intake and eight months for obesity. For diabetes, the risk was almost four years in lost life, and for smoking nearly five. The study was the first to attempt to weigh the health risk of socioeconomic status against other modifiable factors, at least in high-income countries. "Low socioeconomic status is one of the strongest predictors of premature mortality worldwide, but health policy- makers often do not consider it a risk factor to target," the study said. Researchers reviewed data from 48 previous studies covering more than 1.7 million people from 7 countries – Aus- tralia, Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United States. SUDAN "Tobacco Not Allowed in Islam" The head of the Sudan Scholars Corporation has issued a religious decree banning tobacco. Sheikh Mohamed Osman Saleh, head of the Sudanese Scholars said that tobacco is forbidden in Islam as the use of tobacco is no less dangerous and evil than the use of drugs. He also demanded that the Sudanese security apparatus to combat the cultivation, sale, and use of tobacco in all parts of the country. When asked about the donation of the North Darfur government of 10,000 tons of tobacco in support of the ruling National Congress Party, the sheikh said that the gift consisted of various in-kind materials. He accused the Sudanese media of highlighting the tobacco item, "for the purpose of creating sensation and chaos." Rashid Ismail, former North Darfur government adviser on economic affairs, told reporters in Khartoum that "the fierce attack against tobacco trade in the country has led to the idea that it is something abnormal" and that "the recent campaign against tobacco is probably intended to hit the Darfur economy. It will put the livelihoods of 900,000 Darfuris at stake". NIGERIA Environmental Group Wants 150% Levy on Tobacco The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) is asking for a minimum of 150% special levies on all tobacco products. This move came despite the fact that minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun, had announced a raise of import duty on tobacco from 20% to 60% in early 2017. Other products that also had their duties increased were imported rice, sugarcane, cassava products, and salt. However, ERA/FoEN argued that the new policy falls short of recommen- dations by public health experts, adding the nation stands to gain from imposing higher taxes and other levies on tobacco if done with public health in mind. ERA/FoEN says that on the surface the new policy looks promising but a deep analysis shows it offers subtle protection for local tobacco companies which already controls 90% of the Nigerian market and will now produce more, leading to youth addiction. ERA/FoEN deputy executive director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, also said that the government decision to leave out locally-produced tobacco from the high taxes or levies regime is an indica- tion of disconnect between the Minis- tries of Finance and Health and would be counter-productive as other tobacco companies would start considering building new factories in Nigeria to produce their products to worsen the current health burden of the nation. US Farrell Delman Leaves TMA TMA president Ferrell Delman has left TMA after 40 years at its helm. Under Delman's leadership, TMA became a respected quality information provider for the tobacco industry and, in 2016, achieved astounding financial success, the best on record. The launch of the new www.tma.org website last November 14 also concluded a five-year redevelopment effort that will set the foundation for further enhancements and value creation in the future. 28% of American Adults Use Tobacco Researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that 28% of American adults and 9% of teens use tobacco products. The study also found that 40% of people who use tobacco say they use more than one product, with cigarettes and e-cigarettes being the most common combination. Cigarette smoking continues to be the most common form of tobacco use. HealthDay has reported that 23% of adults smoke cigarettes and 7% of those smokers also use e-cigarettes. Those figures are 13% and 11% respectively in teens. CAMBODIA Fine Cigarette Maker Quits The local manufacturer of Fine cigarettes has ended a three-year business relation- ship, severing ties with UK-based Imperial Tobacco. Fine cigarettes are owned by Imperial Tobacco and sold and distrib- uted by its wholly owned local subsidiary Huotraco International Ltd. Manufactur- ing of Fine cigarettes, formerly done by Usine de Tabac du Cambodge (UTC), will now be fully handled by Imperial.

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