03 June 2013
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HEADLINES |
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Health groups dismayed by news ‘big tobacco’ funded rightwing thinktanks |
| The Adam Smith Institute and the Institute of Economic Affairs received money from cigarette firms, it has been revealed.
“At the current time, with a centre-right government, thinktanks which represent the libertarian right wing like the IEA and ASI are crucial players in the development of public policy,” said Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH. “The government needs to take note that tobacco industry funding of such organisations completely undermines the credibility of their opposition to standard packaging,” she added. “For the government to allow its policies to be influenced by tobacco-funded think-tanks would be a breach of its legal obligations under the WHO tobacco treaty.” “If the IEA really believes its policies are completely independent from its funding, it should have the courage of its convictions and be honest about where it gets its money from,” Arnott said. |
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UK ‘could lose tough reputation on tobacco controls’ |
| The UK could lose its reputation as having the toughest tobacco control measures in Europe unless it introduces standardised packs for cigarettes, ASH has warned.
In recent years the UK was ranked top out of all countries in the European Union for its tough stance on smoking and tobacco. But ASH said that there is a danger that Ireland will “snatch the crown” after Irish officials said that they will force tobacco manufacturers to use plain boxes emblazoned with graphic images under tough new laws. |
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Scotland: Campaign to ban sale of tobacco at Games |
| Anti-smoking activists have called for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to be completely tobacco-free.
ASH Scotland said that cigarettes should be banned from sale around venues and there should be a comprehensive no-smoking policy in stadiums and near sports. |
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Scotland: Pregnant women to be offered smoking tests |
| Pregnant women are to be offered carbon monoxide monitoring to measure their exposure to cigarette smoke.
The service will be offered to all women in the early stages of pregnancy and will indicate raised levels of exposure to the gas through smoking or passive smoking. Midwives can then refer women to stop-smoking support services, as well as additional care during the pregnancy if required. Meanwhile, newly published European-wide research has shown that the number of attempts to quit smoking by pregnant women rose last year to 2,985, compared with 2,756 in 2011. |
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Russia: Smoking ban introduced in the land of the 60p pack of cigarettes |
| A smoking ban in some public places has come into force in Russia, a country with one of the highest smoking rates in the world.
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North America: Starbucks bans smoking within 25ft of stores |
| Starbucks has banned smoking within 25ft of its stores across the US and Canada.
The rule came into force on Saturday at 7,000 cafes owned and operated by the coffee chain. Starbucks spokeswoman Jaime Lynn Riley said the aim was to expand the indoor no-smoking policy to the outdoor seating areas. |
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