ASH Daily News for 14 July 2008

OFT fines Gallaher, Asda and four other firms £132m

Supermarkets and a tobacco firm were yesterday fined a record £132million after admitting an 'outrageous' collusion to fix cigarette prices. 

The collusion emerged after Sainsbury's blew the whistle - a decision that has allowed it to escape prosecution and a fine.

The Office of Fair Trading claims two tobacco firms - Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher - passed on information to retailers about what their rivals would be charging for leading cigarette brands.

Gallaher, which counts Benson & Hedges as one of its brands, has admitted unlawful pricing practices

For example, it is claimed Sainsbury's pricing plans were passed on to Tesco via Imperial Tobacco. As a result, prices were kept at a comparable level across supermarkets, Shell petrol stations, Thresher off-licences and other outlets.

Twelve companies are being investigated by the OFT. Yesterday, six - Gallaher, Asda, Somerfield, First Quench, which includes Threshers, One Stop and TM Retail - admitted their guilt and agreed to pay a fine.

The investigation is continuing into five others: Tesco, Morrisons, Co-op stores, Shell and Imperial Tobacco.

OFT chief executive John Fingleton said: 'The OFT's objective is to make markets work well for consumers and the economy alike. A cornerstone of this is the principle that companies should set their prices independently.'

Deborah Arnott, Director of Action on Smoking and Health, said that cigarette manufacturer Gallaher had shown complete contempt for its customers.

Imperial Tobacco, who has not admitted any infringement, said: 'Imperial Tobacco takes compliance with competition law very seriously and rejects any suggestion that it has acted in any way contrary to the interests of consumers.

'Imperial Tobacco has co-operated fully with the OFT throughout and continues to do so.'

Source: The Daily Mail, 11 July 2008  
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5e9g6w

Also reported in

The Independent, 12 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6ab58a

The Guardian, 11 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/66mnz7

The Telegraph, 11 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5wkcb2

The Times Online, 12 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6krlw8

The Mirror, 12 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6ab58a
 

Smoking: how to kick the habit 

Since Britain went smokefree in enclosed public places 12 months ago, 400,000 people have given up. For quitters, life is likely to get better.

Even if you have been a smoker for 30 years, your risk of heart disease halves within a year of quitting. Ten years on, the risk of lung cancer is cut in two.

Those who have tried and failed to stop smoking should take heart from the fact that on average it takes 12 or more attempts to kick the habit. Here are some ideas:

GROUP THERAPY

Smoking has been called a "communicable disease" - no one starts alone - and quitting could work the same way. The NHS runs free, local no-smoking groups but new research shows that the odds of success are even higher if you know your fellow quitters well.

This makes intuitive sense: friends or family quitting together can presumably offer each other motivation and support. Martin Dockrell, policy manager of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), suggests a "grow your own group" approach: gather family members or friends who want to give up, then ask your local Primary Care Trust's "smoking cessation service" to provide a facilitator (call the NHS Stop Smoking line on 0800 169 0169 to ask who to contact).

NICOTINE REPLACEMENT

According to the charity QUIT, nicotine replacement therapy - using skin patches, chewing gum, lozenges, nasal sprays or "inhalators" - doubles your chances of success by reducing the chemical need to smoke.

You usually need to use these products for 8-12 weeks and they are available from pharmacies, supermarkets or GPs.

PHARMACOTHERAPY

Prescription drugs Zyban and Champix (the newest one) work by blocking the body's ability to absorb nicotine. They are offered through GPs or no-smoking clinics, along with psychological support.

Champix is about three times more effective than pure will power and Zyban twice as effective. There can be side effects and the drugs are not suitable for all.

ONLINE HELP

The NHS runs an online service for time-pressed puffers (gosmokefree.co.uk) which includes a "Together Programme" of regular mail packs, emails, texts and phone calls. QUIT also offers an online "iQuit" service of personally tailored support (www.quit.org.uk).

EXERCISE

Exercising while giving up boosts success rates. QUIT offers a step-by-step downloadable exercise programme ("Keep QUIT") that focuses on lung capacity and cardiovascular health - the areas most affected by smoking.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

Many ex-smokers swear by alternative therapies, most commonly hypnotherapy or acupuncture. But according to Martin Dockrell, "there is no definitive clinical evidence from hard-nosed randomised controlled trials that these work".

The same goes for most motivational books, CDs or DVDs. This does not mean that you should avoid them though, he says. "The key is to keep trying and trying again because, even with the best pharmacotherapy and support, hardly anyone quits for good first time."
 

Source: The Telegraph, 12 July 2008  
Link: http://tinyurl.com/67gxf6

Genetic variations influence nicotine addiction for young smokers

Research has shown that a particular set of genes can turn a teenager who experiments with tobacco into a life-long addicted smoker.

Around 40 per cent of people with European origins have "high risk" versions of the genes, which affect the brain's sensitivity to nicotine.

Scientists found that they are in danger of becoming addicted if they start smoking before the age of 17.

Other variations of the same genes work the opposite way and help prevent addiction.

Scientists in the US studied 2,827 European American smokers, recording their level of nicotine dependence and smoking history.

Participants were asked what age they were when they started smoking, the number of years they had smoked, and the average number of cigarettes they got through per day.

DNA samples were also taken. The researchers looked for single-letter changes in the genetic code, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), linked to nicotine addiction.

Individuals were placed into one of four groups or "haplotypes" according to what gene variations they had.

For people who began smoking at 17 or older, the high-risk haplotype had no significant influence on future addiction.

Study leader Professor Robert Weiss, from the University of Utah, said: "We know that people who begin smoking at a young age are more likely to face severe nicotine dependence later in life. This finding suggests that genetic influences expressed during adolescence contribute to the risk of lifetime addiction severity produced from the early onset of tobacco use."

Dr Nora Volkow, director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which funded the research, said: "In recent years we've seen an explosion in the understanding of how small genetic variations can impact all aspects of health, including addiction."

"As we learn more about how both genes and environment play a role in smoking, we will be able to better tailor both prevention and cessation programs to individuals."

The findings were reported today in the on-line journal PLoS Genetics.
 

Source: The Telegraph, 11 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/6kr95f

Australia: Big tobacco's deals in clubland

Tobacco companies are pouring millions of dollars into Melbourne's bars and clubs in return for exclusive agreements to stock and promote their cigarettes.

A tobacco industry insider revealed that hundreds of licensed venues have been receiving secret commissions of $1 to $3 for each packet of cigarettes sold through vending machines, or up-front payments of up to $100,000 for long-term contracts.

Monthly payments known as "packet rebates" were dependent on a venue's location, clientele and ability to accommodate smokers with outdoor areas, according to the source.

Quit Victoria, Executive Director Fiona Sharkie called for an immediate ban on cigarette vending machines.

Eight bar owners confirmed the receipt of substantial payments from tobacco companies but all refused to speak on the record because of concerns it could jeopardise their revenue. However, the owner of South Yarra's Chasers nightclub, Martha Tsamis, said she recently negotiated an exclusive contract with British American Tobacco, which will pay $2.80 for every cigarette packet sold on her premises.

She said she previously had an agreement with Philip Morris, which paid about $1.40 a packet.

Ms Tsamis said, "Since the smoking bans came into force, we probably only make between $400 to $500 a month. Virtually everybody has some type of arrangement in place."

The manager of a prominent St Kilda bar said it was standard practice to approach tobacco companies. "The first thing you do when you open a bar is approach Philip Morris and see what they offer, get BAT (British American Tobacco) to better it and then go back to Philip Morris. It's been going on for years."

BAT has 20 vending machines in the Crown Casino complex, which includes several high roller areas that are exempt from smoking bans introduced last year. The deal is believed to be worth more than $500,000 annually, according to a former tobacco industry executive

Ms Sharkie accused companies of targeting young people in fashionable venues after strict bans on advertising and promoting cigarettes. With people smoking less "the tobacco industry is willing to stoop to new lows to keep people addicted. These financial deals are a blatant attempt by the tobacco industry to target a younger, more vulnerable market."

BAT spokesman Bede Fennell defended the payments, saying: "Like any other manufacturer of a legal product, we have commercial arrangements with our customers and these are commercial in confidence."
 

Source: The age, 11 July 2008
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5gh7u7