ASH Daily News for 16 July 2008

Tesco and Co-op deny involvement in tobacco price-fixing case

Following the Office of Fair Trading's settlement with six companies in the tobacco price-fixing case, retailers Tesco and The Co-operative Group have denied any involvement in relation to this case and also said that they will defend themselves against all allegations, revealed Dow Jones. In April 2008, investigations by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) revealed that two tobacco manufacturers and 11 retailers took to unlawful pricing of tobacco. Recently, the OFT has entered into a settlement agreement with six companies.

These firms, including Gallaher, Wal-Mart Stores, Asda, First Quench, One Stop Stores, Somerfield and TM Retail, have admitted to the unlawful pricing of tobacco. They have also agreed to pay a combined maximum penalty of GBP173.3 million, before discounts. The first company to apply for OFT leniency was J Sainsbury. According to the OFT, if the retailer continues to co-operate fully it will receive complete immunity from financial penalty.

The OFT will continue its investigations into Imperial Tobacco Group, William Morrison Supermarkets, Safeway and Royal Dutch Shell Group along with Tesco and The Co-operative Group (Co-op). The Co-operative Group said: "We do not believe that we have colluded with anyone and we intend to defend our case vigorously. As a consumer-owned business we believe in offering our customer members value for money at all times."

Source: Datamonitor, 15 July 2008
Link: http://tiny.cc/ndg2z

Smoking linked to decrease in uterine cancer risk

Cigarette smoking appears to be associated with a decreased risk of cancer of the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus, research from China suggests. "The benefit of smoking was observed almost exclusively in postmenopausal women and not in premenopausal women," principal investigator Dr. Bin Wang of Nanjing Medical University told Reuters Health. However, in spite of this link, "cigarette smoking could dramatically increase the incidence of many other chronic diseases," Wang pointed out.

Endometrial cancer is commonly thought to be linked with exposure to estrogen. It has also been suggested that cigarette smoking exerts an anti-estrogen effect. But previous studies have provided inconsistent findings regarding the link between cigarette smoking and endometrial cancer risk. Wang and colleagues therefore investigated these relationships by combining data from 34 studies published through June 2007.

Their findings, which appear in The American Journal of Medicine, suggest a history of cigarette smoking decreases the risk of endometrial cancer by 18 to 29 percent. This association was significant for both current and former smokers. Upon further analysis, the researchers found that a statistically significant relationship was found between smoking and a decreased endometrial cancer risk among postmenopausal women but not premenopausal women. The risk of endometrial cancer among postmenopausal women who smoked was reduced by 29 percent.

Moreover, among women taking hormone replacement therapy, cigarette smoking was associated with about a 50 percent decreased risk of endometrial cancer. But, again, the decreased risk was only significant among postmenopausal women. There are likely multiple biological mechanisms associated with the link between reduced risk of endometrial cancer among cigarette smokers, Wang and colleagues note.

Other factors, such as alcohol, fruit, and vegetable intake, or physical activity, may have influenced the risk estimates, the researchers surmise, but the studies they reviewed rarely considered these variables. Further research should assess biologic mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, Wang said. The resulting knowledge might aid the development of strategies for preventing endometrial cancer, he and colleagues note.

Source: Reuters UK, 15 July 2008
Link: http://tiny.cc/przy6

Keep Britain Tidy slams "The Year of the Cig"

We are never more than three feet away from a discarded cigarette butt. That is the damning verdict of Keep Britain Tidy on the first anniversary of the smoking ban. The number of fag ends on our streets has doubled in the last 12 months. Cigarette stubs and fag packets have now overtaken fast food as the country’s worst litter problem. Smokers have not taken responsibility for their actions and the rest of us are suffering.

Dropping a cigarette butt on the ground is an offence which can lead to a fine of £80. But so far, that is not proving to be a deterrent. Phil Barton, chief executive Keep Britain Tidy, said "Quite simply the message is not getting across. Everywhere you look there are discarded cigarette butts. When you are walking along any street in any town you will see fag ends and cigarette packets lining the ground. On average you will find a cigarette butt every three feet: that’s the size and scale of this problem. Our pubs and restaurants are much nicer environments to be in these days thanks to the smoking ban and that has to be good news. But the knock on effect to the outside environment has been staggering and shameful. Smokers and owners of premises where people smoke must wake up to their responsibilities."

Keep Britain Tidy absolutely supports efforts by local authorities to fine people who treat our streets like a giant ashtray. Mr Barton said: “People drop butts because they think that they will get away with it. We need to see more people prosecuted and we totally support councils in efforts to tackle this problem.” Keep Britain Tidy also wants responsible smokers to get used to new portable ashtrays on the market. Businesses too have a key role to play. Mr Barton added: “Pubs and restaurants should have ashtrays outside their premises and they have a role in educating their smoking customers to get rid of butts responsibly.”

Keep Britain Tidy has run three campaigns tackling cigarette litter: June and September 2007 and more recently in April this year. Three months ago Keep Britain Tidy highlighted the cig litter epidemic by dumping a giant cigarette stub in Trafalgar Square. Ten thousand posters and banners went up across the country warning “Dirty Chuckers” of £80 fines. In each of the three campaigns we have seen a reduction in the amount of cigarette litter in the regions targeted. Thirteen towns in our April campaign saw a 23% reduction in cigarette litter.

Source: EnCams, 16 July 2008
Link: http://tiny.cc/YF0e5

Australia: Qantas deny tobacco industry link in new appointment

Qantas has denied suggestions that their decision to reintroduce inflight cigarette sales is connected to their recent appointment of a former tobacco company executive. The nation's airline said the reintroduction of tobacco sales at the end of July "reflects customer demand", and has nothing to do with the recent appointment of former British American Tobacco director Paul Rayner. 

Qantas spokeswomen Holly Willams denied the link between Mr Rayner joining the Qantas Board and the sale of inflight cigarettes before reading out a statement issued by Qantas general manager Lesley Grant: "Qantas has an inflight Duty Free store which sells a range of products similar to those offered by other duty free providers, such as airports and other airlines in Australia and around the world," said the statement. "The availability reflects customer demand regardless what the product might be. If we see changes in demand we will review our product range."

The sale of inflight tobacco sales has sparked anger from anti-smoking lobby group Quit, who renamed the airline the "cancer kangaroo". "International flights are an opportunity for smokers to give up smoking, but having cheap cigarettes promoted to them by Qantas in-flight completely undermines this opportunity," said Quit executive director Fiona Sharkie. "Perhaps the flying kangaroo should be renamed the cancer kangaroo, such is their insistence on the in-flight sale and display of a product that will ultimately kill more than half of long-term users."

Source: news.com.au, 16 July 2008
Link: http://tiny.cc/ibpBa

Channel Islands: Public consulted over smoking ban

Alderney States has said islanders will be consulted again before it introduces a smoking ban. Guernsey has banned smoking in enclosed public places for more than two years, but Alderney has yet to introduce a similar system. The States gave approval to the laws needed to introduce the ban last year, but royal assent is still required. Once this is granted, Policy and Finance will give details of the ban, but only after further consultation.

Source: BBC News, 15 July 2008
Link: http://tiny.cc/YwSGh