UK launch of Golden Virginia Yellow

Following an 18-month process of research and development, on 2nd March 2009, Imperial Tobacco launched its new Golden Virginia Yellow (GV Yellow) packs on to the roll-your-own market.

GV Yellow will be available in 12.5g, 25g and 50g packs, RRPs at £2.73, £5.35 and £10.59 respectively. Price marked packs are also available at £2.65 for a 12.5g pack and £5.25 for a 25g pack. Already available in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Spain and the Canary Isalnds, Slovenia and Switzerland, volumes of GV Yellow grew 18% in 2008.

Iain Watkins, UK Trade Communications Manager at Imperial Tobacco described how Golden Virginia Yellow differs from the long-established Golden Virginia Green range: "Golden Virginia Green is made with hand-stripped tobaccos giving it a distinctive quality. New Golden Virginia Yellow is made from a different porcess, using the finest Virginia tobacco which gives it a smoother taste similiar to that of the smoother factory-made cigarette brands."

Roll your own tobacco is the only segment currently stimulating the UK tobacco category, and the 12 months ending October 2008 saw volume sales increase by nearly 12%.

Source: World Tobacco, March 2009

Charlotte Atkins MP attacks misleading tobacco packaging

Staffordshire Moorlands Labour MP Charlotte Atkins has helped table a Parliamentary motion which “notes the recently adopted Article 13 guidelines to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which define tobacco packaging and display as a means of advertising and promotion.” 

Ms Atkins, a leading member of the Health Select Committee, “acknowledges that research has found that current tobacco packaging is misleading by implying that some tobacco products are less harmful than others.”

The motion “believes that misleading packaging is in contravention of the EU directive on tobacco products and that research also shows that removing colours and brand imagery from packs increases the effectiveness of health warnings and supports the prohibition of retail display of tobacco products.” Finally, it “urges the Government to introduce measures to require plain packaging of all tobacco products by regulation.”

Source: Politics.co.uk, 13 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/tXcjG

Effectiveness and safety of nicotine replacement therapy assisted reduction to stop smoking: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of nicotine replacement therapy assisted reduction to stop smoking.
Design Systematic review of randomised controlled trials. 

Data sources: Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Science Citation Index, registries of ongoing trials, reference lists, the drug company that sponsored most of the trials, and clinical experts.

Review methods: Eligible studies were published or unpublished randomised controlled trials that enrolled smokers who declared no intention to quit smoking in the short term, and compared nicotine replacement therapy (with or without motivational support) with placebo, no treatment, other pharmacological therapy, or motivational support, and reported quit rates. Two reviewers independently applied eligibility criteria. One reviewer assessed study quality and extracted data and these processes were checked by a second reviewer. The primary outcome, six months sustained abstinence from smoking beginning during treatment, was assessed by individual patient data analysis. Other outcomes were cessation and reduction at end of follow-up, and adverse events.

Data synthesis: Seven placebo controlled randomised controlled trials were included (four used nicotine replacement therapy gum, two nicotine replacement therapy inhaler, and one free choice of therapy). They were reduction studies that reported smoking cessation as a secondary outcome. The trials enrolled a total of 2767 smokers, gave nicotine replacement therapy for 6-18 months, and lasted 12-26 months. 6.75% of smokers receiving nicotine replacement therapy attained sustained abstinence for six months, twice the rate of those receiving placebo (relative risk (fixed effects) 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.34 to 3.15; (random effects) 1.99, 1.01 to 3.91; five trials). The number needed to treat was 29. All other cessation and reduction outcomes were significantly more likely in smokers given nicotine replacement therapy than those given placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in adverse events (death, odds ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 4.02; serious adverse events, 1.16, 0.79 to 1.50; and discontinuation because of adverse events, 1.25, 0.64 to 2.51) except nausea, which was more common with nicotine replacement therapy (8.7% v 5.3%; odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 2.36).

Conclusions: Available trials indicate that nicotine replacement therapy is an effective intervention in achieving sustained smoking abstinence for smokers who have no intention or are unable to attempt an abrupt quit. Most of the evidence, however, comes from trials with regular behavioural support and monitoring and it is unclear whether using nicotine replacement therapy without regular contact would be as effective.

Source: Moore, D. et al. BMJ, 02 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/mz2nC

Further covert lobbying of parliament by tobacco industry

Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue http://www.tabd.com (an interest group promoting free trade) made a submission to the DH consultation on the Future of Tobacco Control alleging proposals on plain packs were contrary to EU law. One of the five UK members is British American Tobacco and the letter was signed by Jeffries Briginshaw, TABD EU Director. Briginshaw joined TABD from British American Tobacco where he was Head of Political and Regulatory Affairs (2004 – 2007) during which time he served on the TABD policy committee. Nowhere in the letter were the links between this organisation and the tobacco industry disclosed.

Source: Westminster Review, 09 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/0QOpY

Greeks head EU smoking survey

Three out of ten Europeans aged 16 or more admit to being smokers, according to a study published by the European Commission, with Greece heading the list. The vast majority of the smokers said they were regular smokers with just five percent of the 26,500 European polls calling themselves occasional smokers, according to the pollsters at Eurobarometer.

Greece headed the ranks, with 42 percent of responders saying they smoked daily or occasionally. Bulgaria (39 percent) and Latvia (37 percent) had the next highest proportion of smokers. At the other end of the scale, 25 percent of Swedes and 22 percent of Slovaks described themselves as smokers. The French were relatively high up the list with 34 percent smokers, while the British rate was significantly lower at 28 percent.

Throughout the EU 22 percent of respondents said they had quit smoking while almost half, 46 percent, said they had never smoked, according to the poll. A large majority of EU citizens polled supported the growing European trend towards smoke-free public places, such as offices, restaurants.

However less than a third believe that the kind of “smoking kills” warning on cigarette packets were effective, with only a fifth of smokers saying the ads would persuade them to cut down or quit.

One in ten smokers said they had gone to another EU nation to buy cheaper cigarettes over the last year, while 12 percent said they thought they had come across smuggled contraband cigarettes.

Source: Tehran Times, 07 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/nuYBc

The influence of tobacco marketing on adolescent smoking intentions via normative beliefs

Abstract

Using cross-sectional data from three waves of the Youth Tobacco Policy Study, which examines the impact of the UK's Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act (TAPA) on adolescent smoking behaviour, we examined normative pathways between tobacco marketing awareness and smoking intentions. The sample comprised 1121 adolescents in Wave 2 (pre-ban), 1123 in Wave 3 (mid-ban) and 1159 in Wave 4 (post-ban). Structural equation modelling was used to assess the direct effect of tobacco advertising and promotion on intentions at each wave, and also the indirect effect, mediated through normative influences. Pre-ban, higher levels of awareness of advertising and promotion were independently associated with higher levels of perceived sibling approval which, in turn, was positively related to intentions. Independent paths from perceived prevalence and benefits fully mediated the effects of advertising and promotion awareness on intentions mid- and post-ban. Advertising awareness indirectly affected intentions via the interaction between perceived prevalence and benefits pre-ban, whereas the indirect effect on intentions of advertising and promotion awareness was mediated by the interaction of perceived prevalence and benefits mid-ban. Our findings indicate that policy measures such as the TAPA can significantly reduce adolescents' smoking intentions by signifying smoking to be less normative and socially unacceptable.

Source: Brown, A. & Moodie, C. Health Education Research, 13 March 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/ygRBL

PQ: Glamorising smoking

Lord Laird (Crossbench) : To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Carter of Barnes on 23 March (WA 105) concerning the depiction of smoking in television programmes, whether they propose to restrict further the depiction of smoking as a glamorous lifestyle choice.

Lord Davies of Oldham (Deputy Chief Whip (House of Lords), HM Household; Labour): The depiction of smoking is already subject to strict controls under current arrangements with the broadcasters and the organisations that regulate broadcasting. It is a longstanding principle that Government do not interfere in programme matters, either on arrangements for scheduling or on content.

Source: Hansard Source – 02/04/2009 Column WA289
Link:  http://tiny.cc/tf1Ae

University College London chosen to develop training for Stop Smoking Workforce

A consortium headed up by University College London has been chosen by the Department of Health to head up a nationally accredited training system for NHS Stop Smoking practitioners. 

The UK is the only country in the world that has a network of free stop smoking services. As part of the drive to modernise and professionalise the work of these life-saving NHS services, in July 2007, Minister for Public Health Dawn Primarolo announced the government's intention to create a nationally accredited training system for the stop smoking workforce.

In October 2008, the Department of Health launched a procurement process to find an organisation to set up an NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation & Training (NCSCT) and develop evidence-based training systems for the stop smoking workforce. National charity Quit and NHS Leeds are both involved in University College London's bid.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said:

"We are delighted to announce that University College London will head up the training scheme. The winning bid offered an unrivalled blend of skills and experience that will be essential to the success of this challenging project. This has the potential to make an important national and international contribution to this key area of public health."

Subject to contract, the NCSCT is expected to be fully operational by the end of June 2009. The initial contract will be for a period of three years.

Source: The Department of Health, 30 March 2009
Link: http://tinyurl.com/c25ykp

Tobacco maker UST moves to Altria's Virginia HQ

Smokeless tobacco company UST Inc. has finished moving its operations from Connecticut to Richmond, where its new parent company, Altria Group Inc., is based. Altria bought the maker of the Copenhagen and Skoal smokeless tobacco brands in January in a deal valued at $10.4 billion, plus the assumption of $1.3 billion in debt.

Daniel Butler, president of UST's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, said that about 80 people are relocating from Stamford, Conn. Most have begun working at the Richmond office and the Center for Research and Technology, though others are still winding down operations in Connecticut over the coming months. About 350 people worked at the UST office.

Buying UST gives Altria a leading position in the expanding market for moist smokeless tobacco, which is chewed. Altria, owner of No. 1 U.S. cigarette maker Philip Morris USA, which sells the Marlboro brand in the U.S., now controls about 50 percent share of the tobacco industry and offers leading brands in each segment. Sales of smokeless tobacco have grown about 7 percent annually in recent years, and about 6.2 million Americans now use the products. Tobacco companies are aggressively pursuing smokeless tobacco as sales of cigarettes decline 3 percent to 4 percent each year.

"We think that there's a lot of fuel left in that tank to continue to drive cigarette smokers to adopt moist smokeless tobacco as part of their repertoire of tobacco products," Butler said in an interview before speaking at a country-western-themed introductory event for Altria employees that included a barbecue.

Altria hoped to enter the smokeless tobacco market on its own, capitalizing on its popular Marlboro brand with both moist smokeless tobacco and Snus, small, teabag-like pouches that users stick between their cheek and gum. It discontinued market tests of the moist smokeless product after the UST acquisition, but it is expanding tests of Marlboro Snus to Arizona with redesigned packaging and other improvements based on customer feedback, Altria spokesman David Sutton said.

Butler said UST cut wholesale prices of its premium products about 20 percent this week to grab more market share and bring its prices closer to those of competitors. "While we are very pleased with the success of our strategy to drive category growth in moist smokeless tobacco, we've been less than pleased with our ability to hold our share of the category," Butler said.

Altria also owns cigar maker John Middleton Co., Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. and a 29 percent stake in brewer SABMiller PLC.

Source: Yahoo Finance, 01 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/8JR1e

Dr Judith Mackay wins BMJ's Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Professor Judith Longstaff Mackay, was praised for her tireless and courageous campaigning on behalf of patients and public health care. In 1984, she started campaigning against the tobacco industry in Asia and was labelled "one of the three most dangerous people in the world" by the industry five years later. 

She is a consultant to the World Health Organisation and was instrumental in developing the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which places governments under international obligation to implement tobacco control policies. More than 162 countries are now signed up. Currently she works for the World Lung Foundation component of the Bloomberg Initiative to reduce tobacco use in low and middle income countries.

Speaking after the ceremony, Professor Mackay said: "Public health has always been the poor relation to curative medicine when it comes to funding and recognition. This award is therefore a great acknowledgment of the importance of public health in general, and tobacco control in particular. I think my biggest contribution has been motivating and supporting others, moving tobacco control in low income countries from the very lonely job of a quarter of a century ago to one today involving hundreds of people. I have been overwhelmed by the support from so many organisations and colleagues internationally and especially from Asia and Hong Kong."

Source: Globalink, 04 April 2009
Link: http://tiny.cc/kAmIC