World No Tobacco Day - May 31

Sunday was World no Tobacco Day. In the world-wide effort, The World Health Organization is recommending stronger labeling and placing graphic images on the packaging of cigarettes. The WHO claim that graphic images and clear labels educate consumers and decrease smoking rates.

India recently joined 20 other countries such as Australia by implementing a policy to place graphic images and warnings on their cigarette packages. Realizing the cost in human lives and health care expenditures, India has been making strong advances in tobacco control in the last couple of years. They currently have a policy for smoke-free public places, bars and restaurants.

World Health Organization Recomends R Rating for Movies Containing Tobacco Use

CYAN Reports - This morning the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report recommending that all future movies with smoking scenes be given an adult rating. The report also recommends that movie studios should:

• certify that they received no payoffs from tobacco companies to display tobacco products or their use
• stop displaying tobacco brands onscreen
• require strong anti-tobacco advertisements before all movies that have tobacco imagery

This report is another great resource for you and your Smoke Free Movies campaign. To download the full copy of the WHO’s report, please visit: http://www.who.int/tobacco/smoke_free_movies/en/index.html

Congress Looking at Candy-Flavored Smokeless Tobacco

Take a look at this article about a new product being test-marketed in Ohio. The product is called Orbs, which is a smokeless tobacco product that has a sweet flavor, looks like breath mints, and is full of nicotine.

Ad Wars!

Have tobacco control adds gone too far?  Are the tobacco control folks trying to deceive and manipulate the public with anti-tobacco ads?  Check out these two gems put out by the tobacco industry in the past.  Who is showing tobacco for what it really is?

E-Smokes = Dangerous?

Check out this article in the San Jose Mercury News! Some questions to consider: Do you think E-Cigarettes are deadly? Should they be regulated? Do they cause chronic disease?

Sacramento Supports Smoke-Free Outdoor Areas

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ACT-UP Public Opinion Survey:  Smoke-Free Policies in Outdoor Public Areas

During the months of October and November 2008, the Asian Coalition for Tobacco Use Prevention (ACT-UP) Project surveyed 338 members of the public about their opinion of smoke-free policies in outdoor public areas.  Members of ACT-UP conducted the survey at three locations: Cal Expo, Prairie Elementary School, and Sacramento State University.

 

The results of the survey are as follows:

 

·        65% of respondents reported they saw at least one person smoking at the site

·        67% believed that smoking is an issue in the Sacramento community

·        79% reported that the Sacramento community would benefit from stronger non-smoking policies in public outdoor areas

·        50% said they would be more likely to go to a public outdoor area if there was a smoke-free policy in place (only 14% said they would be less likely)

 

It is evident from the survey results that a majority of the public who participated in the survey is in favor of smoke-free policies in outdoor public areas in Sacramento.

Youth Across the Globe Target Tobacco

Youth are taking action around the world.  At the 14th World Conference on Health OR Tobacco (WCTOH), youth from more than 27 countries are expressing their disdain with Big Tobacco's influence in the movies.    As reported in the Modern Ghana by Bobby-Ramakant:

"One of the major influences on the uptake of teen tobacco use is the glamourisation of tobacco use in movies and on television. This has been well documented by comprehensive research studies in India and US. On-screen or smoking in public view by bollywood film-stars will influence young minds to smoke."

In a similar force of action in Sacramento, teens will attend Youth Quest 2009 Monday, March 23 to rally at the State Capitol and celebrate California's tobacco-control movement.