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EUROPEAN NEWS BULLETIN - EU9824 22 JUNE 1998 (fwd)
Globalink's European News Bulletin follows
Robert Weissman
Essential Information | Internet: rob@essential.org
EUROPEAN NEWS BULLETIN - EU9824 22 JUNE 1998
CONTENTS:
EUROPE - GENERAL
UK: Tobacco subsidies.
EUROPE - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
FINLAND: Amer interim report 1-4/1998.
FINLAND: Non smoking diploma for Silja ship.
FRANCE: Fine for tobacco advertising.
FRANCE: Review of the shredded tobacco market.
FRANCE: Sales of cigarettes in March 1998.
FRANCE: Taxes on tobacco in 1996.
NETHERLANDS: Smoking and risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in a
population-based cohort study: the Rotterdam Study.
NORWAY: Survey on smoking.
SWITZERLAND: New tobacco commission formed.
UK: Adverts do have effect, say young smokers.
UK: BAT boss barred safe cigarette.
UK: Smoker wins legal aid for tobacco writ.
EASTERN EUROPE - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
POLAND: New warning label law takes effect.
INTERNATIONAL - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
USA: Victory for tobacco groups as $516bn bill is blocked - move by US
Senate effectively kills deal to settle lawsuits.
EUROPE - GENERAL
UK: Tobacco subsidies.
In a written parliamentary question Paul Flynn (Labour, Newport
West) asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how
much was paid by the EU to subsidise the growing of tobacco in
the last year for which figures were available.
In a written response Jeffrey Rooker, the Minister of State and
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,
noted that in 1997 the EU spent 998 million ECU (L725 million)*
on subsidies under the EU tobacco regime. None of this was spent
in the United Kingdom. *1997 exchange rate used: L1 = 1.3758 ECU.
Source: House of Commons Hansard WA Col 344 04/6/98
EUROPE - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
FINLAND: Amer interim report 1-4/1998.
Finland's Amer Group, a diversified company with tobacco and
sports equipment subsidiaries, reported a profit of Fmk 21mn
(US$ 3.8mn) in January-April 1998 (compared with a loss of Fmk
12mn in the same period in 1997). The Group recorded a loss before
taxes and extraordinary items of Fmk 13mn (Fmk -49mn in 1997).
Turnover amounted to Fmk 1,532mn (Fmk 1,477mn in 1997). The sports
equipment group accounted for 90% of the turnover and Amer Tobacco
for 10%. The market position of Amer Tobacco is expected to remain
strong in 1998.
Source: Amer Group/Press Release (XFB) 04 Jun 1998 p.1-9
Language: FINNISH No. 06640351
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
FINLAND: Non smoking diploma for Silja ship.
The Wasa Jubilee ship of the Finnish shipping company Silja Line
is the first cruise ship in Europe to be granted the Non Smoking
Europe diploma. Apart from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain
and Italy take part in the WHO's Non Smoking Europe project. Wasa
Jubilee has rigorously promoted the non-smoking policy, over 70%
of the ship's premises are totally smoke-free.
Source: Pohjalainen (ZNO) 04 Jun 1998 p.6
Language: FINNISH No.06640012
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
FRANCE: Fine for tobacco advertising.
The 31st chamber of the Paris Trade Court has fined two weekly
magazines for publishing, in February 1991, advertisements for
Winston Way and 36.15 Winston Way. The court ruled that the
advertisements were a form of indirect advertising for cigarettes.
The Nouvel Observateur magazine was fined FFr 50,000 and Telerama
was fined FFr 100,000.
Source: LibZration (AMJ) 9 Jun 1998 p.41
Language: FRENCH No. 06640419
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
FRANCE: Review of the shredded tobacco market.
Shredded tobacco, benefiting from the rise in cigarette prices,
recorded a 7.36% rise in volume market share in 1997, compared
with a 4.8% rise in 1992, and a 3.7% rise in value, compared with
a 2.3% rise in 1992. The market is lead by hand rolling tobacco
sales, with 4,767 tonnes in 1997, up 10.5% from 1996, while 2,046
tonnes of pipe tobacco were sold, down 8.3%. Although the market
is dominated by four major manufacturers - SEITA, Douwe Egberts,
Rothmans Tobacco and British American Tobacco, small foreign
manufacturers are gaining ground in France. Their market share
rose from 11.6% in 1996 to 17.1% in 1997, and reached 20.2% in the
first quarter of 1998. These 'other manufacturers' include the
Belgian companies Gryson NV and Baelen (700 tonnes per year).
Source: Revue des Tabacs (YZW) May 1998 p.36-37
Language: FRENCH No. 06639663
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
FRANCE: Sales of cigarettes in March 1998.
In France sales of cigarettes totalled 6.9bn units in March 1998,
up 8.9% from March 1997, compared with a 6.4% drop from March 1996
to March 1997. Sales of Virginia tobacco cigarettes rose 12.8%
for full strength cigarettes and 12.4% for lower tar/nicotine
cigarettes over a one month period. Three brands benefited from
this rise: Marlboro, the leading brand on the market, recorded a
3.1% rise in March 1998 with a 29.6% volume market share, Camel
recorded a 0.5% rise with a 5.6% market share, and Philip Morris
rose 0.5%, with a 5.1% market share. The market shares of the other
top ten brands decreased slightly. SEITA is the leading manufacturer
on the total market, with a 35.6% market share, down 2% in March
1998, followed by Philip Morris with a 32.8% market share, up 2.9%.
Philip Morris is the leader of the Virginia tobacco market with a
42% market share, up 2.3%, followed by Rothmans with a 19.7% market
share, down 0.7%, and SEITA with a 17.8% market share, up 0.2%. Sales
of Philip Morris King Filter increased 56.6% in March 1998, followed
by Marlboro Red BKS 10, up 41.8%, Marlboro Lights 20 KS, up 30.2%,
Camel BKS, up 28.1% and Marlboro BKS, up 21.4%.
Source: Revue des Tabacs (YZW) May 1998 p.25-26
Language: FRENCH No. 06639661
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
FRANCE: Taxes on tobacco in 1996.
In 1996 the French Government received FFr 54bn in taxes from
tobacco sales, and 1% of this revenue came from tobacco sales
to young smokers - sixteen year olds. In the same year, expenditure
on smoking prevention amounted to FFr 2.6mn.
Source: Impact MZdecin (XMZ) 29 May 1998 p.41
Language: FRENCH No. 06641051
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
NETHERLANDS: Smoking and risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease
in a population-based cohort study: the Rotterdam Study.
Smokers are more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's
disease as non-smokers, according to new research in The Lancet.
The finding from a study of almost 7,000 men and women is
significant as previous research has suggested that smoking
provided some protection against dementia. According to the study,
although previous research has suggested a protective effect of
smoking on Alzheimer's disease, most of the research were case-
control studies based on prevalent cases. The findings of prospective
studies on the association between smoking and the risk of dementia
were also inconclusive. Given this, a population-based follow-up
study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands was undertaken of elderly people
who were initially free of dementia. Subjects were 6,870 people aged
55 years and older. Smoking history was taken at baseline and
participants were classified as never smokers, former smokers, and
current smokers. During re-examination, all incident cases of
dementia were recorded. Never smokers were used as the reference
category to calculate relative risks of dementia and Alzheimer's
disease (using a regression model), after adjustment for age, sex,
education, and alcohol intake. An examination was also undertaken
of modification of risk by age, sex, and the apolipoprotein E (APOE)
genotype (an earlier study had shown that in early-onset Alzheimer's
disease, the possible protective effect of smoking was limited to
carriers of the apolipoprotein e4 (APOE4). Re-examination of the
subjects was undertaken on an average of 2.1 years (range 1.5-3.4).
During re-examination 146 incident cases of dementia were detected,
of which 105 were Alzheimer's disease. Compared with never smokers,
smokers had an increased risk of dementia (relative risk 2.2) and
Alzheimer's disease (2.3). Smoking was a strong risk factor for
Alzheimer's disease in individuals without the APOEe4 allele (4.6),
but had no effect in participants with this allele (0.6). The study
concluded that smoking was associated with a doubling of the risk
of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The evidence that carriers
of the APOEe4 had no increased risk of dementia suggested an
interaction between smoking and the APOEe4 genotype in the aetiology
of Alzheimer's disease. (Author abstract.)
Source: The Lancet 1998; 351: 1840-43 20/6/98; The Independent
19/6/98; The Guardian 19/6/98
NORWAY: Survey on smoking.
The results of a ten-year survey involving 12,658 smokers in
Finnmark, Norway indicates that giving up smoking gets easier if
the smoker cuts down on coffee, alcohol, butter and margarine
consumption. What is more, those smokers who had smoked for only
a short period and socialised mainly with non-smokers found it
easier to give up smoking. Between 1987-1997, 20% of the men and
16% of the women who participated in the survey had given up
smoking. Those who had smoked long enough to develop certain
smoking-related ailments such as smoker's cough as well as those
who were shift workers experienced the greatest difficulties in
giving up smoking. However, those who had suffered a heart attack
or a stroke or other life-threatening diseases were more inclined
to give up smoking even though more than 50% of them continued to
smoke. In Norway, overall, 33% of men and 32% of women are smokers
and about 25% of them have tried to stop smoking over the past
twelve months. The results of the survey were published in the
latest issue of the Norwegian medical magazine Tidsskrift for Den
norske laegeforening.
Source: Bergens Tidende (XSK) 30 May 1998 p.03
Language: NORWEGIAN No. 06640344
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
SWITZERLAND: New tobacco commission formed.
The Swiss interior ministry has formed a new tobacco commission
consisting of 14 members representing the health care sector. The
previous tobacco commission, which was dissolved in February 1998
following accusations that it had become a mere "paper tiger", had
also included representatives of the tobacco and advertising industries.
The new tobacco commission will support the interior and health
ministries in their efforts to reduce tobacco consumption. Among
other things, a tobacco advertising ban similar to the European
Union's advertising directive will be developed. Other aspects
are efficient prevention of tobacco consumption, particularly
through campaigns aimed at teenagers, and protection of non-
smokers from passive smoking. Also, the commission is to further
examine the evidence on the effect of higher tobacco taxation on
reducing cigarette consumption. In Switzerland the number of 13-to-
14-year-olds who smoke every day more than doubled between 1986 and
1994 and now amounts to 4.1% of the age group. In the age group of
15-to-16-year olds 14.6% are regular smokers.
Source: Der Bund (XGK) 05 Jun 1998 p.14 Language: GERMAN No. 06641095
Source: Information Access Company 19/6/98
UK: Adverts do have effect, say young smokers.
The results of a survey published this month (June) shows that
teenage smokers cite tobacco advertising for influencing them
to take-up smoking. The report entitled, "Young People in 1997",
produced by the Schools Health Education Unit at Exeter University,
questioned 37,538 children aged between nine and sixteen about a
variety of health and lifestyle issues. The findings show that
more than 71 per cent of under-aged smokers said that they were
swayed by tobacco advertisements and tobacco industry sponsorship
of sporting events. More than a third of the smokers said that
advertising had "quite a lot" of influence on their decision to
smoke. The results of the survey confirm other surveys which show
that young motor racing fans are more likely to smoke. The findings
will intensify the debate on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
Dave Regis, a researcher with Exeter University's schools health
education unit, said: "The cigarette industry's line on advertising
is that it merely encourages adult smokers to change brands. The
actual effect, in the opinion of the young smokers, is different.
Other surveys have suggested that young people are affected by
tobacco advertising. Now this is the evidence of youngsters
themselves." The survey, compiled since 1976 by questioning
schoolchildren across the UK, has found a steady increase in the
proportion of teenagers who smoke and who drink alcohol. A quarter
of boys aged 14-15 and almost 30 per cent of girls in the same
age group said they had smoked at least one cigarette in the week
before responding to the questionnaire. (Half bought their cigarettes
from a shop.) In the same period 70 per cent of 15 and 16-year-olds
and 20 per cent of nine and 10-year-olds had consumed alcohol.
Source: Daily Telegraph 17/6/98; Daily Mail 17/6/98; The Express 17/6/09
UK: BAT boss barred safe cigarette.
Internal documents by the tobacco company BAT show that the former
chairman Sir Patrick Sheehy refused to support plans to develop a
safe cigarette. He did so on the ground that developing such a
cigarette would imply that ordinary cigarettes were 'unsafe'.
Commenting on the revelation, Clive Bates, Director of ASH, said:
"It shows that the boss of BAT chose not to give a higher priority
to safe cigarettes for PR reasons." In the memorandum Sheehy says:
"I cannot support your contention that we should give a higher
priority to projects aimed at developing a 'safe' cigarette." He
argued that a safe cigarette without cancer-causing elements was
"probably unattainable," and proposed that BAT should devote effort
towards making ordinary cigarettes "acceptable to the authorities
and the public".
ASH is to publish a comprehensive review of tobacco industry
documents which have been released as a result of tobacco litigation
in the US. ASH say that the documents show how the industry have been
lying since the late 50s about the dangers of smoking.
Source: The Observer 21/6/98; Sunday Business 21/6/98
UK: Smoker wins legal aid for tobacco writ.
An ex-smoker, Mr Raymond Kelly, has been given legal aid to sue
Imperial Tobacco on the grounds that the company's negligence led
to his emphysema. This is the first case in England in which a
smoker has been granted legal aid to sue a tobacco company for
damages. Mr Kelly began smoking in the 1940s. He smoked untipped
Capstan and Players cigarette brands until the early 1990s when
he was told by his doctors to stop smoking. His solicitor Ruth
Powell confirmed that a writ had been issued on his behalf. She
said: "Mr Kelly has suffered an injury caused by the negligence
of Imperial Tobacco. Our medical evidence rules out any other
contributory factors, such as working in heavy industry as an
explanation for Mr Kelly's illness. Our client's health is poor
and he may not live to see the fruition of this litigation, but
feels that he should pursue it for his family and others. There
are a lot of people out there suffering problems with smoking
which are not cancer. It may be possible for them to get legal
aid to bring a case." Nearly 50 cancer sufferers have filed writs
claiming British tobacco firms failed to take action when the
cancer risk from smoking became known in the fifties. But their
action is not legally aided.
Source: Mail on Sunday 21/6/98
EASTERN EUROPE - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
POLAND: New warning label law takes effect.
On Sunday, 14 June 1998, it became illegal to sell packs of
cigarettes in Poland that do not carry the warning labels described
in the comprehensive tobacco control legislation signed into law
in January 1996. This applies to cigarette producers, wholesalers
and retailers. Violators risk a 25,000 zloty (approx. 7,000 USD)
fine. The labels must cover 30% of each of the two largest sides
of a cigarette pack, and read "TOBACCO SMOKING CAUSES CANCER" on
one side and "TOBACCO SMOKING CAUSES HEART DISEASE" on the other.
This is the last provision of the legislation to take effect. The
30-month delay was due to repeated efforts by the tobacco industry
to have the provision repealed on the grounds that it was far out
of line with the EU regulations that Poland is supposed to be
moving towards. Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry in Poland
has stopped lauding EU regulations since the May 13 European
Parliament vote to ban advertising and promotion. But the
industry trade group, representing 12 producers from 7 countries,
immediately initiated an information campaign to discredit ad
bans, without making any mention of the EU decision. The new labels
began to appear on the Polish market in April. Always ready to make
the best of a defeat, the tobacco industry was quick to provide
the press with new statistics showing how much the new labels will
hurt the Polish economy. According to Philip Morris,Marlboro sales
along the border with Germany have dropped nearly 50% since the new
labels appeared in late April. (Apparently German bargain hunters
were intimidated by the labels, even though they could not understand
them, and thus returned to their own more expensive but less
frightening domestic smokes.) Philip Morris calculates a corresponding
loss in Polish tax revenues of roughly 1.7 million USD. A year ago,
while arguing for the repeal, the industry claimed that the package
label change would cost around 100 million USD. The same source now
says the cost was roughly 30 million Polish zloties, or well under
10% of the prediction. Let us hope that cigarette producers are also
wrong by a factor of more than ten in their prediction of the change
in consumption levels as a result of the ban. Malgorzata Kowalczyk
of the industry trade group says the expected the expected decline
this year is about 2 billion pieces. Unfortunately this is only a
marginal change in a market where more than 90 billion cigarettes
were consumed last year, we would be much happier if the drop were
closer to 20bn.
Source: GLOBALink Communication from Scott Thompson, Center for
Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, Warsaw, Poland 16/6/98
INTERNATIONAL - SPECIFIC COUNTRIES
USA: Victory for tobacco groups as $516bn bill is blocked - move
by US Senate effectively kills deal to settle lawsuits.
The US Senate has effectively killed the controversial $516bn
(L311bn)tobacco bill after a month of debate. In what is seen as
a series of procedural outmanoeuvres, Republican opponents of the
bill were able to defeat a proposal to end debate on the measure
and then send the bill back to committee for further consideration.
On both votes, the bill's supporters fell just short of the 60
votes needed to keep it alive. The result is a victory for the
tobacco industry which had spent over $40m in a national advertising
campaign against the measure, portraying the bill as an unjustified
tax increase on smokers. The bill, based on an agreement negotiated
a year ago between the tobacco industry in the US and state
attorneys general, would have:
settled a range of lawsuits between the industry and over 40
states; expanded the regulatory authority on nicotine for the
Food and Drug Administration; increased the price of cigarettes
by 70p a packet over five years; and funded a wide range of public
health measures.
Commenting on the outcome of the Senate's vote, Senator John McCain,
a Republican and chief author of the Bill, said: "It's not about
taxes. This bill is about whether we are going to allow the death
march of 418,000 Americans a year who die early from tobacco-
related diseases. The losers are America's children." President
Bill Clinton, a supporter of the bill, vowed to keep fighting for
the measure saying: "I want the tobacco lobby and its allies on
Capital Hill to know that from my point of view this battle is
far from over."
The latest reports are that House Republican leaders have announced
that they will table a narrowly focused bill aimed at curbing
teenage smoking and drug use next month. The move, however, has
been criticised by the Democrats and public health groups who have
stated that the approach was "worse than nothing at all". The
Republican response may be due to fears that the Democrats will be
able to use the defeat of the Bill as vote winner in upcoming
elections. Democrats have said that the issue will not go away
and the White House press secretary, Michael McCurry, has stated
that: "There is no such thing as a slimmed down tobacco bill which
protects kids from tobacco smoking."
Source: Financial Times 18/6/98; The Guardian 18/6/98; Wall Street
Journal (Europe) 22/6/98; International Herald Tribune 20/6/98
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