European Bulletin EU9903 25th January 1999 (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

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!#  GLOBALink Tobacco - Weekly European News Bulletin
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                EUROPEAN BULLETIN - EU9903 25TH JANUARY 1999
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CONTENTS:

EUROPE:

DENMARK: FIRST NO-SMOKING HOSPITAL.
FINLAND: GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL COMMENTS ON THE TOBACCO LAWSUIT.
FINLAND: RJ REYNOLDS ACQUISITION APPROVED.
GERMANY: BAT SALES UP 3 PERCENT.
POLAND/UK: JAPAN TOBACCO INCREASES CIGARETTE EXPORTS.
PORTUGAL: TOBACCO PRODUCTION UP IN 1998
SPAIN: TABACALERA INCREASES CIGARETTE PRICES.
SPAIN: TABACALERA OPENS CAFETERIA.

INTERNATIONAL:
HONG KONG: TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS IN YEAR 2000.
JAPAN: 1 PERCENT FALL IN SMOKING RATE IN 1998.
PAKISTAN: EXPORT OF TOBACCO SURGED.
USA: PRESIDENT CLINTON RENEWS ATTACK ON TOBACCO.
WORLD: TABACALERA PRESENTS "FOR 0,7".


EUROPE

DENMARK: FIRST NO-SMOKING HOSPITAL.

The hospital in Aabenraa, Denmark is the first Danish hospital to become
100% smoke-free. The non-smoking policy will be tested for two years and the
hospital expects to treat patients from all over Denmark.

Source: Information Access Company 27/12/98 

FINLAND: GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL COMMENTS ON THE TOBACCO LAWSUIT.

The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has followed the lawsuit
against Suomen Tupakka and Rettig with interest. A Government spokesman,
Tapani Melkas, noted that it had been scientifically proven that tobacco
causes diseases.  He remarked that compensations had been awarded for
diseases caused by mold in buildings, even though no epidermiological proof
had been demanded for mold diseases.

Source: Information Access Company 06/01/99

FINLAND: R.J. REYNOLDS ACQUISITION APPROVED.

The Finnish Office of  Free Competition has approved the selling of  R.J.
Reynolds,  Finland to the French company, Seita. The deal includes local
cigarette and rolling-tobacco brands as well as the contract to sell
Camel-tobacco in Finland. The company will be re-named Seita Tupakka.
 
Source: Information Access Company 05/01/99

GERMANY: BAT SALES UP 3 PERCENT.

In 1998, British American Tobacco Germany saw a 3 percent increase in sales
of cigarettes to 24.9 billion. As cigarette consumption in Germany increased
by 0.7 percent to 171 billion cigarettes, BAT's market share rose by 0.3
percent to 18 percent. Growth was generated by the Lucky Strike brand, which
saw its market share rise from 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent. The market share
of BAT's biggest brand, HB, fell by 0.5 percent to 6.6 percent. Beside
domestic sales, BAT reports exports or foreign licence  production of 13.8
billion cigarettes. Turnover rose from DM 5.4 billion to DM 5.7 billion.

Source: Information Access Company 06/01/99

POLAND/UK: JAPAN TOBACCO INCREASES CIGARETTE EXPORTS.

Japan Tobacco Inc. has boosted its cigarette exports to Poland by shipping
more  products from its unit in the UK to Poland.. Manchester Tobacco
Company, a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco, makes around five billion cigarettes
yearly. The Japanese firm has been making and marketing its cigarettes in
Poland from its unit in Germany.

Source: Information Access Company 21/12/98

PORTUGAL: TOBACCO PRODUCTION UP IN 1998.

According to the Portuguese tobacco association, APT, tobacco production in
1998   registered a 10% increase. Tobacco sales totalled Esc 3,000 million
and Virginia Tobacco production amounted to 6,000 tonnes.

Source: Information Access Company 04/01/99

SPAIN: TABACALERA INCREASES CIGARETTE PRICE.

In order to strengthen its margins and to make cigarette prices similar to
those in  Europe, the Spanish tobacco producer Tabacalera increased the
price of its brands by  10 pesetas. An identical move is expected in the
next few, or weeks, from the rest of the tobacco producers. Out of the 10
pesetas increase, 6.7 pesetas goes to the Treasury Ministry, 2.37 pesetas to
increase Tabacalera's gross margin and 0.85 pesetas to the newsagents.

Source: Information Access Company 30/12/98 

SPAIN: TABACALERA OPENS CAFETERIA.

The Spanish tobacco company Tabacalera has signed an agreement with the
Dutch company Bayeux Holding for the opening of a cafeteria in Madrid named
'Ducados' in the second half of  January 1999, as a way to advertise its
dark tobacco brand Ducados. If the test is successful, Tabacalera may
consider the possibility of  opening more outlets elsewhere. The conditions
of the agreement have not been revealed.

Source: Information Access Company 28/12/98

INTERNATIONAL

HONG KONG: TOTAL BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS IN YEAR 2000.

Hong Kong will introduce a total ban on tobacco advertisements in printed
publications by January 1st 2000. Marcus Yu, Executive Director of Hong Kong
Council on Smoking and Health said: "There should be no room for the
cigarette industry to place advertisements on local newspapers in Hong Kong."

Source: Correspondence from Marcus Yu, Hong Kong Council on Smoking and
Health, via Globalink 25/01/99 

JAPAN: 1 PERCENT FALL IN SMOKING RATE IN 1998.

According to Japan Tobacco Inc., the smoking rate percentage fell 1 percent
to 33.6 percent in Japan for 1998. The total number of smokers dropped  by
770,000 to 33.28 million in 1998. Male smokers consume 24.1 cigarettes daily
while female smokers
consume 17.1 cigarettes daily. The number of male smokers declined 220,000
to  26.47 million and its smoking rate reduced by 0.9 percent to 55.2
percent. The number of female smokers reduced by 550,000 to 6.81 million and
the smoking rate reduced by 1.2 percent to 13.3 percent.

Source: Information Access Company 14/12/98

PAKISTAN: EXPORT OF TOBACCO SURGED.

According to the Pakistan Tobacco Board, export of tobacco earned Pakistan
RS 86.96 million for July to October 1998, as against RS 30.79 million
earned in the same
period in 1997.

Source: Information Access Company 02/01/98

USA: PRESIDENT CLINTON RENEWS ATTACK ON TOBACCO.

On Tuesday 19th January, President Bill Clinton announced in his State of
the Union speech that the US Justice Department would file a lawsuit to
recover the federal government's costs of treating smoking-related diseases.
News of the pending lawsuit was a surprise to the tobacco companies, which
two months ago reached a settlement to pay 46 states $206 billion and submit
to advertising and marketing restrictions. President Clinton said that
smoking had cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars as sick smokers
sought treatment under Medicare and other federal programs. Administration
officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Justice
Department had formed a task force of lawyers to prepare the suit. The
officials would not say when it would be filed against the tobacco industry.

Source: International Herald Tribune, The Guardian, The Times, Financial
Times 21/01/99

WORLD: TABACALERA PRESENTS 'FOR 0,7'.

'For 0,7' is a new programme presented by Fortuna, the main cigarette brand
of the Spanish tobacco operator Tabacalera, to finance development projects
for the Third World. Tabacalera will give 0.7 percent of profits on all
cigarette sales during 1999 to "humanitarian interest projects". individuals
from the Spanish culture, sport and artistic world will form part of the
board in charge of supervising and co-ordinating the funds.

Source: Information Access Company 05/01/99, The Lancet Vol 353, 23/01/99

Comment: This is another example of a tobacco company attempting to impose
its self-image by doing "good works" in developing countries. The hidden
agenda will be the increased exposure of its brands which may well be
followed up by a more direct marketing campaign.

ASH
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London W1H 9PL
UK
Tel: 0171-224 0743
Fax: 0171-224 0471
http://www.ash.org.uk