European Bulletin - EU9920 24/5/99

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

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!#  GLOBALink Tobacco - Weekly European News Bulletin
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EUROPEAN BULLETIN – EU9920  24TH MAY 1999


Headlines

Europe:

Finland: 19 percent of women and 28 percent of men smoke.
Finland: Smoking affects soldiers’ teeth.
Norway: Backache is more common among smokers.
Norway: Petroleum fund will no longer invest in tobacco.
Norway: School starts anti-smoking relay race.
Spain: Tabacalera recovering market share.

International:

New Zealand: More funding for smokers’ helpline.
USA: Increase in demands for cigarette rolling machines.


Full Text

Europe:


Finland: 19 percent of women and 28 percent of men smoke.

According to the National Public Health Institution, 19% of Finnish
women and 28% of Finnish men smoke. Smoking is increasing amongst
women while decreasing amongst men.
Source: Information Access Company 07/05/99


Finland: Smoking affects soldiers’ teeth.

According to a recent study, Finnish soldiers who smoke suffer nearly
twice as much from dental caries than their non-smoking colleagues.
The condition of the soldiers’ teeth deteriorated in relation to the
number of cigarettes smoked per day.
Source: Information Access Company 07/05/99



Norway: Backache is more common among smokers.

According to the latest study headed by Dr Willy Eriksen of the
University of Oslo, smokers with heavy physical jobs are more often
afflicted by back pains compared with their non-smoking peers. Sixty
percent of smokers with heavy physical work suffer from backache
compared with 44% of  nonsmokers.  Willy Eriksen says the research
group has taken into account other factors that may affect both back
pain and smoking habits.  Eriksen says it is possible that the reduced
blood supply to the backbone caused by smoking could be the reason
behind pains. Eriksen also says that long-term nicotine intake could
affect the central nervous system so as to change pain impulses. The
survey involved around 1,800 people aged 20-72.  The results of the
study have been published in the medical magazine Occupational
Medicine.
Source: Information Access Company 07/05/99


Norway: Petroleum fund will no longer invest in tobacco.

The Norwegian government has tightened up the investment regulations
for the Norwegian Petroleum Fund and stipulated in its spring budget
that the Fund will no longer be allowed to invest funds in
international companies with tobacco as their main operation. Major
investments in tobacco companies such as Philip Morris were made by
the Fund earlier. However, no restrictions will be placed regarding
investments in other controversial operations such as gambling and
alcohol production.

Source: Information Access Company 11/05/99


Norway: School starts anti-smoking relay race.

Sixth-formers and teachers at Fagerborg’s school in Oslo have
initiated a campaign to make their school smoke-free and to spread
this message to other schools as well.  To support their campaign they
have started an anti-smoking relay race challenging three other
schools in the area. In the course of the past months an increasing
number of pupils at Faberborg’s school have given up smoking,
according to teacher Anne-Berit Leganger who is of the opinion that
giving up smoking is now considered trendy at the school.
Source: Information Access Company 06/05/99


Spain: Tabacalera recovering market share.

In the first four months of 1999, Spanish cigarette company Tabacalera
has recovered some of the market share lost over recent years to
Philip Morris in the Virginia tobacco cigarette market in Spain. While
Tabacalera had a share of 35.2% in 1997, compared to Philip Morris’
35.3%, in 1998 Tabacalera slipped to 32% while the US company
increased its share to 39.8%.  In the first four months of 1999,
Tabacalera’s share has risen to 34.1% compared to 33.3% in the same
period in 1998, while Philip Morris’ share in January-April, 1999 was
38.3%, down some from 38.5% one year earlier.   In light brands,
Tabacalera’s share stood at 38.9% in January-April, 1999 compared to
29.5% on year earlier. Philip Morris’ share in light brands has
slipped from 47.7% in this period to 37.6% in the first four months of
1999.  Tabacalera’s leading brands are Fortuna and Nobel.
Source: Information Access Company 12/05/99


International:


New Zealand: More funding for smokers’ helpline.

The Smokefree Coalition has called for more funding for the national
smokers’ helpline in New Zealand. The coalition announced this in
response to the new Quitline toll-free phone service launched by the
Prime Minister.  Quitline aims to motivate people to quit smoking as
the 4,500 smoke-related deaths is eight times higher than road deaths.
Nevertheless, the NZ$ 800,000 allocated to promote Quitline is
considerably less than the NZ$ 8 million allocated for TV advertising
of road safety.  The Smokefree Coalition argues that this indicates
the Government’s lack of commitment to lower smoking levels in the
country.
Source: Information Access Company 07/05/99


USA: Increase in demands for cigarette rolling machines.

Manufacturers of cigarette rolling machines such as CTC of Canada have
noted a boom in demand for their products since the landmark tobacco
settlement.  This pushed up prices of packet cigarettes but did not
affect the roll-your-own sector, because of a tax loophole. Smokers in
California - where cigarette taxes are high - can save about US$ 1,300
per year. Brown & Williamson, a unit of British American Tobacco,
reports sales of 125,000 cigarette rolling machines a month, while
sales of loose tobacco have risen by 30% since the tobacco settlement.
This year, sales of loose tobacco and the rolling equipment should
total US$ 110mn.

Source: Information Access Company 12/05/99


Action on Smoking and Health
16 Fitzhardinge Street
London W1H 9PL
Tel: +44  (0)171-224 0743
Fax: +44 (0)171-224 0471
Web: http://www.ash.org.uk