August 6th, 2012
Romania Business Insider
An international crime ring that smuggled tobacco products into Romania from the Ukraine cost the economy around EUR 1 million. Members of the group, based in Satu Mare, were arrested by Romania’s counter terrorism and organized crime squad DIICOT, according to reports in the local media.
Romanians, Italians and Ukrainians were in the group, which hid cigarettes in various vehicles to bring them over the border from the Ukraine, according to information released by DIICOT.
Ioan Pop, Adolf Janos Komaromi, Dorin Sentianoşi,and Petru Constantin Borz are charged with smuggling tobacco and selling contraband in Romania.
August 3rd, 2012
By Alexandra Sifferlin /Time Magazine
Americans are consuming less tobacco overall, but public-health officials aren’t patting themselves on the back just yet. While cigarette consumption continues to decrease — dropping 33% from 2000 to 2011 — government data reveal a worrying new trend: a 123% increase in the consumption of other smokable tobacco products like cigars and pipes.
The findings are reported in this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which tracks “combustible” tobacco consumption since 2000. The data suggest that while consumption is declining overall, some cigarette smokers are simply switching to cigars and other types of tobacco to get their nicotine fix, because these products aren’t taxed the same way as cigarettes and are therefore cheaper.
July 27th, 2012
Editor’s Note: Calls for additional regulation should be based upon some potential threat to public health; the following study does not meet this criterion.
Study Suggests Current and Former Smokers Are Turning to Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes are picking up steam — and not surprisingly, especially among smokers.
That is the main message that comes from a new study in the American Journal of Public Health.
About 40% of individuals reported they had heard of e-cigarettes, and awareness was highest among smokers. What’s more, smokers seem to be among the most likely to use e-cigarettes.
