How To Rig A Public Consultation?
Published on 2012-05-17 09:20:00.
Website: Dick Puddlecote
If you were a responsible politician keen on delivering fair and transparent government, who would you appoint to impartially evaluate evidence pertaining to a public consultation? A crossbench Lord? An impartial judge? A retired police commissioner or business leader?
Well, looking at the impact assessment for the ongoing consultation on plain packaging, Andrew Lansley's Department of Health seem to have plumped for none of the above (from page 28).
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| Much to the chagrin of smoking ban lobbyists, cold turkey is the most successful way to quit smoking
Published on 2012-05-17 08:12:00.
Website: Clearing The Air
Why would smoking ban lobbyists care how smokers kick their habit? Because the smoking ban lobbyists American Lung Assn., American Cancer Society, American Non-Smoker's Rights, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, etc. are funded $446+ million by a foundation, (RWJF), with strong ties to Johnson & Johnson Company which manufactures and/or owns Nicoderm, Nicorette, Nicotrol, Commit, etc.
Most, if not all of the lobbyists aforementioned would not have had the money or desire to lobby for smoking bans if not funded and instructed by their puppeteers at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
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Tabac: cigarettes BAT à prix cassés
Published on 2012-05-17 04:02:01.
Website: Accueil
(ATS): "Tabac: BAT lance des paquets pas chers en Australie
"British American Tobacco (BAT) a lancé des paquets de cigarettes à bas prix en Australie. Cette annonce qui a suscité jeudi la colère du gouvernement engagé depuis des mois dans un bras de fer avec les fabricants de tabac.
"BAT justifie cette décision par la hausse des taxes sur les cigarettes - +25% en 2010 - qui a poussé les consommateurs vers les cigarettes de contrebande et celles à très bas coûts.
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| BAT produces cheaper brand to compete with illegal tobacco in Australia
Published on 2012-05-17 02:50:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
The story is here. British American Tobacco claims to have lost market share to unregulated tobacco since a 25 per cent tax rise two years ago. It has produced a budget pack of cigarettes in order to win back some of its customers. The pack sells at a small margin over the price of illegal tobacco.
The Health Minister claims not to be convinced that this is a matter of commercial survival, and accuses BAT of targeting children. As Health Minister she is sheltered from the commercial realities of competing in a market like tobacco, and 'targeting children' is an accusation that it is all too easy to make
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Less anti-smoking advertising under the Coalition
Published on 2012-05-17 02:21:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
House on fire? Or maybe someone's just burned the toast?
No, it's someone smoking at the door, facing outdoors. From Brand Republic
In this piece, Brand Republic speculates about the future of anti-smoking advertising in the current review and overhaul of government's central communications.
Anti-smoking ads were backed with a £26.7 million budget in 2008/09, which dro
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| New Toy Trouble
Published on 2012-05-16 19:05:47.
Website: Frank Davis
I got myself a new toy today. An android smartphone. I haven’t even managed to open the back of it yet. I think there’s something (a SIM card?) which may need to be put in. But my fingernails don’t seem … Continue reading →
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Tobacco company worker offers views to Frank Davis
Published on 2012-05-16 16:33:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
This piece gives the insights of a single insider in a tobacco company, speaking from experience as a worker for several years.
(Another to be excluded from ASH's hit list, of course.)
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| Johnny Hallyday adopte la cigarette électronique
Published on 2012-05-16 16:30:55.
Website: Accueil
unairneuf.ch: " La nouvelle du jour : Ah voici Johnny Hallyday (l'idole des jeunes) devenu adepte de la cigarette électronique.
"Hé oui, sa santé chancelante de ces derniers mois l'a amené à plus d'équilibre dans sa vie et après avoir arrêté de boire de l'alcool, le voilà qui se préoccupe de ses poumons et de ses artères et qu'il passe à la cigarette électronique. "
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Professional insight into plain packaging
Published on 2012-05-16 16:23:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
Campaign against plain packaging Hands off our Packs reports opposition to the Plain Packs proposal from former head of the Patent Office Peter Lawrence, and from the chief of the British Brands Group.
But of course these are tobacco industry lackeys so no need to even read th
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| Dutch smoking ban warded off in court
Published on 2012-05-16 11:12:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
Dutch anti-smoking ban campaigners were successful yesterday in maintaining the advantage they have gained in exemptions to the smoking ban. This report says that not only is smoking in small bars legal, but smoking is largely carried out in larger bars too.
No doubt ban enthusiasts would say that this is because there is an exemption in small bars, and that only a comprehensive ban can be fully enforced. But the exemption was gained in the first place because of widespread and well organised opposition.
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Judge rules that customers can continue to smoke in bars
Published on 2012-05-16 06:50:00.
Website: Clearing The Air
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/05/customers_can_continue_to_smok.php
Efforts by anti-smoking campaigners to reinstate a ban in small cafes and bars failed on Wednesday when judges in The Hague ruled the law does allow exceptions.
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| On votera sur la Prohibition totale de la fumée le 23 septembre
Published on 2012-05-16 04:01:15.
Website: Accueil
ATS: Trois objets dans les urnes le 23 septembre
"Les Suisses devront se prononcer sur les initiatives «Protection contre le tabagisme passif» et «Sécurité du logement à la retraite», ainsi que sur un article sur la promotion de la formation musicale des jeunes.
"Trois objets seront soumis au vote du peuple et des cantons le 23 septembre prochain. Le Conseil fédéral en a décidé ainsi mercredi. Il sera question de lutter contre le tabagisme passif, de faciliter l'accession à la propriété du logement et d'encourager la formation musicale.
"L'initiative de la Ligue pulmonaire suisse intitulée "Protection contre le tabagisme passif" avait été déposée en mai 2010, munie de plus de 116'000 signatures valables. Pour mettre fin aux inégalités nées avec la nouvelle loi fédérale, elle demande que les lieux de travail ainsi que tous les espaces fermés accessibles au public soient sans fumée dans l'ensemble de la Suisse.
"L'interdiction vise les restaurants, bars, écoles, hôpitaux, prisons et administrations diverses. Des fumoirs restent possibles, pour autant qu'aucun service n'y soit assuré."
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Fat taxes
Published on 2012-05-15 16:53:00.
Website: Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
And so it continues. A day after my sin taxes paper came out, the British Medical Journal launches a new campaign for fat taxes. From The Guardian:
'Fat tax' on unhealthy food must raise prices by 20% to have effect, says study
Researchers say levy on junk food should be accompanied by subsidies for fruit and vegetables
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| Deep Smoke
Published on 2012-05-15 16:32:23.
Website: Frank Davis
Like many other people, I’m sure, I’ve become rather fascinated with the tobacco companies that people like me are supposed to be in league with. So I was rather intrigued several weeks back when I heard from someone who had … Continue reading →
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Le Parlement européen refuse le budget de Big Pharma
Published on 2012-05-15 16:02:47.
Website: Accueil
unairneuf.org: "L'Agence Européenne du Médicament toujours percluse de conflits d'intérêts : le Parlement Européen retoque le bilan de l'EMA et bloque son budget
"Si le tabac tue, la pharmacine aussi. Les conflits d’intérêts et la collusion sont devenus depuis quelques années le facteur majeur de risque sanitaire.
"Des intérêts catégoriels, marchands, personnels, pervertissent le soin, trompent la société, transforment des biens portants en malades, créent des souffrances inutiles, rendent des soignants malfaisants au lieu d'être bienfaisants" déclarait Dr Philippe Foucras dans le magazine La Vie.
"C'est en particulier vrai concernant la tabacologie et la prise en charge des fumeurs pour les aider à cesser le tabac dont la médicalisation généralisée constitue une perte de chance."
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| Dave Goerlitz interviews in eleven episodes
Published on 2012-05-15 13:34:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
I saw these yesterday for the first time. Dave Goerlitz is the former Winston Man. Here he talks to Chris Snowdon (2009) about how an opportunity to discourage smoking became a money-obsessed prohibition campaign, starting with the Master Settlement Agreement.
1/11 on joining tobacco control
2/11
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A Rummage In The Postbag
Published on 2012-05-15 10:20:00.
Website: Dick Puddlecote
Now we know that the tobacco control industry gets a bit upset about being questioned, it's added some 'glitzy' attraction to the approach, don't you think?
ASH reasons that tobacco companies are only upset about plain packaging because they know it will work (pfft). So by the same token, if tobacco controllers are squealing at having to justify themselves, they must be worried about being exposed. QED.
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| The Wages of Sin Taxes
Published on 2012-05-15 03:36:00.
Website: Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
I have a report out today with the Adam Smith Institute looking at sin taxes (The Wages of Sin Taxes). Here's the Executive Summary...
Governments have long relied on indirect taxes on consumer goods as a source of revenue. ‘Sinful’ items such as alcohol and tobacco have traditionally been taxed punitively and some have called for new taxes on fatty foods and sugary drinks, as well as a minimum price on a unit of alcohol.
Campaigners and politicians often cite astronomical figures as being the ‘cost to the taxpayer’ of certain products, but these statements have no foundation in economics. The studies which produce these figures are dominated by ‘costs’ which are neither financial nor borne by the taxpayer. They include hypothetical estimates of the value of a life year lost, earnings forgone due to premature mortality and expenditure by the consumer on the product itself. These figures are usually inflated, but even when they are plausible they cannot be used to justify sin taxes because these ‘costs’ affect only the individual; they are not paid by the taxpayer.
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More scribblings from the ASH Scotland CEO
Published on 2012-05-15 00:48:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
Sheila is keeping well busy these days, and in the pages of the Caledonian Mercury continues her crusade against the tobacco companies. Scotland is pictured as the heroic small country fighting against the evil tobacco that causes most of the country's premature deaths. She champions the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, congratulating the Scottish government for distancing itself from the tobacco industry (much like its sister organisation has done, characterising everyone up to seven degrees of separation from tobacco companies as tobacco-smeared).
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| ClearWay MN is still telling lies on their website
Published on 2012-05-14 20:58:00.
Website: Clearing The Air
http://clearwaymn.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={689126A9-ED11-44DC-A7A0-A523CCCD3FED}
excerpt:
Smoke-free laws do not discourage business activity. Independent, scientific economic research consistently proves that smoke-free policies have no net negative impact on the hospitality industry.
Even as Clearing the Air has repeatedly informed ClearWay MN and other smoking ban lobbyists about the obvious massive number of 500+ local hospitality closings since smoking bans were enacted, right here in the Twin Cities area.
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Pour 3 milliards d'euros de cigarettes de contrebande à moitié prix en France !
Published on 2012-05-14 19:22:36.
Website: Accueil
PLUZZ- France2 - JT du lundi 14 mai 2012/dès 27'27": La France fait mine de s'étonner d'un nouvel effet secondaire découlant de la Néo-Prohibition de la fumée dans les établissements publics, doublée d'une augmentation exorbitante des taxes qui frappent le tabac. Dautzenberg, (le Gutzwiller de France),monte au filet pour rappeler que le tabac tue mais que le tabac de contrebande est pis encore. Le manque à gagner résultant de la vente de cigarettes de contrebande se monterait à plus de 3 milliards d'euros en France, par année. Les cigarettes de contrebande, à moitié prix, semblent gagner chaque jour des parts de marché. Les cigarettiers en souffrent aussi. Ce nouvel échec de la guerre anti-fumeurs est à la mesure de l'absurdité des purificateurs névrosés. Et incurables.
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| The Eugenic Illusion
Published on 2012-05-14 17:18:43.
Website: Frank Davis
For the past few weeks I’ve been reading DNA – The Secret of Life by James Watson. Or, to be a bit more exact, I haven’t been reading it. Life has been extraordinarily hectic for the past month or so, … Continue reading →
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Yougov and Cancer Research team up to give a reliable study on adult attitudes to tobacco marketing, or not
Published on 2012-05-14 16:46:00.
Website: Freedom-2-Choose (Scotland)
The story is here.
Yougov's credentials are here, the board of trustees for Action on Smoking and Health – look for Peter Kellner, Yougov president.
Cancer Research shows its colours here. If you don't want to restrict tobacco use and/or regulations don't even bother asking them for funding
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| Big Tobacco Control: A Global Epidemic Of Tax Sponging
Published on 2012-05-14 11:40:00.
Website: Dick Puddlecote
This is an issue that should be investigated by the Government or the Auditor-General. Yet again we have evidence of taxpayer-funded groups using their funding to lobby the Government for specific law and policy changes.
This is an extremely bad thing. The Government should not be effectively paying people to lobby Parliament and the Government a specific way.Sounds familiar.
A quick look at the ASH website makes it clear it is a lobby group, but a lobby group that gets 89% of its funding from the taxpayer. I am all in favour of taxpayer funding quit smoking initiatives, but not funding a lobby group. One of its values is “A dedication to influencing public policy and social norms to tobacco related harm.” It has a page on its current campaigns, of which seven are about law changes, only one is actually about quitting smoking.Very familiar.
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Ecrire un sms en marchant? Gare à l'amende !
Published on 2012-05-14 05:28:18.
Website: Accueil
20 Minutes: "La ville de Fort Lee, dans le New Jersey, a décidé de punir les passants qui envoient des sms en marchant, en réponse à plusieurs accidents mortels impliquant des piétons distraits.
"Le chef de la police locale Thomas Ripoli a justifié cette mesure en expliquant à ABC News qu’il y avait eu cette année trois accidents mortels impliquant des piétons à Fort Lee, une ville de 35 000 habitants, rapporte slate.fr. «C’est une grosse distraction. Les piétons ne regardent pas où ils vont et ne sont pas attentifs, conscients de leur environnement.»
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| Where Is YOUR Contribution, Hague?
Published on 2012-05-14 04:20:00.
Website: Dick Puddlecote
"Nothing is fucked up, just give us your money"
You know when you read something and think you must have got all the letters mixed up? Then you rub your eyes and re-read it but it's still as shite as you first thought?
Well, this.
He says of complaining business leaders: “I think they should be getting on with the task of creating more of those jobs and more of those exports, rather than complaining about it.”
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En guise d’adieux, Claude Guéant a activé une méthode de super-flicage
Published on 2012-05-13 17:58:08.
Website: Accueil
blog.lemonde.fr: " Dimanche 6 mai 2012, Claude Guéant a fait publier un décret de la loi LOPPSI 2 fusionnant le STIC policier (système de traitement des infractions constatées) avec le JUDEX de la gendarmerie (système judiciaire de documentation et d'exploitation). Cet énorme fichier désignera les personnes soupçonnées et leurs victimes présumées, le tout sur plusieurs décennies. Si cette fusion apparaît comme une nécessité pour le bon travail de police judiciaire, il est cependant bien établi que le fichier STIC de la police nationale comporte un taux d'erreur particulièrement important et même inquiétant (voir un dossier complet sur ce sujet). Ce nouveau fichier commun sera en outre couplé à un dispositif de reconnaissance faciale permettant d’exploiter les visages captés par vidéosurveillance. Comme l’a mentionné la CNIL, on peut y trouver aussi les « origines raciales ou ethniques », ainsi que les opinions politiques, syndicales, philosophiques et religieusaes, de même que des données relatives à la santé et à la vie sexuelle."
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| Prototype Survey Questionnaire v4
Published on 2012-05-13 16:54:01.
Website: Frank Davis
The success of the last two questionnaires (about 150 responses to the first one, about 125 to the second ) has prompted me to devise yet another more detailed questionnaire which combines the previous two, and asks some more questions. … Continue reading →
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The re-legalisation of drugs
Published on 2012-05-13 15:28:00.
Website: Velvet Glove, Iron Fist
A few people have asked me to blog about the plain packaging debate held in Bristol last week. I've been rather busy and will be busy for a few more days yet, but I will get round to it. Suffice to say that it was a blast and Taking Liberties has a good account of it.
In the meantime, let me point you to my post about drug (re)legalisation at the IEA blog which is a precursor to my debate with Peter Hitchens on Wednesday.
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| Anarchy In Manchester
Published on 2012-05-13 11:57:00.
Website: Dick Puddlecote
Joyous scenes in Manchester as the blue part claimed a dramatic last gasp Champions League Title. I do like a good, old-fashioned pitch invasion, me.
10,000 criminals, pictured this afternoon
Of course, every person represented in tiny pixels on that pitch were breaking the law under the Football Offences Act 1991.
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Tabac: faut-il faire vraiment peur aux fumeurs?
Published on 2012-05-13 05:35:07.
Website: Accueil
planetesante.ch: "Tout semble légitime aujourd’hui pour obtenir coûte que coûte que les consommateurs de tabac mettent un terme à leur insupportable addiction. La fin est justifiée. Mais rien ne dit que les moyens soient adaptés. Bien au contraire. "
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| Darkness Is Coming
Published on 2012-05-12 16:07:04.
Website: Frank Davis
When I’d set up last night’s poll, and remarked that I would click on nearly every single item on it, I didn’t really expect more or less everyone else to do the same. But that’s more or less what they … Continue reading →
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