As of 1 November 2009, worldwide more than 199 countries and overseas territories/communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 6000 deaths. As many countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is likely to be significantly lower than the actual number of cases that have occurred. WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic thr ... Jump to full article >>

When it became clear that the state budget was in crisis mode, three industries with much at stake in Harrisburg opened their wallets. Gambling interests, natural-gas drillers, and tobacco companies have since January spent more than $4.5 million combined on lobbying efforts, according to expense reports filed last week with the state. Those industries were among the few winners in a budget ravaged by the recession. Casinos are poised to introdu ... Jump to full article >>

To The Daily: Some members of the Decatur City Council still fail to understand the reason behind the smoking ban: Reducing second-hand smoke in public places allows the citizens of Decatur to live longer. Period. The idea that a business owner “has a right to choose” completely misses the point that a smoking ban protects not just customers, but also employees. While businesses have tried for years (usually unsuccessfully) to segregate smok ... Jump to full article >>

Flavored blunt wraps, used to roll tobacco and frequently marijuana, are available at least four Marblehead convenience stores, and are specifically marketed toward teens, Redford says. When North Shore Tobacco Control Officer Joyce Redford approaches a convenience store checkout counter, her eyes look past the barrage of colors of candy, gum packets, lottery tickets, knickknacks and lighters. Instead, she is searching for what she calls “cro ... Jump to full article >>

Aufzählung Doctor warns of ‘health time bomb’ developments. Aufzählung Fresh call made for prevention campaign. Vienna. Austria has the highest percentage of 15-year-old smokers, 25 per cent, in Europe, according to a Vienna doctor. Manfred Neuberger, the head of the preventive-medicine division at Vienna Medical University, added the number of Austrian youth who smoked had been steadily increasing since 1997 and that 145,891 Austrians a ... Jump to full article >>

LIBERTY, MO – It has only been one day after Liberty voters agreed to beef up the town’s existing smoking ban and already there are two big questions: will it drive smoking customers away, and how long will it be before smokers have no where to go? Tuesday’s vote is a very big deal for two Liberty establishments. One is a bar and the other is a bowling alley, but one of the business may be more hurt by the ban than the other. ... Jump to full article >>

Anyone in the market for a new e cigarette can testify to how difficult it is to weed out the good from the bad e cigarettes. Fortunately, a website makes it possible for all potential e cigarette users to find the best of the best in one spot! PETALUMA, Calif., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ — With all of the brands of e cigarettes on the market, deciding which one to buy can be confusing. E Cigarettes Junction, an online shopping site, has made the ... Jump to full article >>

It’s time for a bistate wrap-up of interesting developments from the past week. First, Missouri-side voters were in a positive mood Tuesday and deserve a pat on the back for endorsing several needed issues. Second, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson gets an atta-boy for playing a little hardball with the Kansas City Wizards and Cerner Corp. over their proposed projects at Village West. And finally, Kansas City development lawyers — of all people — ... Jump to full article >>

Bid for minimum excise duty on tobacco as duty per 1,000 cigarettes could rise to €90. EU finance ministers will next week (11 November) try to agree an increase in the minimum rates of excise duty on cigarettes and other tobacco products. The proposal under discussion would raise the minimum excise rate to €90 per 1,000 cigarettes, compared to €64 today. The legislation would also close loopholes that have allowed companies to market ciga ... Jump to full article >>

For one in three sports fans, watching the game and lighting up a cigarette go hand in hand. And those are the fans an anti- smoking group hopes to reach during the World Series. REPORTER: He’s stealing cars for his smoke break. She’s making margaritas at her desk. A humorous look at a serious subject and the excuses made. CHERYL YATES: As any smoker, ex-smoker can tell you.. You need no reason to smoke, any reason is good. REPORTER ... Jump to full article >>