Australia’s Greens will ask lawmakers today to vote to stop the government, which plans some of the world’s toughest anti-smoking laws, from investing in tobacco companies as part of a civil servants’ retirement fund. Greens senator Rachel Siewert will put a motion to the Senate to stop the government’s Future Fund – established in 2006 to cover pension costs of retiring lawmakers, judges and public servants – ... Jump to full article >>

THE tobacco industry has launched a backdoor attack on legislation to make plain packaging of cigarettes compulsory, using a regional free trade agreement to which Australia is expected to become a signatory. Philip Morris has used Australia’s plain-packaging laws, scheduled to come into effect next year, to argue the need for ”investor state” provisions in the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. This would allow comp ... Jump to full article >>

The Greens have stepped up their attack on a planned trans-Pacific free trade zone after tobacco giant Philip Morris called for the right to challenge anti-smoking laws. Greens co-leader Russel Norman revealed yesterday a Philip Morris submission to the United States Government which insisted any deal must allow challenges to laws such as the regulation of cigarette packaging or bans on tobacco products. The company is presently suing the Urugu ... Jump to full article >>

Cuba seeks to pitch famous cigars beyond male base With anti-smoking laws and the global recession causing sales to fall, Cuba wants to develop a largely untapped market for its famous cigars — women. Habanos S.A. executives said on Monday sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers. Women now make up only 5 to 1 ... Jump to full article >>

Sixty-three Reading businesses failed to stub out nicotine since the smoking ban was introduced. But despite this – and even though more than 1,000 premises in Reading borough have been inspected since July 2007 – no business or individual has been charged or fined for breaching anti-smoking laws. Individuals and/or businesses could be fined or even face a criminal conviction for failing to obey laws banning smoking in workplaces or enclosed ... Jump to full article >>