Ten years ago, I was the doctor for an 18-year-old with cystic fibrosis whose mother was a heavy smoker. The patient told me how she coughed, wheezed, and choked when she was at home. I became close with her; it seemed she was always in the hospital, and I couldn’t help but think it was because she wanted to escape a toxic environment. Three years later, at 21, she died—more than 14 years before a person with cystic fibrosis could be exp ... Jump to full article >>

The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak) has urged the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission to halt the airing of tobacco ads on World No Tobacco Day this Sunday. Arist Merdeka Sirait, secretary general of Komnas Anak, said on Thursday that the ads were aimed at encouraging underage teens to smoke. “Our children are the most vulnerable people to these types of ads,” Arist said. “We want the KPI [broadcasting commission] to ... Jump to full article >>

Putting tobacco under the regulatory umbrella of the FDA has divided the industry. For anyone considering putting a menthol cigarette in their mouth during a long conference call, Reynolds now offers the perfect product. Snus, which means snuff in Swedish, is a flavored mini-teabag of pasteurized tobacco, sold chilled in tins. After test runs in Columbus, Ohio, and Portland, Ore., three years ago, RJR now sells the import in 100,000 locations na ... Jump to full article >>