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 >>

Fierce lobbying by Big Tobacco is threatening legislation aimed at cracking down on marketing to young people Does the shamelessness of tobacco companies – and politicians for that matter – know no bounds? After a summer of fierce lobbying by the tobacco giant Rothmans Benson & Hedges – namely, a threat to close a factory in Quebec City that employs 300 people – an important bit of health legislation is now at risk. The Cracking Down ... Jump to full article >>

WIESBADEN – As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports on the occasion of the Inter­national Trade Fair for Tobacco Products and Smoking Accessories, the prices of cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and of fine-cut tobacco (tobacco products) rose by 7.0% in the two years between August 2007 and August 2009. Compared with the preceding year, the prices of tobacco products were up 5.2%. In contrast, the consumer prices of all goods and se ... Jump to full article >>