It is not surprising that Americans for Prosperity appeared in North San Diego County to support Congressman Brian Bilbray as reported by an area newspaper on August 12. Bilbray, for those who are unaware, sponsored the Congressional Cigar Association (CCA) in February 2009. The CCA has lobbyist board members and supports the tobacco and cigar industry. CCA events allow lobbyists to have direct contact and influence with congressional staff. Ear ... Jump to full article >>

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Louisiana State Police are assisting in the investigation of a state office whose top official resigned suddenly on Friday, officials said Saturday. Murphy J. Painter, veteran commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, quit Friday without any official explanation. State Revenue Secretary Cynthia Bridges made the announcement in a one-sentence news release. [caption id="attachment_6891" align="alignleft" width="300" capt ... Jump to full article >>

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Eight federal indictments have been unsealed charging 15 persons and three businesses with federal offenses relating to schemes to evade California excise taxes on non-cigarette tobacco products, according to U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner and California Attorney General Jerry Brown. The indictments, the result of a joint three-year investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Board of Equalization, and ... Jump to full article >>

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A leading health expert has called on the West Australian Liberal Party to “quit” tobacco company donations after figures revealed they received $70,000 in the past five years. Donation figures published on the Australian Electoral Commission website show tobacco heavyweights Philip Morris and British American Tobacco Australia contributed $44,000 and $26,017 respectively to the state Liberal Party since 2004. Other major political pa ... Jump to full article >>

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Raising California’s cigarette tax has been proposed as a relatively painless way to finance medical research and shrink the state budget shortfall. But do higher taxes mean higher revenues? Not necessarily. Oakland mayoral candidate Don Perata wrote in the Mercury News July 8 that his 2012 statewide ballot measure to raise the tobacco excise tax by $1 per pack would generate $855 million annually for cancer research. Similarly rosy predict ... Jump to full article >>

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Commercial broadcasters are set to benefit from paid-for product placement in television programmes under rules proposed by Ofcom, the communications industries regulator. Product placement will be allowed in films, TV series, entertainment shows and sports programmes, but not in children’s and news programmes, UK-produced current affairs, consumer affairs and religious programmes. There will be a ban on the product placement of tobacco, a ... Jump to full article >>

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