Judge Upholds Ruling to Block Implementation of Graphic Warning Labels

http://smokefreewisconsin.blogspot.com/

Written by Guest Blogger Kim Hageman, author of Surviving Oshkosh

On February 29th, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon passed a ruling to block the implementation of the FDA's new graphic labels on cigarettes, going into place September 2012. While this ruling will not be the final word on the new graphic labels, it is just another attempt on the part of Big Tobacco to prevent the public from understanding the real dangers presented by the use of tobacco products. 　

A recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control found that smokers in countries using similar graphic labels, (Brazil, Mexico, Poland and Russia), were more likely to want to quit as a result of the labels.　 The labels will be very large, covering half of the cigarette package. Large labels and picture warnings have been proven to be effective in discouraging smoking.

Within the state of Wisconsin, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death. In our state alone, the tobacco industry spends $233 million in marketing to promote their very dangerous products. Nearly 8,000 Wisconsin kids become daily smokers as a result of their effort. It is important to remember this is just one ruling, but it is a part of a continued effort by Big Tobacco to attempt to block the FDA from doing what needs to be done to inform people of the truth about the use of tobacco products.

For more information on this ruling go to:

Round 1 goes to Roll Your Own

Last week Friday, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas granted a temporary injunction that will allow for the continued operation of roll-your-own tobacco retail stores in Wisconsin. This injunction prevents Wisconsin's Department of Revenue from following the guidelines they set out to enforce in September. It's unclear what approach the Department of Justice or Department of Revenue might take to challenge this ruling, pursue a legislative solution, or utilize the rule-making process so that continued enforcement might be possible.

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Wis_judge_issues_injunction_on_tobacco_crackdown_140367893.html

Electric cigarette explodes in man's mouth

A gentlemen from Pensacola, FL was using an electronic cigarette, when it exploded in his mouth. The man, use name has not been released, suffered severe burning to his face and loss some of his front teeth.

North Bay Fire Department Division Chief Joseph Parker says it appears the cigarette's battery exploded while the manwas smoking. Parker described it as a bottle rocket going off in the man's mouth. The victim also lost part of his tongue.

Parker added that the man was using the e-cigarette to assist him in quitting smoking. The consumer is being treated in Mobile, Alabama in a burn unit.

There was no mention of what maker or model the electronic cigarette was. The story had no comment from the tobacco industry.

Less Smoke Exposure in Teens' Cars, Study Finds

MedPage Today reported this week that fewer teens are inhaling secondhand smoke in cars as efforts continue to limit youth exposure to the potential harms of tobacco, a nationwide survey found.

From 2000 to 2009, the number of adolescents overall who reported riding in cars with someone smoking fell from 48.1 to 29.8 percent, according to Brian A. King, PhD, and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. And during that time, the percentage of nonsmoking teens exposed to secondhand smoke in cars decreased from 39 to 22.8 percent, which was a 71.1 percent change, the researchers reported online ahead of print in the March issue of Pediatrics.

"Nonetheless, in 2009, over one-fifth of nonsmoking students reported [secondhand smoke] exposure in a car in the previous seven days," meaning that continued efforts to limit exposure are needed, they observed.

Read the full article here: http://www.cadca.org/resources/detail/less-smoke-exposure-teens-cars-study-finds