Japan Tobacco to buy UK e-cigarette brand E-Lites

Japan Tobacco Inc has agreed to buy the maker of E-Lites, a leading brand of e-cigarettes in Britain, giving it entry into the fast-growing market for tobacco alternatives.
Japan Tobacco said on Wednesday that it had agreed to buy all outstanding shares of E-Lites' parent company Zandera, founded in 2009.
Financial terms were not disclosed, though the company said it would fund the purchase with existing cash and debt. It said the deal is expected to have a minor effect on its performance and cash flow in fiscal 2014.
As rates of smoking decline, big tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco Group have been jostling for position in the growing market for electronic cigarettes, which use nicotine-laced liquid.
Some analysts believe e-cigarettes will eventually outsell traditional cigarettes in some markets.
Japan Tobacco, the maker of Winston, Camel and Mild Seven, already sells outside the United States a smoking device called Ploom that heats, but does not burn, pods of tobacco. E-Lites, one of the leading brands in the UK, is the company's first tobacco alternative.
E-Lites' parent had revenue of about 16 million pounds ($26.87 million) in the fiscal year ended March 2014.

Competitive Edge for Reynolds-Lorillard?

"Unsure" seems to be the most accurate description of how convenience store operators feel about the potential acquisition of Lorillard Inc. by Reynolds American Inc. A new CSP tobacco survey shows retailers are divided in their support of such a deal (with 48% for, 39% against) and whether a merger between Reynolds and Lorillard would be good for retailers (37% said it would be good for business, 33% bad for business, 15% predicted no effect and 15% were unsure).
Respondents were equally unsure about what--if anything--this deal would mean for Lorillard's leading electronic cigarette brand, blu: a 43% majority of respondents believe a merger would have a "neutral" effect on blu's sales, while 33% predict it would accelerate sales, 24% that it would slow sales.
Those who said a merger would improve blu's status made the case that, because blu is already the solid No. 1 e-cigarette player, Reynolds would put its weight behind the brand--especially with Altria preparing to take MarkTen national.
"This would put Reynolds in an e-cig leadership position and potentially help drive this category," one retailer wrote.
"Blu will most likely be worked into the backbar presentation instead of being on the counter," added another respondent. "With Vuse and MarkTen launching, and then adding blu, there would be a very nice visual presentation on e-cigs. I think that will help blu, as they are the leader today and I do not see that changing."
Retailers who suspect a Reynolds acquisition would decelerate blu's growth pointed out that Reynolds has already invested heavily in its Vuse electronic cigarettes (recently announcing plans to bring production stateside).
"It will probably have a negative effect on blu because Reynolds has their own e-cig product that they will concentrate on more," said one such retailer.
"Neutral" respondents also cited uncertainty over how a combined company would handle dueling electronic cigarette brands.
"While I think Reynolds knows it's a popular brand, I think we are only beginning the phase of 'only the strong survive' in the e-cigarette category," wrote a responder. "We still need to see what Reynolds will do with their Vuse brand."
Others argued that having both blu and Vuse in its arsenal could catapult Reynolds to the top of the e-cigarette game--perhaps at the cost of smaller, independent electronic cigarette players.
"Vuse and blu combined would be very strong," read one response. "It might be anti-competitive for the e-cig category."
Less Competition for Cigarettes
The one area retailers expressed any certainty was how a deal between Reynolds and Lorillard would affect the cigarette segment: 54% of surveyed retailers said it would reduce competition. As one such retailer said, it's simply math: "less manufacturers equals less competition."
This would be especially true for menthol if Reynolds added Newport to its portfolio.
"Menthol for everyone else would be lost cause," wrote a respondent.
Still, 24% of respondents suggested that a combined Reynolds and Lorillard could provide Altria with a strong adversary, resulting in "two heavyweights fighting it out."
Others who believe the deal might increase competition in the cigarette segment said that smaller players, such as Commonwealth, could step up marketing efforts to move into the No. 3 currently occupied by Lorillard.
Another 22% of retailers expressed even more uncertainty about a potential merger having any effect on the cigarette segment.
"It will reduce competition within the tobacco industry, but will probably not make much difference to the category from a retail standpoint because both companies have some strong brands," an "unsure" retailer wrote.
"This would just add Lorillard's market share to Reynolds' market share," said another. "I don't see anyone changing brands because of this since most cigarette smokers are brand loyal."

Zambo City to clamp down on smokers starting May 31

Starting May 31, smokers puffing away in public places in Zamboanga City will face hefty fines or face community service, as the city government fully implements an ordinance regulating smoking in the city.

The city government said it started on Monday a "soft" implementation of Ordinance 413, with an information drive of the no-smoking policy that will last until World No-Tobacco Day on May 31.

"Records from the City Health Office show that smoking is one of the major causes of death in the city for several years now," it said on its Facebook page.

Ordinance 413, enacted in June 2013, prohibits smoking in centers of youth activity such as:

- playschools
- preparatory schools
- elementary schools
- high schools
- colleges and universities
- youth hostels
- recreational facilities for persons under 18 years old
- elevators and stairwells
- fire hazard locations such as gas stations and storage areas for flammable liquids, gas, explosives or combustible materials
- within buildings and premises of public and private hospitals, medical, dental and optical clinics, health centers, nursing homes, dispensaries and laboratories
- public conveyance and public facilities including airport and ship terminals, train and bus stations, restaurants and conference halls except for separate smoking areas and food preparation areas.

But the ordinance also provides for the designation of a smoking area in all enclosed places that are open to the general public, private work places and other places where smoking may expose a person to the other than the smoker.

Penalties

Smokers face a penalty of P500 or one-day community service for the first offense; P1,000 or two days' community service for the second offense; P2,000 or three days' community service for the third offense; and P5,000 without prejudice to the filing of any criminal case or at the discretion of the Court for fourth and subsequent offenses.

Establishments that allow smokers to smoke even in “no smoking” areas face a fine of P1,000 for the first offense; P2,000 for the second offense; P3,000 for the third offense and P5,000 for the fourth offense - along with the revocation or cancellation of their business permits.

County Commission: You smoke, you can't work for us

Smokers and other tobacco users need not apply for jobs with Monroe County government beginning Jan. 1.
County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to require that applicants for public-employee paychecks must sign a form declaring they do not regularly smoke or otherwise use tobacco.
Employees already in the county's workforce of about 500 people will not be required to stop smoking or assessed surcharges for their county-backed health insurance. It's not just cigarette smokers affected; those who smoke cigars or use chewing tobacco also are affected.
The county defines tobacco use as using it five or more times within a three-month period.
"Personally, I've seen two people close to me die because of lung cancer," Commissioner Heather Carruthers said. Smoking "is the most costly health hazard that we pay for."
A number of agencies in Monroe County -- including the Sheriff's Office and county Fire-Rescue -- already are closed to new applicants with a tobacco habit.
After the no-tobacco rule for new hires passed the County Commission easily with no dissent, Carruthers moved to set a January 2016 deadline for current employees to quit tobacco.
Since smokers and other tobacco users each cost the county an estimated $753 extra annually in health costs, employees and employee dependents who smoke should be assessed a $100 surcharge on their county health insurance, a county study committee recommended. Commissioners disagreed, reducing that number to $50 monthly.
"Are we going to tell employees to stop drinking? Where does it stop?" asked Commissioner David Rice. Mayor Sylvia Murphy and Commissioner Danny Kolhage agreed.
However, taxpayers who fund the county's insurance program should not bear the costs of an employee's unhealthy vice, Commissioner George Neugent said.
"Health-care costs are going up, and we know about [the effects of] smoking," Neugent
said.
Monroe County administers its own self-funded insurance program, so it can set its own rules on the employee benefit package. While employers cannot discriminate on factors like gender or race, smokers "are not a protected category," Assistant County Attorney Cynthia Hall said.

Business owners given details of smoking ban

A six-page document of frequently asked questions has been released to business owners four weeks before the smoking ban is scheduled to take effect. Debra Bradley, health director, said the city has regularly received calls from business owners concerned about implementing the smoke-free policy. She added the city hopes this document will not only help them understand the ordinance, but also serve as a reminder that the Health Department is available to help any business that has more specific questions. Karelia cigarettes online.

The voter-approved ban will go into effect on June 7.

“We’re hoping that by giving them the basic information and phone numbers on who to call if they have questions, that will help alleviate some of the anxieties,” she said.

The clean air ordinance bans smoking in all indoor places of employment with a few exceptions, including the St. Jo Frontier Casino gambling floor. It also bans smoking within 15 feet of any door, window or air intake.

So far the most pressing question business owners have had relate to outside smoking, Ms. Bradley added. In addition to the FAQ, the city has put together information that specifically answers those.

Of most concern is whether a liquor license will transfer to an outdoor patio. According to the city’s literature, it will as long as the business owner completes a “change of legal description” with both the city and the state, as well as provide a seamless transition from an exit onto the patio.

Bars and restaurants must also comply with the city’s existing Zoning and Building Code.

The city’s FAQ comes a few days after a local bar owner filed a civil suit that seeks to stop the smoking ban on grounds it illegally excludes the casino. Steve Peterman, owner of Peterman’s Shamrock, said he filed the suit, but several bars are backing him morally and financially.

“I was volunteered for this,” he said. “But the main thing I want to get out is this is just not me fighting this, this is half of St. Joe, basically.”

A hearing on a temporary injunction, which seeks to prevent the ban from beginning on June 7, will be held in Judge Randall Jackson’s court at 9:30 a.m. May 27.

In the meantime, the FAQ addresses whether the City Council has the authority to change or alter the smoking ban as passed by the voters. In essence, it does. However, it would not occur unless a majority of the council consents and some time has passed to “provide any potential problem areas the time and opportunity to sufficiently ‘present’ themselves.”

Anyone with further questions can call the Health Department at (816) 271-4636. The ordinance can be read on the city’s website.

Maternal smoking linked to heart defects in kids

A research has found that children with heart defects were more likely to have been born to mothers who smoked, and the risk was highest in the heaviest smokers.  Patrick M. Sullivan, clinical fellow in paediatric cardiology at Seattle Children’s Hospital, said: “Our research provides strong support for the hypothesis that smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of specific heart defects”. 

Older women had a higher risk of having a child with a heart defect if they smoked.  Cigarette smoking during pregnancy has been linked to many birth defects, such as cleft lips, cleft palates, and missing or deformed limbs.  For the study, researchers used birth certificate data and hospital discharge records from Washington in the US. 

The researchers identified 14,128 children born with a variety of heart defects between 1989-2011.  Newborns whose mothers smoked were at about a 50 to 70 percent greater risk for anomalies of the valve and vessels that carry blood to the lungs (pulmonary valve and pulmonary arteries).  They were at about 20 percent greater risk for holes in the wall separating the two collecting chambers of the heart (atrial septal defect).  All of these defects often require invasive procedures for correction.

Parents thinks it’s ‘okay’ to smoke e-cigarettes around children

Researchers have showed that many young parents are using electronic cigarettes, and despite any evidence for safety, the vast majority of young adults who have used the devices believe they are less harmful than regular cigarettes.

To determine how often and why young adults use e-cigarettes, researchers surveyed a random sample of 3,253 adults in September 2013. Eighty-eight percent completed the survey. Eight percent were young adults ages18-24 years old, and 22 percent were parents. Participants were asked if they had heard of electronic cigarettes and if they had ever tried them. They also were asked if they currently smoke cigarettes or if they had smoked in the past. 

6 percent reported using the devices in the past 30 days. In addition, 45 percent of parents who had tried electronic cigarettes and 49 percent who reported using them in the past 30 days had never smoked regular cigarettes, or were former smokers. Parents reported several reasons for using electronic cigarettes: 81 percent said e-cigarettes might be less harmful than cigarettes to people around them; 76 percent said e-cigarettes are more acceptable to non-tobacco users; and 72 percent said they could use the devices in places where smoking cigarettes isn”t allowed.

All young adults who reported using e-cigarettes said they used devices that contained menthol or fruit flavor compared to 65 percent of adults ages 25 and older. Young adults also were less likely than older adults to use e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking (7 percent vs. 58 percent).

What’s an e-cig?
An electronic cigarette is a device that mimics the entire smoking process by producing a mist which has the same sensation (sometimes the same flavour too) of smoking. The concept of an electronic cigarette has been around since the 60s but tobacco consumption wasn’t really considered hazardous back then and it took until 2003 for the first smokeless e-cigarette to hit the market.
Electronic cigarettes manufacturers claim that they are like real cigarettes except that there are no hazardous health implications because there is no combustion, no tobacco and no smoking. Also since there is no passive smoking, second hand smoke and pollution due to butt litter or smoke.
What’s in an e-cig?
The e-cigarette basically consists of three parts: Cartridge, Atomizer and Power supply
The cartridge’s a mouthpiece (like a cigarette’s butt) that usually holds the liquid that is to be vaporized. The atomizer serves as a heating element and vaporizes the liquid and each of them contains a power supply like a chargeable plug, USB drive or batteries.
An e-cigarette produces nicotine infused vapour and though it looks like smoke is actually atomised air. Some e-cigs replace this nicotine vapour with other flavours like vanilla, chocolate, etc. though certain anti-smoking groups feel this could encourage minors to smoke. As a smoking cessation tool some manufactures even look to replicate the flavour of particular brands like Marlboro, Camel, etc. (Read: 

Teens’ Brain Structure May Be Altered by Smoking

Early exposure to cigarettes could affect how one responds to and craves nicotine

It’s no surprise that smoking for years can change the way the brain processes nicotine, creating a well-worn pattern of craving and satisfaction that’s difficult to break.



But how soon does this cycle get started? And does nicotine actually alter structures in the brain to make dependence more likely?

In the latest research, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at University of California Los Angeles, and her team found that young smokers did have differences in a specific brain region compared with non smokers. Even more concerning, these differences emerged with a relatively light smoking habit of one pack or less of cigarettes a day.

London and her colleagues focused on a brain region called the insula, since previous studies in animal and adults showed that its size and volume were affected by smoking. Of the regions in the cortical, or memory, awareness and language parts of the brain, the insula contains the most receptors for nicotine. The region is responsible for decision-making and helping to establish a person’s conscious awareness of his internal state. In studies of stroke patients, smokers who lost function of the right insula in the stroke quit smoking, and reported feeling no cravings for nicotine. And in earlier studies London’s team conducted, they found a strong relationship between how much smokers who watched videos of people smoking experienced cravings for cigarettes and the activity of the insula, which lit up on PET scans.
When London’s team looked at the brains of the 18 smoking teens and 24 non-smoking adolescents, aged 16 to 21 years, using structural MRI, they found no differences overall in the insula region. But a closer examination revealed that the right insula of the smokers was thinner than those of the nonsmokers.

“The brain is still undergoing development when someone is in their late teens,” she says. “It’s possible that smoking during this period could have effects that could alter tobacco dependence later in life, and that the insult could alter the trajectory of brain development.”

While the study doesn’t establish whether the differences in the insula can lead to smoking, or is the result of smoking, London says it highlights the role that the brain region may play in how people respond to nicotine and cigarettes. “I think this is very exciting because it points to a vulnerability, a potential vulnerability factor either to become nicotine dependent or for the effects of smoking to ultimately alter the trajectory of brain development,” she says. That trajectory could affect not only smoking behavior but decision-making in general, since the insula is important in such assessments.

Astrology gives you a hand in quitting smoking

Kings and princes of many countries all over the world were asking for advice on the most important matters and problems from astrologists. Those people were able to “read” stars show the direction for travelers, which would tell the future, help to determine farming seasons and guide in many other aspects of the life. Today stars might help people to quit smoking.
The author recommends choosing the time when the moon is waving. According to the beliefs of Middle Age people, when the moon diminishes, it benefits to all works that we want to reduce, lower or eliminate. It is also very good when Mars position is included in the election, because it is believed to be the ruling planet over tobacco plant.
Astrologists offer to quit smoking within certain phases of the planets, moon and stars. For example, Christopher Warnock speaks about electional astrology being a  good solution for quitting smoking. In this case astrological charts are used to pick or elect the best time to start working on the problem, to stop smoking forever, because “by aligning of ourselves with the cycles of the Heavens we increase our ability to control our lives here on Earth”.
He says that the important thing is to be ready to quit. There can be many methods, but none of them will be good if the person is not ready to quit smoking psychologically. The smoker should understand very well how nicotine impacts health and how quickly the body can become healed without harmful chemicals inhaled with the smoke.
By putting together these factors and learning some personal information such as birth date, time and place, the astrologist gives the exact time (up to the minutes and hours), when the quit-smoking process should start
There is recommended to watch for the waning moon phase which comes after full moon. It is also necessary for the moon to be at an angle to Saturn which provides easy flow of energy.
If the smoker wants to build a personal diagram, taking into consideration not only moon and Saturn, but birth data as well there is a possibility to do this also. For this method is needed a lot of patience, good information and real person to help you.

Why Is Tobacco Still The Leading Preventable Cause Of Death?

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And I'm Renee Montagne.
Fifty years after the landmark surgeon general's report that smoking causes cancer, former U.S. surgeons general are emphasizing that the key in the fight against tobacco is kids. They gathered for a youth tobacco summit in New Orleans yesterday.
NPR's Debbie Elliott reports.
DEBBIE ELLIOTT, BYLINE: Former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin says no one wanted to believe Dr. Luther Terry back in 1964 when he said smoking led to disease and premature death.
REGINA BENJAMIN: Just like today, it was a lot of controversy. They released it on a Saturday, because they didn't want it to affect the stock market.
ELLIOTT: Still, it was big news.
(SOUNDBITE OF NBC NEWS BROADCAST)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Here is NBC News correspondent Frank McGee.
FRANK MCGEE: This book containing 387 carefully worded pages is a federal government report. It's title: "Smoking and Health."
ELLIOTT: Every surgeon general since has issued a report detailing tobacco's toll on society, and much has changed. Cigarette packs have warnings. You can't smoke in most public spaces, and there are restrictions on the way tobacco products are made and sold. Smoking rates have dropped from nearly half the American public to just about 18 percent of adults. There's no dispute that nicotine is addictive and tobacco is deadly.
So why is tobacco still the leading preventable cause of death, killing 1,200 people a day? Benjamin says it's because for every smoker who dies, there are two so-called replacement smokers trying a cigarette for the first time and getting hooked.
BENJAMIN: Ninety percent of all smokers start before age of 18, 99 percent before the age of 26. So if can just get our next generation to not take that first cigarette before the age of 26, they have less than 1 percent chance of every starting. And we can make that generation tobacco-free.
ELLIOTT: So, the key, she says, is stopping the next generation from ever taking that first puff. Dr. Benjamin is now an endowed chair of public health sciences at Xavier University in New Orleans. She invited all the living surgeons general to join her on campus to focus on youth smoking.
Dr. Anonia Novello was surgeon general in the early '90s.
ANONIA NOVELLO: It's the only legal product that utilized, as it says, it will cause you death. So we have to get that message into their heads.
ELLIOTT: Experts say the best messenger is their peers.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: (Rapping) Too many youth and young adults be dying. I don't mess with that tobacco. Oh, no. It ain't cool. Did you know three million students smoke in high school?
ELLIOTT: This anti-tobacco video by Florida middle-schools is the winner of a contest sponsored by Benjamin, when she was surgeon general. For the Xavier summit, she recruited teen advocates to sign what she calls TobaccNO pledge, inspired the video.
DESHANDA SMARR: I pledge to be tobacco-free for those who passed away, because they wasn't strong enough to fight against tobacco.
ELLIOTT: Deshanda Smarr is a 16-year old high school student from Atlanta. She says smoking is a problem for kids her age.
SMARR: A lot of youth say it's because of stress, but they're too young to stress. I don't think that's the reason. I actually believe it's because they see other people do it, especially adults.
ELLIOTT: College freshman Darrien Skinner of San Marcos, Texas thinks the nation's policy needs to change.
DARRIEN SKINNER: We all know that tobacco is bad. So why does it still exist in society? Why is it still here today? Why isn't the government stepping in and changing it?
DAVID SATCHER: Well, ultimately, I think that's the direction we're moving in.
ELLIOTT: Dr. David Satcher was the 16th U.S. surgeon general.
SATCHER: You could argue that we shouldn't have to do that, that if we do our jobs in public health, that people will just stop smoking.
ELLIOTT: The former surgeons general have mixed opinions on whether tobacco should ever be outlawed, a controversial topic in a society that values personal choice.
Debbie Elliott, NPR News, New Orleans. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Will Altria Be Able to Offset Declines in Tobacco Sales?

Cigarette consumption has been declining at a 4% rate in the U.S. market, with recent health regulations, litigation towards tobacco companies and increased medical awareness exacerbating this trend even more. With the Food and Drug Administration now in charge of regulating tobacco consumerism and imposing taxation, which has seen 113 increases since the year 2000, industry players are struggling to maintain their earnings growth.
However, Altria Group Inc. (MO) doesn’t seem to be part of the struggles. In fact, while the company’s revenue has been almost flat year-over-year, it has managed to continue growing into a worthwhile investment. Thus, investment gurus like Sarah Ketterer (Trades, Portfolio) and Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio) have bought Altria’s shares last quarter, hoping to gain solid profits looking forward.
Can a Strong Brand Portfolio Fight Sales Declines?
As the largest tobacco company in the U.S., with over 50% market share, Altria has successfully built a wide moat business, with the greatest economy of scale in the industry and very high customer loyalty. In fact, 90% of Marlboro smokers purchase that brand 100% of the time and while it controls over 40% of the domestic market, it’s certainly not the company’s sole revenue stream. After shedding its international segments and all non-tobacco assets – except for a 27.1% stake in the world’s second largest brewer SABMiller – Altria now operates exclusively in the tobacco industry. It’s most popular brands include Phillip Morris USA, Smokeless Tobacco Company, John Middleton and MarkTen eCigs.
While the smokeless tobacco market, where the firm operates via its Copenhagen and Skoal brands, has shown volume increases (expected to continue over the next decade), tax bumps and regulations should stall cigarette consumption. Nonetheless, Altria’s pricing power should compensate volume declines looking forward, and management’s commitment to shareholders is impressive, with nearly 80% of net income dedicated to dividend payments, which sported a yield of 5.09% in 2013. Furthermore, the firm’s new focus on electronic cigarettes via the MarkTen eCig brand is bound to offset declines in tobacco sales, as well as CVS Caremark Corporation (CVS)’s recent announcement to retreat from tobacco product sales by October 2014.

Hite Wants 320 Million to Start, Smoking Ban at NJ Beaches, Philly Ranks 2nd in Taxation

Philadelphia Superintendent William R. Hite has put a price tag on his plan to fix the city school system. $320 million. And that's just to start on his ambitious blueprint. The full plan could cost twice that amount. Hite's request for the 2014-15 school year is above and beyond the $120 million the system is hoping for from the extra 1 percent city sales tax.

New Jersey lawmakers are considering a law that would ban smoking at the beach and public parks. The proposal is designed to eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke and to cut down on litter and to improve fire safety. Now, there are trees in the park that are flammable, but not the beach. And interestingly, smoking would still be permitted in parking areas at beaches and parks.

Philadelphia is among cities with the highest tax burden in the country. Philly is number 2 on the list overall behind only Bridgeport, Connecticut. In Philadelphia a family earning $25,000 will owe $4,000 in taxes. Higher income earners making $150,000 will owe Uncle Sam $25,000 in taxes.

Psychological Health Improved By Quitting Smoking

Psychological Health Improved By Quitting Smoking

Justin Bieber's jet filled with pot smoke, source says

Justin Bieber and his father allegedly refused a pilot's warning to stop smoking pot during a flight from Canada to New Jersey on Friday, according to a law enforcement source.

A law enforcement official gave details to CNN about what the flight crew on the chartered jet told federal officials after they ferried Bieber and his entourage from Canada to New Jersey's Teterboro Airport. The official asked not to be identified.

Marijuana smoke was so strong in the jet's cabin that flight crew members put on oxygen masks because they were concerned they might inhale so much it would cause them to test positive for drug use, said the source.
Avalon Full Flavor
The pilots repeatedly asked the pop star, his father, Jeremy Bieber, and other passengers to put away marijuana during the flight, according to the source. The pilot said the singer and his father were verbally abusive to the flight crew. This prompted the pilot to have the flight attendant stay close to the cockpit to avoid contact with Bieber as much as possible, the source said.

Bieber and his entourage of 10 were granted re-entry into the United States after a search of the chartered plane by federal officials, who said they detected an odor of marijuana after it landed at Teterboro Airport, a law enforcement official told CNN.

A number of federal agents from Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they detected the odor, which prompted the search by drug-sniffing dogs, the source said.

No sign of drugs were detected and no illegal substances were found, a law enforcement source told CNN last week.

How Brown, Lohan could help Bieber

Bieber, a Canadian citizen living in the United States on a work visa, was detained by border agents for several hours of questioning. The interview is routinely conducted to ensure people entering the country are in compliance with U.S. law, another law enforcement source said.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesman declined comment, citing privacy requirements involving the questioning of people applying to enter the United States.

Bieber rep Matthew Hiltzik declined comment to CNN.

Bieber, 19, was arrested last week in Toronto, accused of assaulting his limousine driver in December.

He also faces charges of drunken driving, resisting arrest and driving on an expired license after being stopped by police in Miami Beach, Florida, last month.

Number of teenage smokers halved

Marlborough has topped a national table of the biggest drop in teenage smokers.
Statistics from the 2013 Census show the number of smokers in Marlborough aged between 15 and 19 has halved since 2006.
The figure has shocked anti-smoking lobbyists in the region.
Cynthia de Jeoux is a cease cigarette (Aukati Kaipaipa) co-ordinator with the Maori health provider Te Hauora o Ngati Rarua and works with children at Marlborough's three colleges. Students are referred to her by schools predominantly after being caught smoking in the school grounds.
She routinely sees between six and 12 children each week. In 2013, she dealt with 170 young people and only five successfully quit. This year alone she has seen more than 40 school-aged children. The youngest referral was aged 11.
"I am surprised by the figures, I am still working with the same number of students each year. There still seems to be a prevalence in the uptake of young smokers but I am always pleased to hear this news.
"I promote quit while you are ahead and don't be coming and seeing me in 40 years. It is about prevention education. I work on the positive message that being smokefree is making a good choice. We do active promotion, making letter box drops and getting in people's faces."
Through one-on-one and group sessions Ms de Jeoux looks at the reasons behind smoking and gives schoolchildren tools to quit the habit. "I deal with a lot of the Maori population which is the hardest socio-economic group. They can afford the least to smoke yet do it the most," she said.
"We have high achievers with smoking problems as a result of anxiety and we have groups of underachievers at an academic level. These are popular kids at school that struggle with the pressure put on them and have a ‘what the heck' attitude. All these kids have an amazing resilience that is not channelled properly.
"Peer pressure is one reason they offer. They see their friends smoke and they want to feel part of a culture and fit in. Boredom is another common word I hear. Kids will also do what they see and many referrals have parents that smoke." Lucky Strike Click&Roll
Ms de Jeoux is seeing the knock-on health effects of lighting up.
"I am starting to see chest infections," she said. "The same kids are aware of the impacts of smoking but have made a positive move towards quitting. Some are not aware of the effects. It is not until they take up the challenge to quit and it is quite empowering for them to discover that can do it."
Smokefree cessation co-ordinator at Marlborough Private Health Organisation Amora Katu agreed the drop in teenage smokers was shocking but there could be an undocumented reason.
"There appears to be a ripple effect. If one person quits it will have a ripple effect on others," she said.
"I have been a smokefree co-ordinator for eight years. I am surprised by the figures and would have anticipated a smaller drop of between 30 and 40 per cent."

Thurrock back national smoking scheme

A DECLARATION that highlights the affects smoking has on a community has been backed by Thurrock Council.
The Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control is endorsed by the country’s leading public health organisations and is a statement of a local authority’s commitment to tackling harm from smoking.
It includes commitments to have a local plan, to support national action on tobacco and to protect local health policy from tobacco industry influence. Lady Rose
Smoking in Thurrock accounts for more early deaths than any other cause.
Councillor Barbara Rice, in charge of health, said: “I understand we’re the 22nd local authority to sign up which again shows Thurrock takes its public health responsibilities very seriously indeed.
“We want to do away with the inequalities in health that we see between different wards in our borough, but more importantly we want Thurrock to be a healthy place for everyone who lives here.
“That’s what we’re working towards, and tackling the evils of tobacco is one of the simplest ways of doing this. Stop smoking and immediately you increase your chances of a longer life.”

Smokers more concerned with ‘effect on their looks than health’

Smokers are more concerned about the effects cigarettes have on their looks than their health, new research revealed today.
Experts found that, despite the potentially fatal long-term consequences of lighting up, a large percentage still find skin wrinkles and yellow teeth more troubling than lung damage.
The study also found more than half of smokers either have, or are planning to, quit over fears about the damage it is doing to their appearance.
But the in-depth findings by electronic cigarette brand VIP found one in seven admitted they would be more likely to give up the cigarettes if they noticed an effect on how they looked, rather than because their health was suffering.  Glamour Superslims Menthol
And more than a quarter admitted this was the reason they have decided to quit tobacco for good.
Dave Levin, co-owner of VIP, said: ”The health effects of smoking are well documented, but people are less aware that cigarettes can also damage your looks.
”During our research three quarters of smokers said that their habit had caused deterioration to their looks and it was this, more than their health, that concerned them.
”While the health issues caused by smoking are so widely advertised, they aren’t always as easy to see or notice.
”But the effects on your appearance are something you can see every time you look at your reflection, whether it’s deeper wrinkles, discoloured teeth or a sallow complexion.”
The study, of 1,500 current or ex-smokers found that a staggering 88 per cent even admitted they regret taking it up in the first place because it is now showing in their appearance.
And the average smoker said they started to see the damage to their appearance around the age of 32.
Yellow teeth were named as the biggest concern with more than four in ten smokers saying they hated the effect cigarettes have had on their smile.
Bad breath, as well as the general odour that goes with being a smoker followed close behind, along with an increase in fine lines and wrinkles.
Stained and discoloured nails and fingers, wrinkled mouth and bad or ashen skin are also among the aspects of their appearance that smokers worry about.
Worryingly, the research also revealed that more than eight in ten admitted they are more likely to take notice of the effects of smoking they can actually see, such as yellow teeth and wrinkles, rather than what it is doing to their health and body internally.
One in three smokers has even experienced somebody insulting them or pointing out the effects of tobacco directly to their face.
And four in ten spend more time on their beauty regime to try and compensate for the effects of the cigarettes.
Dave Levin added: ”During the Christmas period Public Health England launched its latest TV advertising campaign to graphically demonstrate the health implications of tobacco.
”While we feel these messages are important and will resonate with some smokers, our research indicates that for many, vanity is also a key issue.
”VIP electronic cigarettes have been designed to offer a harm reducing alternative to smokers.
”They are not only widely recognised by a number of leading health professionals as healthier than tobacco cigarettes, but they’re also much kinder on our looks.
”Electronic cigarettes are free of the harmful toxins found in tobacco cigarettes which mean users can enjoy the great taste of VIP and stay looking good.
”What’s more, because VIP electronic cigarettes are virtually odourless and smoke free, there are no lingering tobacco smells.”
Top ten effects smokers worry about cigarettes having on their looks
1.            Yellowing teeth
2.            Bad breath
3.            General odour from smoke
4.            An increase in wrinkles
5.            An increase in fine lines
6.            Yellowing nails/fingers
7.            Missing teeth
8.            Wrinkly mouth/lips
9.            Bad skin
10.          Discoloured/ashen skin

How resolved is your resolution?

Now that it’s officially 2014, it’s time to make good on that resolution you made during your New Year’s Eve party. And while the thought of it may add yet another dimension to the post-party haze, it’s comforting to know that at least some people make good on them.
 In fact, according to a study in Forbes Magazine, the stuff that resolutions are made of — or that is, the desire for self-improvement, is what drives more than 40 percent of Americans to cut the deal in the first place. 

 But sadly, for all the good intentions, only a few of us actually achieve our goal — just 8-percent, according to research done by Scranton University. Gauloises cigarettes.
 What we say we’ll do may surprise you.
 According to a poll conducted by General Nutrition Centers and Quicken, the fifth most popular resolution made by Americans is simply to enjoy life more.
 Based on our hectic lifestyles, and how most of us struggle to make ends meet, it’s no wonder that “enjoying life more” has become a more popular resolution in recent years. Let’s face it — enjoying life more leads to a happier and healthier you.
 The fourth most popular resolution among Americans is to quit smoking. Fortunately, many over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies now give smokers easier access to proven remedies. The average smoker will try to quit four times before successfully kicking the habit for good. If this is your resolution, look to free support services, hotlines, and other smoking cessation classes to help you become one of the successful 8 percent.
 The third resolution on the American list is, you guessed it — losing weight. With more than 66 percent of us considered to be too plump, it’s not surprising to find this one on our list. If this is your choice, boost your chances by keeping it real, setting reasonable goals and staying focused on them.
 Number two on the list is made by those who wish to remain fit by sticking to some sort of a daily or weekly exercise plan. Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure and even improves arthritis.
 Spending time with family and friends tops the resolution list. More than 50 percent of Americans vow to appreciate and spend more time with friends and family members, promising to meet with friends for an evening of fun, or take the family on a vacation or on routine outings for fun.
 While former Fenton resident Steve McNamara said he often makes New Year’s resolutions, rarely does he keep them. “I’m always vowing to lose weight in the New Year,” McNamara said. “I’ll get a good start on it, but by the end of January, I’m usually back to my old eating habits.”
 More often than not, people who fail to keep their resolutions blame it on their own lack of willpower. In fact, the surveys conducted by the University of Scranton indicate that the would-be resolvers repeatedly say if they had more self-determination, they would have overcome the obstacles and achieved their goals.
 “It’s like I don’t have enough willpower,” McNamara said. “I actually do better on giving things up for Lent because it’s a shorter timeframe,” he said. “It’s easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
 Whatever your resolution may be, there are several things you can do to better your chances of succeeding.
Keep it simple
 Many folks use the New Year as an opportunity to create huge bucket lists or attempt extreme makeovers, whether it be personal or professional. While it’s a nice aspiration, experts agree that this type of approach is doomed to failure, and that shooting for the moon can be so psychologically daunting, you’ll end up failing to launch in the first place.
Make it tangible
 Goals should be bound by rational, achievable metrics. In fact, making a resolution to lose weight isn’t all that easy to follow. It’s a lot easier to come up with a plan for cutting all of the fast food, potato chips and ice cream out of the diet for six weeks. Instead of saying, you’re going to start going to the gym in 2013, be more specific and set a clear ambition like attending a weekly class, or lifting weights every Tuesday and Thursday.
Never stop believing
 It all boils down to this — you have as much willpower as you think you have, which means that on some level, your journey toward self-improvement will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Smokers facing new tax hike

Smokers facing another tax increase as 2014 arrives are being urged to use the cost hike as an opportunity to quit.

The tobacco tax rises 10 per cent on Wednesday, the latest in a series of consecutive 10 percent tax hikes planned by the Government through to 2016.

And though tax increases are frequently unpopular, Quitline chief executive Paula Snowden is welcoming the rise.

"Smoking is expensive and it needs to be," she said.

 

"Tax increases trigger quitting and they are an essential part of the government's commitment to a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025, which aims to reduce smoking prevalence to less than 5 percent."

Ms Snowden said Quitline wants to help anyone wanting to quit smoking, which she describes as "a creeping death that steals lives and robs families of health and wellbeing"

The 2013 census showed smoking had fallen from 20.7 percent prevalence in 2006 to 15.1 percent in 2013, which Ms Snowden said showed that tax increases, along with other measures such as smokefree environments and cessation support, are working.

The exact increase in the cost of a packet of cigarettes and loose tobacco after the tax increase will be determined by individual tobacco companies.

Boston approves ban on smoking in city-run parks

The Boston Parks and Recreation Commission on Monday approved a ban covering the 251 parks, squares, cemeteries and other spaces run by the Parks and Recreation Department, including Boston Common, the Public Garden and Franklin Park. No one spoke in opposition to the ban.
The ban takes effect immediately and applies to tobacco, marijuana and other "lighted or vaporized" substances. Violators face a $250 fine.
The City Council approved the measure last month. LM cigarettes.
"This amendment is necessary to maintain the health and safety of our public parks and ensure that these valuable resources can be enjoyed by all Boston residents," Mayor Thomas Menino said in a letter supporting the ban.
The Parks Department will post signs about the ban and the fine, and her department and the Health Commission will pass out informational materials, commission spokeswoman Jacque Goddard told The Boston Globe (http://b.globe.com/19Y5Hok ).
Police and park rangers will enforce the measure, which is an expansion of an existing law that prohibits smoking at playgrounds.
The ban will improve health, said Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.
"Secondhand smoke in any concentration is dangerous," Ferrer said. "There's no safe level of exposure."
New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles are among other large U.S. cities with similar bans.

Miley Cyrus Explains She and Demi Lovato Didn't Cause Joe Jonas to Smoke Marijuana

Pop star Miley Cyrus claims she and Demi Lovato didn't pressure fellow Disney star Joe Jonas into smoking marijuana earlier in their careers.

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The former Jonas Brothers star recently revealed the 'Wrecking Ball' hitmaker and his former girlfriend Demi Lovato introduced him to the drug while they were all young stars working for the Disney Channel, but Miley says she didn't make Joe do anything he didn't want to.

She told the New York Times newspaper: ''If you want to smoke weed, you're going to smoke weed. There's nothing that two little girls are going to get you to do that you don't want to do.

''I thought maybe he was saying that like it was going to make him look badass.''

The 21-year-old pop star also believes it would have been impossible for her and Demi, 21, to have influenced Joe, who is three years their senior.

She added: ''We were so young that it's actually like, 'How did you get peer pressured by me?' ''

Joe previously said he was 17 or 18 when he first tried weed with Miley and 'Heart Attack' singer Demi.

He said: ''The first time I smoked weed was with Demi and Miley. I must have been 17 or 18. They kept saying, 'Try it! Try it!' so I gave it a shot, and it was all right. I don't even smoke weed that often anymore.''