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** 14 January 2021
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** UK
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** Sniffer dog uncovers almost 5,000 packs of illegal tobacco in Worthing (#1)
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** International
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** US: Cancer deaths hit all-time low thanks to decrease in smoking (#2)
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** US: New Jersey opens up COVID-19 vaccine to smokers (#3)
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** Foundation for a Smoke-Free World sued over worker's claim of tobacco ties (#4)
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** UK
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Cooper, a sniffer dog, has revealed an illegal haul of tobacco at premises in Worthing, during a raid with Trading Standards Officers in December 2020. He found 4,600 packets of tobacco in the premises and alerted officers that a safe in the building contained more illicit tobacco, a spokesman for West Sussex Trading Standards said.
Unable to open the safe without the key, Trading Standards officers seized the safe and later sought the help of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) who used specialist equipment to open it up. The safe contained 209 packets of fake cigarettes and 56 pouches of illicit tobacco, the spokesman confirmed. All have been seized by Trading Standards officers and sent for testing.
Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Stopping the sale of fake tobacco and cigarettes is incredibly important and Cooper, along with Trading Standards officers and WSFRS firefighters, has done an excellent job in uncovering these large stores in Worthing.
“Fake tobacco and cigarettes are often much cheaper than legitimate products, making them an attractive option for younger people and therefore encouraging them to start smoking.”
Source: Worthing Herald, 13 January 2021
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** International
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On Tuesday (12th January), the American Cancer Society (ACS) reported a record drop in cancer deaths for the second straight year. Thanks to a sharp decrease in smoking, US mortality rates from cancer dropped 2.4% in 2018, translating to about 3.2 million lives saved.
“We were very encouraged to see, for the second year in a row, a record drop in the year-over-year cancer mortality rate,” the study’s lead author, Rebecca L. Siegel, told the New York Post. “We’ve had a continuous decline in the cancer mortality rate for 27 years now, but in the last few years the decline has really accelerated.”
Particularly, the Atlanta-based cancer epidemiologist pointed out, the lung cancer mortality rate. From 2014 to 2018, it contributed to nearly 50% of the total decline in cancer deaths in the last five years.
The ACS attributed the encouraging numbers to more people cutting down on or quitting smoking, as well as continuing advances in lung cancer treatment. With cancer being the second leading cause of death in the US behind heart disease, Siegel is encouraged by the trend.
“While it’s true that continued reductions in smoking are contributing, now we’re actually seeing advances in lung cancer treatment,” she added. “In the past few years, there’s been improvements in treatments at every state of lung cancer diagnosis, and it’s showing up in survival rates and increased reductions in lung cancer mortality.
“It’s really good news for lung cancer patients.”
Source: New York Post, 13 January 2021
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The state of New Jersey is now allowing smokers to get the highly coveted COVID-19 vaccine — on the grounds that their habit is considered a high-risk health condition.
“Smoking puts you at significant risk for an adverse result from COVID-19 and there are 2 million smokers in New Jersey who fit into these categories,” New Jersey’s Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said, according to NJ.com.
Governor Phil Murphy announced the expanded eligibility guidelines Wednesday, saying that anyone over the age of 65, or those with specific medical conditions, can start signing up for the booster as soon as Thursday (14 January). The conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, Down syndrome, severe obesity and Type-2 diabetes. No evidence of the health conditions will be required.
Source: New York Post, 13 January 2021
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The former director of social media at the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW) says she was fired for raising concerns that the group’s close ties to the tobacco industry and the promotion of teenage vaping violated its status as an independent nonprofit organisation.
Lourdes Liz, who worked at the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World from February 2018 until February 2020, says she was terminated after objecting to activities “designed to increase the profits of and to do the bidding of” Philip Morris International Inc. and Altria Group Inc.
Source: Bloomberg Law, 13 January 2021 (paywall)
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