The world’s largest cigarette-makers introduced exquisite Marlboro Gold a super slim extension to its leading tobacco brand Marlboro cigarettes, the most popular tobacco product in the world. Now, the company announced the launch of the additional varieties of key global brands – Virginia Slims and Bond.

After some modifications in pack design, Philip Morris has re-launched Virginia Slims UNO White and Virginia Slims UNO Black. Both extensions are a little bit more expensive than other varieties of Virginia tobacco family, but are oriented for active smoking who are interested in having a more chic smoking product than other female smokers consume.

Philip Morris Sales &Marketing senior director, Frederick Stahl, admitted that Virginia Super Slims have gained huge popularity among women-smokers across this region and that they received a great feedback from female smokers regarding new styles of Virginia, especially about delicate smell of vanilla, innovating pack design and superb quality.

Philip Morris as well introduced a new style of Bond Street Selection smoking brand, which was named Bond Street One. The new addition to Bond portfolio provides the lowest level of nicotine, with just 0.1mg of nicotine a cigarette.
The company opted for introducing Bond Street One, after a market research has concluded that although Bond has been very successful across Europe, increasing its presence in the region’s tobacco market by 1% last year, the brand still has a room for improvement, but needed a low-tar extension to offer for those adult cigarette-lovers who prefer a lighter smoking experience.
Up to the present moment, Bond brand has been the third-best selling cigarette brand in generic category, behind fellow PMI brand Red & White and Japan Tobacco’s Monte Carlo.

Mr. Stahl said the Philip Morris International’s latest product line extensions depict the company’s intention to consolidate its leading place in every category of world-wide tobacco market.

Philip Morris International, which gained its universal popularity among the adult smokers around the world with such notable products as Marlboro, Parliament, Virginia, L&M, Chesterfield and Bond Street, accounts for a 38.4% market share in European tobacco market. The modifications in the design of Bond Street One and Virginia UNO packs were elaborated by eminent graphic designers Stuart Eadie and Tong McKnew from Switzerland.

Philip Morris International marketing director stated that two years ago the company started changing designs and creating new varieties for almost all cigarette brands in its portfolio. This move is reasoned by a number of factors, among which are the evolving demands of adult cigarette-lovers, the willingness to comply with smokers’ expectations and the ever-high competition.

NEW DELHI: India is just a step away from banning foreign investment in tobacco, shattering the plans of Japan Tobacco, BAT and the Altria Group, but leaving the field wide open for ITC to increase its dominance in the growing cigarette market. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who was the last hurdle for the proposal from the health ministry, is now supporting the controversial ban, said a senior ministry official who is aware of the development. The finance ministry communicated its support to the ban through a communication dated February 3, 2010.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will now approach the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, or CCEA, the final authority, for the formal approval to ban foreign investments in tobacco. “We were awaiting finance ministry’s views on this matter,” said KK Modi, president and MD of the second-largest tobacco company, Godfrey Philips India, where Altria Group owns a 25% stake and the Indian promoters 46%. “Banning it permanently will give a jolt to the foreign players.”

After an acrimonious relationship spanning several years, the two have buried the hatchet and the local joint venture now has the right to manufacture the iconic Marlboro in India. Before that, it was sold through a separate company.

The move to ban foreign investments in tobacco has been controversial since the proposal came soon after Japan Tobacco announced its intention to raise its stake in the local unit to 74% from 50%. Also, British American Tobacco, the single largest shareholder in ITC, has seen its desire to take a controlling stake in the Indian unit thwarted consistently without any adequate reasoning. BAT holds about 32% in ITC, and the government-controlled LIC and Unit Trust of India’s government administrator are the other big shareholders.

The proposed ban may shut the door permanently on Japan Tobacco’s proposal to invest $100 million into its Indian subsidiary. Its proposal has been pending with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for about two years at least since the health ministry had proposed a ban on FDI in this sector.

The tobacco giant, owned by the Japanese government, had said that the proposal complies with the FDI policy since the new investment will not lead to capacity addition. India’s largest cigarette manufacturer, ITC, which has about three-fourths of market share in cigarettes and is the potential beneficiary from the ban, said it wouldn’t comment on the matter.

Nicotine addicts who have been dreaming of shifting to Camel or Salem from ITC’s Wills or Gold Flake, may have to wait for eternity if the CCEA puts its stamp of approval on the plan. But the lobbying by global firms may not end as yet given that it may be billions of dollars of revenue lost for multinational companies.

The current policy lacks clarity on whether FDI is allowed in the sector, though the government does not allow creation of fresh cigarette manufacture capacity. The health ministry has been batting for a complete ban on foreign investment and had objected to JTL’s proposal to allow even existing foreign investors to raise investment in subsidiaries.

The issue was then taken up by an inter-ministerial group (IMG) having representation from departments concerned, including health, DIPP, commerce, the Planning Commission and finance. The DIPP floated a formal Cabinet note after the IMG decided to support the ban on FDI.

Cigarettes have turned out to be among the most popular gifts for the upcoming Spring Festival, a public health survey has found.

More than half of the poll’s 1,200 respondents, some of whom are smokers, said they will give away cartons of cigarettes as gifts during the festivities. Recipients of such gifts ranged from family members to business partners.

The survey was conducted by the Jiangsu provincial center for disease control and prevention (CDC).

More than 68 percent of those polled also said they were fully aware of the scientifically proven health hazards of tobacco.

“Brand name and expensive cigarettes are always the safest choice for gift giving in China to show respect. Few people, including non-smokers, will openly deny the practice because of health concerns,” said Wu Yiqun, deputy director of the Thinktank Research Center for Health Development, a Beijing-based nongovernmental organization.

Fu Rong, a college teacher in Beijing, said two cartons of brand name cigarettes helped make up the Spring Festival gift list for her father back home in Shaanxi province.

“I don’t want him to smoke because of health concerns, but I still give him the cigarettes and always ask him to smoke less,” she said. “For chain smokers like him, cigarettes are an easy choice. They are also light and easy to carry.”

That also seems to be true for non-smokers.

In a country with 350 million smokers, cigarettes as presents can be a welcome option for recipients, Wu said.

In varied social settings like family and business meetings, people tend to pass around and light cigarettes to be polite, she said. “It’s something quite unique to China,” she said.

Cigarettes are also usually the first things on plates before food at formal dinners, she said.

Official statistics show that one million Chinese people die from smoking-related diseases each year in the country.

Source:China Daily
February 05, 2010

Cigarette sellers in Bulgaria – legal and illegal – were bracing for increased demand for cigarettes as New Year price increases loom. Already, some foreign brands produced under licence are being sold at higher prices.

A report by bTV said that from the beginning of next year, prices of cigarettes would go up by an average of 40 per cent.

Smokers were not yet stocking up, sales people said.

Following up claims that the increases in excises would stimulate the illicit economy, bTV sent a team with a hidden camera to Sofia’s Zhenski Pazar (Women’s Market) where “literally every step” cigarettes without excise labels were offered to the team.

On December 25, Bulgarian news agency Focus said that some foreign cigarette brands were already being sold at higher prices in some Sofia shops.

Packets of 20 Marlboro were being sold at 4.20 leva, up from 3.90 leva, for example.

Some shops had the same brands with different prices. New stocks had been sent marked at higher prices, retailers said.

Focus quoted the Philip Morris Company as saying that the new prices had been registered with the Finance Ministry, and were “intermediate” prices aimed at a smoother transition to the new prices that would take effect from January 1 2010.

Earlier in December, Dnevnik calculated that popular domestic brands now costing 3.40 leva for a packet of 20 would increase to 4.50 leva.

According to Dnevnik, someone smoking a packet of Victory a day, who under the old prices would have spent 1241 leva a year on the habit, would with the new prices pay 1620, about 30 per cent more.

Alternatively, Dnevnik said, to spend the same sum as in 2009, that smoker should smoke about five fewer cigarettes a day.

The cheapest Bulgarian brands will see the highest price increases. Arda, currently sold for 2.30 leva, will cost 3.76 leva.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Reynolds American Inc. has officially reached an agreement to purchase all outstanding shares of the Swedish-based nicotine replacement therapy company Niconovum AB for 310 million Swedish kronor, or approximately $44 million. Niconovum markets innovative nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products under the Zonnic brand name in Sweden and Denmark. Its nicotine gum, mouth spray and pouches use proprietary technology for nicotine delivery.

CSP Daily News reported on the impending deal in early November.

“Niconovum’s products have great potential in meeting consumer demand and public health objectives,” said Susan M. Ivey, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Reynolds American. “This acquisition extends the harm-reduction strategies RAI and its operating companies have been developing over the past several years.

She added, “Longer term, we believe the acquisition of Niconovum will enable an RAI operating company to provide adult tobacco consumers with innovative cessation products that have the potential to reduce the risks of diseases and death caused by tobacco use.

Ivey said that RAI intends to provide Niconovum with the investment capital it needs to focus on product development and the testing required to enter additional markets.

“We believe the technology used in our Zonnic products better meets consumer preferences than other NRTs currently on the market,” said Nils Siegbahn, president and chief executive officer of Niconovum. “With today’s announcement, Niconovum will have access to the capital it needs to expand distribution of Zonnic to additional markets, and accelerate product refinements and new product development.”

Niconovum will be a separate operating company of Reynolds American, and the transaction is expected to be completed by year-end. Founded in 2001, Niconovum is based in Helsingborg, Sweden. Reynolds American’s intention is to retain Niconovum’s current management team, and its headquarters will remain in Helsingborg.

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Reynolds American is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Conwood Co. LLC and Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. Inc. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco is the second-largest U.S. tobacco company. The company’s brands include five of the 10 best-selling cigarettes in the United States: Camel, Pall Mall, Winston, Kool and Doral. Conwood is the nation’s second-largest manufacturer of smokeless tobacco products. Its leading brands are Kodiak, Grizzly and Levi Garrett. Conwood also sells and distributes a variety of tobacco products manufactured by Lane Ltd. including Winchester and Captain Black little cigars, and Bugler roll-your-own tobacco. Santa Fe Natural Tobacco manufactures Natural American Spirit cigarettes and other additive-free tobacco products, and manages and markets other super-premium brands.

Akhisar, a town in the Aegean province of Manisa long referred to as a tobacco center, has become famous for its olive trees. Supplying 70 percent of Turkey’s table olive production, the town exports olive products to 41 countries.

Unable to obtain sufficient income from tobacco, the farmers in Akhisar started increasing the planting of olive saplings 15 years ago and have now nearly transformed the plain into a sea of olives. There are 10.27 million olive trees in Akhisar, half of which bear fruit. The goal is to make the region a worldwide leader in olives.

Mustafa Gökalp, vice chairman of the board in the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Union, said there were 3 million trees in Akhisar in 1993, when the group built its factory, but the number has now climbed to 11 million.

This success has also affected nearby towns, Gökalp said. “Some other districts such as Gölmarmara, Salihli, Köprübaşı and Alaşehir have also oriented toward the olive business. The brands that emerged in Akhisar have expanded all over Turkey. The olive and olive-oil brands, which hold an important share of total olive exports, are successfully promoting Akhisar, our olives and our oil in foreign countries.”

Some 70 percent of the region’s olives are assessed as table olives, which is the highest in Turkey, Gökalp said. “Domat and Uslu, which are among the most important table olive types, originate in Akhisar. Domat, Uslu, Edremit and Gemlik types are of the quality and tonnage to be processed industrially and offered to global markets. It is not possible to find four varieties of potential table olives anywhere else in Turkey.”

Thanks to its geographic location and the strategic importance of its olive varieties, Akhisar is currently one of the bases of the olive business in Turkey and is likely to become more important in the coming years as Akhisar residents set their minds to the issue, according to Gökalp.

Akhisar is the olive capital, according to Emin Demirci, chairman of Akhisar Commodity Exchange. “This region has the largest tree wealth. There is a high harvest level here during this season. We forecast that 200,000 tons will be obtained from 5.4 million bearers. Out of this amount, 100,000 tons will be reserved as oil and the rest will be table olives. We expect production to increase to 400,000 tons by 2015.”

In 1970s, Akhisar was known as a tobacco producer but now it is taking steps to become an olive and food region, noted Demirci, adding that they have applied to the Turkish Patent Institute for the Domat and Uslu varieties.

Akhisar Mayor Salih Hızlı said olive and olive oil have an increasing value in the world and added that the aim is to promote Akhisar’s products all over the world.

Nearly 200,000 tons of olives are produced in Akhisar, said Gökalp, adding that the sector provides significant job opportunities for many people. Noting that Turkey’s olive production is rising each year, Gökalp said the yield of table olives is expected to be 400,000 tons this year. The country consumes between 180,000 and 200,000 tons of olives and exports around 60,000 tons, he said.

November 8, 2009
METE TAMER OMUR, Hurriyetdailynews

A company selling electronic cigarettes claim sales of the devices have rocketed by 200% month-on-month.

The gadgets have become the latest fashionable alternative to smoking with Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding and Welsh actor Rhys Ifans have all been spotted puffing the “e-cigs.”

The e-cigarettes provide a dose of nicotine in the form of a vapour which is inhaled by the “smoker” and taste similar to smoking tobacco cigarettes.

Although the devices are legal to use in pubs and clubs the Department of Health has vowed to clamp down on e-cigarettes that contain toxic levels of nicotine, “ensuring they are labelled and sold appropriately”.

Bosses at Horsham-based Cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk, which started distributing the battery-powered cigarettes in July, said that last month they sold 1,000 starter packs costing between £26 and £69.

This month the company had a turnover of £90,000 compared to just £10,000 in August and £30,000 in September.

Sales of the nicotine cartridges are also topping 10,000 a month.

Anna McLachlan, co-owner of cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk said: “We are in a unique position to help millions of smokers in the UK. It has been suggested that 90% of smokers would swap to a product which gave the same experience as a cigarette if it was healthier and cheaper, we can offer this with our range of NUCIG electronic cigarettes.”

By Richard Gurner, November 3, 2009 Theargus

NEW YORK — As expected, Reynolds American Inc. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. on Tuesday followed Philip Morris’ lead in raising their cigarette prices but to varying degrees.

According to a research note from analyst Nik Modi of UBS Investment Research, New York, Reynolds American, Winston-Salem, N.C., announced an increase in its list prices across its cigarette portfolio of 6 to 8 cents, echoing the increases announced Friday by Philip Morris, Richmond, Va. The overall increase is about 3%. The price increase is effective Nov. 2.

Meanwhile, Lorillard, Greensboro, N.C., announced a reduction in promotional incentives by about 25% per carton, which is equivalent to a price increase, according to Modi. However, the per-pack increase amounts to 1 cent per pack, which is a few pennies shy of both Reynolds’ and Phillip Morris’ increases.

“We believe this is due to: 1) Lorillard will likely move around buy-down levels to effectively reach the same increase on a price per pack basis as [Philip Morris] and [Reynolds], 2) the company is waiting for later in the year to take a larger increase (which we expect Altria to lead) and 3) Lorillard sometimes raises prices more than RAI and MO and also tends to already discount less,” Modi wrote.

As previously reported in CSP Daily News, Philip Morris announced Friday it would raise its wholesale prices. The cost of packs of Marlboro, Basic and L&M cigarettes rose by 6 cents a pack and the rest of its brands by 8 cents.

The company did not give a reason for the increase.

By Steve Holtz

Ontario is taking a stand against big tobacco companies, but both the Saskatchewan and Alberta governments are taking a wait-and-see approach.

In late September, the Ontario government launched a $50 billion lawsuit against big tobacco companies to recover past and ongoing health care costs linked with tobacco-related illness, but governments on both sides of the border say they aren’t going to make any decisions just yet.

The Saskatchewan government has had legislation in place since 2006 to pursue litigation, but has not taken steps because of the costs associated with pursuing a lawsuit.

“Now that Ontario is pursuing action, we’ve seen B.C. step forward, we’ll be reviewing our options to determine if we are going to head in that same direction,” said

Karen Hill, communications co-ordinator with Saskatchewan Health.

While Saskatchewan spends roughly $145 million per year on health care costs associated with tobacco, Hill said the government hasn’t yet determined the amount of the lawsuit, if it did progress.

On the other side of the border, the Alberta government is watching the events unfold in Ontario and B.C., while passing Bill 48 to enable the province to take similar action.

“Bill 48 received first reading in the spring legislature session and we anticipate it is going to go forward in the fall session eventual passing and proclamation,” said John Tuckwell, spokesperson for Alberta Health and Wellness.

While Ontario has launched a $50 billion lawsuit, Les Hagen, director of Action on Smoking and Health in Alberta, said the government should sue for at least $12 billion.

“It would certainly defray the costs of tobacco industry deception on the health care system to date, and our health care system is under a lot of cost pressures,” he said, adding Ontario’s calculation of the lawsuit is based on the amount of health care resulting from tobacco industry negligence and deceptive marketing practices, such as the creation and promotion of light cigarettes.

“(It’s) probably the biggest consumer fraud ever devised, and I think at last count, over one-half of Canadians were smoking light cigarettes, so another words, millions of Canadians were being deceived into thinking the product they were using was less harmful than a so-called regular cigarette,” said Hagen. “The provincial government, through medicare, had to pay for the clean-up costs resulting from those in fraudulent activities. They absolutely should be pursuing damages from this industry.”

But Imperial Tobacco Canada said Ontario’s lawsuit is hypocritical and sees the cash grab as a political stunt.

“We find it unbelievable that the Government of Ontario – a senior partner in the tobacco industry for more than 50 years – would use the taxpayers’ dollars to sue legal tobacco companies rather than invest in eliminating the contraband market which, today, accounts for almost 50 per cent of the cigarettes purchased in Ontario,” said Donald McCarty, Imperial Tobacco Canada’s vice president of law, adding the province also received more than $1 billion in taxes from the sale of tobacco products.

“It will continue to profit from tobacco sales even as it pursues an additional cash grab through the courts,” said McCarty. “The action is even more hypocritical when one considers the major role played by the Government of Ontario and the governments of other provinces in the sale of other products for which the risks are well known, including alcohol and gambling.

By Allison Wall, Meridianbooster

Just three weeks into auction, tobacco prices in Karnataka have scaled fresh peaks at about Rs 113 a kg, defying the ongoing economic slowdown.

“The prices at the on-going Karnataka auctions are now ruling at an average of Rs 112.69 a kg, compared with the previous record of Rs 109.71 a kg struck during the last auction in the state,” a senior official with the Guntur-based Tobacco Board said.

Close to 2 million kg of tobacco has already been auctioned, which started from September 2 in Karnataka. The tobacco auction in the country is mainly undertaken in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Though the ongoing economic crisis has hit demand in many commodities, tobacco auctions in India- the third-largest exporter of the item, witnessed a record surge in prices due to stagnant global output and a rise in overseas demand.

Even anti-tobacco norms in some countries have not been able to contain the growth in demand absolutely.

“Global tobacco output in the last 4-5 years has been stagnant whereas demand has grown by up to one per cent a year despite anti-tobacco norms in some countries,” he said, commenting on reasons for the unprecedented rise in prices.

Moreover, the shrinking crop size in Zimbabwe, which is a major producing country, has exerted more pressure on supply from India and China pushing prices up, he added.

Earlier, prices of tobacco touched an average of Rs 103.39 per kg during auctions in Andhra Pradesh in early 2009 against Rs 84.75 in the previous year. Similarly, prices of

the highest quality tobacco in Andhra Pradesh spiralled to a record Rs 155 a kg against Rs 141 last year.

The state witnessed tobacco auction to the tune of 204 million kg.

Global tobacco production touched 5,500 million kg in 2007-08, out of which the FCV tobacco used for making cigarettes, accounts for 4,170 million kg.

Encouraged by better realisation due to a huge demand overseas, India’s tobacco and tobacco products exports surged by 39 per cent to Rs 1,366 crore (Rs 13.66 billion) till July this fiscal.


Copyright © September 22, 2009 Rediff

Children who are regularly exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke when traveling by car have significantly higher rates of hayfever and wheezing than those without such exposure, results of an Irish study show.

Writing in the European Respiratory Journal, Luke Clancy, from the Tobacco Free Research Institute in Dublin, and team explain: “Children may be more vulnerable to second-hand smoke-induced respiratory diseases due to smaller airways and greater oxygen demand, as well as a less-mature immune system.”

But they add that “there is no evidence quantifying second-hand smoke-induced respiratory health effects in children exposed to second-hand smoke in cars.”

To address this, the team studied 2809 children, aged 13–14 years, selected randomly from schools throughout Ireland.

All the children completed questionnaires detailing their exposure to second-hand smoke at home and in cars, and whether they themselves smoked.

They were also asked whether they had ever suffered from asthma, hayfever, wheezing, or other respiratory health problems.

The team found that, overall, 14.8% of the children surveyed were regularly exposed to tobacco smoke when traveling by car.

After accounting for tobacco smoke exposure at home and other factors, the researchers found that children exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in cars were 35% more likely to suffer from wheezing and 30% more likely to have hayfever symptoms than those who were not exposed to second-hand smoke when traveling by car.

However, the team found no significant association between exposure to second-hand smoke in cars and an increased prevalence of asthma.

Clancy and team comment: “Despite this study showing a tendency towards an increased likelihood of respiratory and allergic symptoms in children when exposed to second-hand smoke in cars, comprehensive longitudinal studies across different population settings are imperative.”

However, the researchers add: “Assuming a causal relation, such adverse respiratory symptoms could have a knock-on effect on school absenteeism, and also on being at greater risk for future second-hand smoke related morbidity and mortality.”

They conclude: “These results add further support to efforts to push ahead with legislation supporting smoke-free cars in Ireland but needs to be adequately substantiated with further evidence from elsewhere.”

Copyright © 2009 Medwire

Cotonou, Benin – Offices of cigarette manufacturers, British American Tobacco, situated in Ouidah, a former slave trade post located at 50 km from Cotonou, will be closed 31 October, official sources told PANA here Thursday.

The decision by officials of the company, which supplies several countries in the sub-region, including Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, follows the persistent drop in production since 2006.

With a capacity to produce one billion cigarettes per year, the company only produced 490 million cigarettes in 2008 and even fewer in 2009.

In view of these developments, the company, in 2006, lost its customers in the sub-region.

The company said, however, that 33 of its workers affected by the closure, would be given new jobs and their entitlements paid accordingly.

© Copyright: Afriquejet

An alternative for Bulgarians in the North-East Razgrad region is to grow pumpkins instead of tobacco after the state aid for this culture is stopped in 2010.

This has been stated by the head of the “Agriculture and Forestry” Regional Directorate in Razgrad, Ancho Haralambiev, as cited by Darik Radio.

He advised farmers who were growing tobacco to switch to another culture as 2009 was the last year when the government would provide subsidy for tobacco farmers.

“As a region our option is to go back to pumpkins, which is a actual alternative as a area, production, price, and as income. It can easily substitute tobacco. Moreover, the labor is less compared to tobacco growing. The seeds, which are mainly of interest, are being sold, and then they are processed in many different sector – as oils, in the pharmacy, in cosmetics”, Haralambiev explained.

25 000 dekares are currently being grown in the Razgrad region, but in the passed there were years of 60 000 dekares. The profit is good – BGN 2,5 per kilogram seeds, Haralambiev added. He, personally, used to grow pumpkins before he started career in the administration.


Copyright © 2009

BEIJING, – Chinese tobacco companies have been banned from claiming tax breaks on advertising, promotional and sponsorship spending.

In a joint circular issued Monday, but backdated to Jan. 1 last year, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the State Administration of Taxation (SAT) declared an end to tax breaks on promotional spending for tobacco firms.

The circular is effective until Dec. 31, 2010, after which all forms of tobacco promotion will be banned in China.

The circular said cosmetic, medical and beverage companies (excluding alcohol producers) can deduct advertising expenses to a maximum of 30 percent of their total sales income.

Before the law on enterprise income tax went into effect in January 2008, Chinese firms could claim back 2 to 8 percent their taxable income. Under the new law, the rate was standardized at 15 percent for all industries, except the tobacco industry.

The new provision meant tobacco companies would have to pay more tax and their after-tax profits would drop, indicating the government was taking a tougher stance to curb smoking, said Zhang Bin, an expert on price and tax studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The policy already applied to alcohol advertising, said Zhang Xuedan, an MOF official and tax expert.

Xu Guihua, vice president and secretary general of the Association on Tobacco Control, said a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship would be enforced from 2011.

Copyright © 2009 Xinhuanet

About the time the economy went in the dumper in 2001 folks started saying that the recession would improve the farm labor supply. But a fellow at an agricultural outlook seminar in Gainesville, Fla., said the supply of field laborers was just fine.

“We have a great system,” he said. “It’s called Greyhound. It crosses the border, picks up workers and when the job’s done, it takes them back home.”

No self-respecting American who could get a check in the mailbox would go sweat in a field, the speaker said. At the time, he was accurate.

Either times have changed and some of those folks who could get a check prefer to earn an honest’s days wages – as my parents and grandparents taught – or, well, I don’t think there is an or. You see, those checks still are available to just about everyone who asks for one and Congress keeps extending unemployment eligibility.

But farmers are reporting Americans coming to see about working in their fields. Laborer jobs. Earlier today Ray Tucker couldn’t help grinning when he said an American was among the fellows harvesting the tobacco on his Kentucky farm. And Jay sounded a little proud when he said the American was keeping up with the Mexicans who came here through the H2A program.

Copyright © 2009 Americanagriculturist

DANVILLE — J.E.B. International Co., a tobacco supplier in Danville, has entered into an agreement with Japan Tobacco Inc. and Hail & Cotton in Tennessee to form a joint venture company for procuring and processing U.S. leaf tobacco.

The joint company, JTI Leaf Services LLC, will supply contracted U.S. tobacco exclusively for Japan Tobacco Inc.’s needs. U.S. leaf tobacco is renowned for globally for its high quality and rich flavor.

Sharp increases in various crops in the past few years have caused leaf tobacco costs to remain high and induced volatility in supply sources, according to a press release from the JT Group.
The joint venture, in addition to JT Group’s acquisition of Tribac Leaf Limited, will offer the JT Group enhanced stability and capability in procuring high-quality leaf tobacco and allow it to grow its tobacco business in a sustainable manner.


Copyright © 2009 Godanriver

The 2002 Census of Agriculture indicates that there were 56,977 farms that grew tobacco in the United States in that year, just under 2.7% of all U.S. farms.6 These farms used 428,631 acres to grow tobacco—less than 0.5% of all farm acreage in the United States. This percentage was down sharply from the 93,530 farms and 837,363 acres reported in the 1997 Census of Agriculture.

Tobacco farming generally has been quite profitable, with the typical farm that grows tobacco generating nearly fourfifths of its gross income from tobacco.7 While these figures indicate a significant reduction in the number of tobacco farms and acreage devoted to tobacco growing, there has been a sharp rise in the average tobacco acreage per tobacco farm, with the average acreage per farm increasing by nearly two-thirds from 1987 to 2002.
Tobacco growing in the United States has been declining for several decades, and the rate of decline has been accelerating in recent years. Overall tobacco leaf production peaked at more than 2.3 billion pounds in 1963 and then declined gradually from 1963 through 1990. From 1990 through 1998, production was relatively stable, averaging about 1.6 billion pounds per year. Since 1998, however, overall leaf production has dropped sharply, falling by nearly 50%. Several factors have contributed to the decline in overall tobacco leaf production in the United States:
■ Declining U.S. cigarette production. U.S. cigarette production peaked at just over 750 billion cigarettes in 1996 and has declined sharply since then, falling to just under 500 billion cigarettes by 2003.
■ Reduced consumption. U.S. cigarette consumption peaked at 640 billion cigarettes in 1981 and then declined steadily through the early 1990s before leveling off for several years. Since 1998, overall cigarette consumption has further declined by about 8%. Part of this decline is explained by tax and price increases, stronger tobacco control policies, and increased investments in tobacco control programs.
■ Increased cigarette imports. Cigarette imports have risen over the past several years, from just under 3 billion cigarettes in 1996 to more than 23 billion cigarettes in 2003.

As they narrate their ordeal tobacco or cigarette smokers are appealing to tobacco manufacturers to stop manufacturing cigarettes.

According to them, having realized the harmful effect of cigarette on their health, they want to quit smoking but once it is always available it would be difficult for them to do so.

This was disclosed in a recent interview conducted by this reporter.

One Salieu Bah, who is 23 years, said he has been smoking for six years now and wanted to stop a long time ago but find it difficult to do so.

“I really want to stop smoking but I cannot. I have tried several times but just can’t sit for a day without smoking,” he said.

Bah pointed out that all his friends are smokers and they as well want to quit but they just cannot.

“The best thing is for cigarette manufacturers to stop manufacturing cigarettes,” he added.

We have seen how dangerous smoking cigarettes can be he said.

The 23 year old explained that since he started smoking cigarettes, his life has changed for the worse and cannot have anything good for himself. “I’m the eldest in my family but I cannot even perform my responsibilities and help my parents and younger ones. When I have money, the first thing I think of is cigarette,” he lamented.

Salieu is of the belief that once cigarette manufacturers stop manufacturing cigarettes, smokers will also stop smoking for it would not be available in the market for them to buy. According to Bah there are good youths in the country but the only thing obstructing their bright future is the cigarette.

“Something should be done to help us stop smoking, we don’t enjoy the act,” he concluded.

Musa Fadera, also of Bakau, appealed to cigarette manufacturers to stop manufacturing tobacco products.

“It is not good for our health, they are really killing us,” he noted.

25 year old Fadera also explained that he has now developed a chest problem as a result of smoking. “You see how black my palms are (showing his palms) that is exactly how black my chest is due to the smoke”, he said.

The doctor told me this and has advised me to quite smoking which I have tried several times but cannot still stop it, he added. Fadera explained that he has been smoking for eight years and smokes more than a packet of cigarettes per day.

“If only I stop smoking it would be good but anytime I try I get sick and get well again the moment I smoke again,” he said.

Fadera added that he regrets ever smoking and wished he had listened to his mother who was always advising him since he started smoking while in school.

“I used to hide and do it but whenever my mum sees me, she used to scold me but I always gave her a deaf ear,” he said.

He however called on the young ones not to ever venture into smoking, adding that when they get into it, it would only make them useless in the society.
The only good thing cigarettes do to me is to calm down my stress, said a 26 year old man who want to remain anonymous. He said he lives under s stressful environment and it is only the cigarette which cools him down.

“I know smoking is not good and I will like to stop it but I cannot. Whenever I tried to, I would feel sick,” he explained.

He also calls on cigarette manufactures to stop manufacturing cigarettes so that the youths can become productive and plan a good future.

Other smokers I spoke to expressed similar sentiments and call on cigarette manufacturers to stop manufacturing cigarettes and instead manufacture something that will make them stop smoking cigarettes.
Copyright © 2009 Allafrica

Tobacco use is banned at Morton Plant North Bay Hospital, effective today.

The hospital officially joined the Pasco County Health Department’s tobacco-free initiative. It is part of a countywide goal for all hospitals in Pasco to become tobacco-free by 2010, a release from the hospital said.

Tobacco use will not be permitted on any of Morton Plant North Bay’s grounds or property, and the designated smoking areas have been closed.

To help staff members with the challenges of not smoking at work, Morton Plant North Bay has put together a system of support, including a series of health fairs and smoking cessation information aides.

The release cited statistics from the National Institute on Drug Addiction, which said tobacco use kills nearly half a million Americans each year. One in every six U.S. deaths can be attributed as a result of smoking.

The American Cancer Society states that tobacco smoke causes nearly nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer. Non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace are also more likely to get lung cancer, the release said.

Morton Plant North Bay is a 122-bed facility in New Port Richey.
Copyright © 2009 Bizjournals

In China, as elsewhere, a successful business relies on more than just technology — it requires serious support from investors and brokers. Men, for example, like Tony Tung.

Originally a fishmonger from Fujian, for the past 15 years, Tung — square-jawed, middle-aged, with a thick coif of black hair — has ranked among China’s most notorious cigarette dealers. Tung, though, didn’t start out smuggling fakes. In the early 1990s, he found gold in the genuine product: Marlboros and 555s smuggled into China from abroad.

For years, the Chinese government has worked strenuously to keep foreign cigarette companies at bay, capping imports and levying tariffs as high as 430 percent. That, though, didn’t deter companies like British American Tobacco from smuggling their products into China — or Chinese enterprisers like Tung, who made millions smuggling legally produced cigarettes in the Philippines into China.

But when China cracked down on the trade in the 1990s, Tung turned his sights to the next industry bonanza: counterfeiting. Tung built up factories in Fujian, as well as in the Philippines (closed by authorities in 2005) and the free-trade zone of Rajin, North Korea. In recent years, his enterprise has reportedly shipped up to 50 containers a month — or 500 million cigarettes — to markets throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Tung continues to elude authorities, shuttling between Singapore and nearby countries, according to a tobacco industry source familiar with Asia. Recently, his syndicate has started using fishing boats to smuggle its product around Asia, the better to dodge inquisitive customs officials.

Tung and his fellow counterfeiters employ an impressive bag of tricks to avoid scrutiny. One manufacturer (arrested in 2001) constructed a factory that masqueraded as a People’s Liberation Army compound, complete with 20 laborers — dressed in cast-off military uniforms — who would conduct faux-army drills and sing the national anthem in the yard every morning. Other machines have been lodged on ships, inside concrete bunkers, and even under a lake.

“Finding these guys is like a James Bond movie,” says Keith Tsang of the China Association of Industry Security Professionals. “You’d never believe it was for real.”

In Yunxiao, factories are frequently hidden in dim, bricked-in facilities underground, accessible only via trapdoor and ladder. The turf masks the tobacco scent, while nearby sentries are used to monitor passersby. Workers staff production lines in teams of six or seven, feeding tobacco into large, heavy machines anchored in concrete foundations. Above ground, manufacturers use other ploys to hide the tell-tale aroma: double-paned glass and cotton quilts tacked to the walls, with pig pens sited nearby. In Yunxiao, investigators say, the easiest way to find a factory is often by searching for signs of industrial power sources.

Like many industries, China’s counterfeit operations are distributed: tobacco cutting and drying at one site, cigarette rolling at another location, and packing still elsewhere. These days, the packing — usually managed outside port cities, just prior to shipment — is the only process that hasn’t yet been mechanized. In major distribution centers like the city of Guangzhou, 300 miles west of Yunxiao, laborers still fill and seal the branded packs by hand. In one city corridor crammed with wholesalers, teenage girls from Fujian stroll arm-in-arm in the quiet pre-dawn darkness, awaiting their next shift.

Twenty-five years ago when multinational tobacco companies’ smuggling activities took off, Chinese smokers flocked to foreign brands. Now, cigarette vendors say fake Marlboro and 555s are so common that many Chinese simply choose to avoid them altogether. As one former cigarette smuggler from Shenzhen explains, “Nobody can tell anymore whether they’re real.”

Governor Rendell is proposing a tax on smokeless tobacco and cigars to help lessen the $3.2 billion budget deficit. But local farmers say it could destroy their business.

The governor says within the first year, the smokeless tobacco tax could bring in $30 million. Those against it say that is just 1% of the budget deficit, and it could really harm their business.

Farmer Don Welk of Lancaster County says tobacco provides more of an income than any of his other crops. He fears the tax will bring sales down and he would not be able to sell as much. “We need tobacco to survive, we are a small family farm.”

He hopes to pass his farm down to his two sons one day, and says this tax could prevent that from happening if it goes through.

The governor’s spokesperson says Pennsylvania is the only state in the union that does not tax these products, and the money it could raise would help the state in tough financial times.

The tobacco tax is just one of a number of items on Rendell’s budget plan that needs to be approved this summer.

Copyright © 2009 Fox43

Copyright © 2009, WPMT-TV

Anti-smoking group Ash Scotland called the thousands of smokers dying in Scotland every year “silent victims”.

Chief executive Sheila Duffy said: “If someone is killed in a road accident, murdered, takes their own life or dies as a result of poisoning, it’s newsworthy .

“The 13,500 Scots who die from tobacco-related illnesses every year are the silent victims of a major health epidemic. One in four Scottish deaths are estimated to be smoking-related.”

Speaking at the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland’s Annual Conference in Ayr today, Ms Duffy was

due to accuse tobacco firms of “fighting tooth and nail” to stop politicians legislating against advertising which gets young Scots hooked on cigarettes, adding: “We know the overwhelming majority of existing smokers became addicted in their teens.”

There is a long battle ahead between wealthy tobacco firms and health organisations with few resources, she was to say.

Given that tobacco consumption poses real and serious risks to health, we agree that the manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of tobacco products should be regulated in appropriate ways. We support effective, evidence-based regulation which can help to reduce the public health impacts of the use of tobacco products.
As with any other large business, we seek to be part of the debate that shapes the regulatory environment in which BAT operate.
While multinational enterprises have no standing to participate directly in global treaty-making processes, such as that relating to the FCTC, BAT companies can engage at national level.
Guidelines recently adopted by government Parties to the FCTC are recommending the implementation in national laws of measures
to limit interactions of the tobacco industry with governments. We believe that, like other interested parties, we have a constructive role to play in the development of public policies that affect our business and its
stakeholders. Truly effective tobacco regulation needs cooperation between governments and the industry and we have experience and expertise to contribute, particularly in areas such as tackling illicit trade, product
information and the development of potentially reduced-risk products.
There are areas where our views may differ from those of the regulators. One area of differing views concerns recently adopted FCTC guidelines for national regulation for a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising,
promotion and sponsorship activities, which recommend that this should include a prohibition on the tobacco industry publicising business practices described as “socially responsible”. We think that this contradicts
the principles of AA1000, the Global Reporting Initiative and other multi-stakeholder initiatives and would restrict the transparency and responsiveness that most stakeholders demand of business. We continue to believe that common ground can be found and that channels for open dialogue should remain.

Engagement and transparency Views advocated in policy formation should be transparent, whether from businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or any other parties. While we do not agree with recommendations in FCTC guidelines to limit government interactions with the tobacco industry, we do agree that any such interactions should be transparent.
BAT companies regularly engage with regulators. Examples in 2008 were:
- British American Tobacco made a submission
to the UK Department of Health in response
to a consultation paper on the future of
tobacco control;
- British American Tobacco New Zealand
appeared before a Parliamentary Select
Committee on tobacco excise; and
- British American Tobacco Netherlands led
the National Manufacturers Association
in meeting with the Minister of Finance on
tackling the problem of illicit trade.
We will continue to be transparent in our
regulatory engagement and we welcome
discussion with all interested parties.

We believe that adult tobacco consumers
should have the option of choosing less risky
products than conventional cigarettes. There
is increasing consensus that snus presents
substantially lower overall health risks than
cigarettes, such as far lower risks of lung
cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease. However, smokeless does not mean
harmless. Research on snus and heart disease
is less clear and some public health bodies
have concluded that snus is a cause of
pancreatic cancer and other diseases.
In 2008, the Scientific Committee on
Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks,
which provides scientific advice to the
European Commission, published its opinion
on the ‘Health Effects of Smokeless Tobacco
Products’. The conclusions in this publication
included that “for those who substitute
smoking by smokeless tobacco products,
the benefits outweigh the risks”.
Our smokeless programme is an important
part of our commitment to develop and
market potentially reduced-risk products.
A product risk continuum – our view
Tobacco and nicotine products can be
considered to sit on a continuum of risk –
conventional cigarettes would sit at the higher
risk end, while certain types of smokeless
tobacco products would sit at the lower
risk end. Snus use, while not risk free, is
substantially less risky than smoking because
it does not involve exposure to cigarette
smoke. Nicotine at the exposure levels
experienced during tobacco consumption is,
contrary to popular belief, relatively non-toxic.
We believe that a pragmatic, public health
approach to tobacco control should recognise
a risk continuum of products. We also believe
that tobacco consumers should be provided
with practical advice on different product
choices and behaviours that might reduce
their risks, in addition to quitting advice.

For example, Sweden, which has an exemption
to the European Union-wide ban on sales of
snus, has experienced the largest reduction
in male smoking prevalence over the past
25 years of any country within Europe.
A substantial proportion of these ex-smokers
have switched to snus. As of 2000, Sweden has
a lower rate of male lung cancer incidence
than any comparable developed nation. Oral
cancer rates have decreased and cardiovascular
health has significantly improved.

In 2008, Acona organised and facilitated four stakeholder dialogue
sessions (all in London) for British American Tobacco covering the
following areas:
- Environment;
- Human rights;
- CSR/sustainability; and
- Anti-illicit trade (AIT).
The aim was to provide a forum in which stakeholders could challenge the management on aspects of its strategy and performance, and
suggest how gaps and weaknesses might be remedied. We were aware that a number of stakeholders are reluctant to engage either publicly or privately with tobacco companies. Each session included stakeholders with a range
of perspectives. However, to achieve this, we needed to contact a much
larger number of potential attendees than would normally be the case
when organising a dialogue session for a company in a different sector.

A number of those contacted
refused to participate, citing,
principally, fundamental ethical
objections to tobacco products and
their harmful effects.
Stakeholders who attended the
dialogue were complimentary about
aspects of British American Tobacco’s
approach and performance such as
the scope and quality of its public
sustainability reporting; the
management of direct environmental
impacts; and the degree of
cooperation with law enforcement
agencies on AIT. There was an
acknowledgment that British American
Tobacco was a leader in its sector.
Additionally, and perhaps,
unsurprisingly, stakeholders were
keen to articulate their concerns
regarding the health issues related to
tobacco. One stakeholder pointed
to allegations that the tobacco
industry’s business practices had
been questionable in the past –
notably concerning alleged complicity
in illicit trade.
Overall, two strong themes were
advocated by participants. Firstly,
British American Tobacco should
extend the scope of its reporting
beyond its current focus on the
direct impacts of its business; and,
secondly, it should develop products
that, in the short–medium term at
least, may deliver little commercial
benefit to the company.
In other words, some dialogue
participants wanted to see a paradigm
shift in British American Tobacco’s
business model and suggested that
this should be preceded by a public
statement that included specific
commitments, primarily relating to
the sale and marketing of reduced
risk products. Such a commitment
was seen by some of the attendees
as the only way for British American
Tobacco to demonstrate its
willingness to be truly ‘sustainable’.
In response, British American
Tobacco made the point that, for
the foreseeable future, its business
will be driven by cigarettes and
given the significant challenges
inherent in tobacco harm reduction,
publishing targets in this area, while
sounding attractive, would feel like
an empty gesture until the issues
had been resolved.
From our perspective the dialogues
provided an open and frank forum
for the exchange of ideas and
opinions, in which all parties involved
worked to provide solutions to the
challenges presented

Jurewicz says Gunter overreacted in dealing with the smokers, but added it was the first time that he had ever had a complaint from Siemens about the young man.

Gunter says he can’t understand why he ended up the victim, while scores of federal government workers were flagrantly disobeying a smoking rule that is supposed to protect the public.

He does have a point and it’s too bad he had to take it on himself, an outsider in a government building at that, to try to get public servants to obey the rules. He says he was always polite when he rapped on the window and pointed to the sign, although you might think that is a bit arrogant, especially from a 24-year-old who was once a smoker, too. And even a bit mean, given the bad weather those two days.

Non-smokers and even former smokers who have little or no tolerance for people who light up in public might see Gunter as their hero. Those who smoke and feel persecuted for their habit probably think Gunter is a jerk.

But like most of the smokers who moved away from the main doors after he caught their attention, Gunter, too, realizes that he crossed the line.

In a letter to Siemens supervisor Ryan Smith following his dismissal, Gunter admits to being “overzealous” in his actions and that “I deeply regret” them.

He promised to deal with similar problems differently, if given the chance to work for Siemens again. Unfortunately for Gunter, it doesn’t appear as if Siemens is interested.

Source: Ottawacitizen

Outputs and outcomes
2.1 Since the start of the strategy we have:
• either met or exceeded every target we have been set for reducing the cigarettes illicit market;
• seized over 14 billion cigarettes and over 1000 tonnes of HRT both in the UK at airports,
seaports and inland, and en route to the UK;
• broken up over 370 criminal gangs involved in the large-scale smuggling and supply of illicit
tobacco products;
• successfully prosecuted over 2,000 people; and
• issued over £35 million worth of Confiscation Orders.
Cigarettes
2.2 In 2000, the illicit market share for cigarettes stood at around 21% and was predicted to rise
to around 33% within a few years without Government action. When the Tackling Tobacco
Smuggling strategy was published in 2000, the original target was a reduction in the illicit market
to 17 per cent by 2005/06. However, the strategy was highly successful, cutting the illicit cigarette
market to 16 per cent by 2003/04. The Government therefore set a new, more challenging target
in 2004 to reduce the illicit share to 13 per cent by 2007/08.
2.3 In recent years, the Government has published revised illicit market share estimates alongside the
Pre-Budget Report. The following table tracks our progress in tackling the illicit market, and the
associated revenue losses. It indicates that, assuming progress has been maintained in the most
recent years (and using the mid-point of the range of estimates) we are on course to achieve or
exceed our PSA target to reduce the cigarettes illicit market share to 13% by 2007/08.

Hand rolling tobacco
2.4 Hand rolling tobacco only represents around 5% of the total tobacco duty revenue in the UK.
However, in 2006, the HRT illicit market share stood at 56%. At this point, the Government
set a target to reduce this by 1,200 tonnes – equivalent to around 20% – by 2007/08. Using the
mid point of the ranges detailed in Table 2 below, we estimate that there has been a reduction of
approximately 450 tonnes, or 8%, from 2005/06 to 2006/07. While this is an encouraging start,
there is still a long way to go to achieve our HRT target.

Future outcome objectives
2.5 For the future, the Government has decided that, rather than setting very specific targets in
respect of individual tax losses, work to reduce the tobacco illicit market share will contribute
towards a wider HMRC Departmental Strategic Objective (DSO) to improve the extent to which
individuals and businesses pay the tax due and receive the credits and payments to which they
are entitled.
2.6 We expect that over the DSO period, from 2008/09 to 2010/11, action to tackle tobacco
smuggling will be a key contributor to the successful delivery of the DSO. HMRC expect
that tobacco activity will make one of the largest single contributions to its overall objective
of reducing revenue losses from criminal attacks. UKBA seizures at the frontier will play an
important part in that. Objectives for tobacco seizures for 2008/09 are set out in the UKBA
partnership agreement, the relevant sections of which are annexed to this document.
2.7 In later years, as part of their annual planning cycles, HMRC and UKBA will determine the
contributions that seizures at the frontier will be expected to contribute to the key tobacco
outcomes set out in the UKBA partnership agreement. The agreement envisages that performance
through the period from 2008 – 2012 will at least maintain the progress made during the period
from 2004 – 2008. This means: (1) restricting the UK illicit cigarette market to no more than a
13% share; and (2) a reduction of around 20% in the size of the illicit HRT market.
2.8 The Government will continue to monitor and publish in HMRC’s Autumn Performance Report
estimates of the illicit market share for tobacco products. We will also publish other more detailed
measures of the performance of HMRC and UKBA, including seizure and prosecution statistics,
so that our performance can be scrutinised.

1.10 Prior to the launch of the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling strategy, the illicit market was
predominantly made up of genuine cigarettes that were manufactured in the UK, exported, then
smuggled back to the UK. Consequently, working with the tobacco manufacturers to restrict
the availability of cigarettes to smugglers was identified as one of the key elements when the
strategy was originally launched. This co-operation was initially formalised in Memoranda of
Understanding (MoUs) between HMRC and the leading UK tobacco manufacturers in 2002.
The MoUs set out a framework which has resulted in the incidence of UK-manufactured
cigarettes being smuggled into the UK falling markedly. Building on the success of the original
MoUs, they were strengthened in 2006 as part of the strategy refresh to improve the targeting
of counterfeit product and expand their scope to include HRT.
1.11 The MoUs continue to be a key component of the strategy and UKBA and HMRC will work
with the tobacco manufacturers to further strengthen and extend the MoUs.
Anti-counterfeit security marks
1.12 To address the rapid growth in the illicit trade in counterfeit tobacco products, the four leading
UK tobacco manufacturers, representing over 97% of the UK cigarette market, voluntarily
agreed to incorporate a covert security mark on cigarettes and HRT destined for the UK market.
The mark was introduced for cigarettes in October 2007 and extended to HRT in October 2008.
Packs are easily scanned with portable hand-held scanners provided by the industry, which enable
enforcement officials quickly to distinguish genuine products from fakes.
1.13 The anti-counterfeit marking scheme is intended to deter and detect counterfeit tobacco product
infiltrating the UK duty-paid supply chain, and ensure legitimate retailers are not unfairly
disadvantaged. In order to allow for the throughput of unmarked cigarette packs already in
the retail supply chain, enforcement activity has so far been limited. However, verification and
enforcement of anti-counterfeit marks will be a key aspect of the work of the network of inland
excise enforcement teams that HMRC is establishing.