Billboards About Secondhand Smoke Causing Debate

In Wyoming, one state-funded billboard campaign gives warning about the danger of second-hand smoke is seeing a lot of criticism, especially from state lawmakers. The billboards are green with bold lettering displaying phrases about death. Wherever the word "dead" or "death" is found it is replaced with "second-hand smoke." For example, there is one billboard displaying the phrase, "Til...

Pregnant Smokers Afraid of Seeking Help

A poll from the NHS says that most pregnant women who smoke are afraid to look for help from their doctors because they are afraid of being "judged." About 224 pregnant smokers were polled, and 25% of them said they had not asked for help because they worried about the criticism they would receive. Nearly 40% admitted that they had not confessed their habit to their midwife or doctor. As a result, the NHS is going...

Cigarettes Make a Great Gift in China

Though Li Pingping from Shanghai knew the dangers of smoking, she still decided to buy her father two cartons of cigarettes as a gift. She said, "When you pick up gifts for the elders during festivals or anniversaries, cigarettes are a nice choice." According to Chinese tradition when meeting new friends or visiting relatives, giving cigarettes as a gift shows friendliness and respect. The problem is that this goes...

San Diego Cracking Down on Tobacco Shops

The rules are getting tougher at Imperial Beach in San Diego, tobacco shops are seeing the brunt of this change. There is an ordinance that is prohibiting new businesses from the sale of any kind of tobacco paraphernalia. This includes pipes, bongs, cigarette rolling papers and hookahs. Businesses that already exist are exempt from this new law, and no laws have been put in place to ban the sales of tobacco or lighters. Only...

Counterfeit Cigarettes in Wales

In Cardiff, Wales about 22 million counterfeit cigarettes have been found. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officials were the ones to make the discovery. The cigarettes were valued at about five million GBP, they were copies of the Classic Gold and Raquel brands of cigarette. The cigarettes were actually found on the 19th of December last year, but the details of this discovery have only now been made public. According to...

Dutch Bars are Feeling the Down-sides of New Smoki...

Winter has set in on Holland and many people like Steven Jankipersadsing are not enjoying the fact that they have to light up outside. "I won't come here in the winter, I don't want to sit outside then," says Steven, about his favorite cafe, where he usually goes to eat a good bowl of pea soup. Many smokers in the Netherlands are making the same decision. Revenues of bars and cafes are decreasing, ever...