It’s nearing lunchtime Friday at Allen Elementary School, and 20 fifth-graders in Janet Miller’s class are thinking of reasons to start smoking.
Or more specifically, reasons other people smoke: Because they think it’s cool, or they’re stressed out, or they feel it sharpens their focus and gives them energy, or their friends smoke, or they have nothing better to do.
One reason the fifth-graders didn’t mention: nicotine addiction. Starting to smoke isn’t easy — you cough a lot, accidentally burn your eyebrows and nose hairs and sometimes set your clothes on fire. Stopping smoking is darn near impossible.
Dr. George Shannon is asking fifth-graders why anyone would start smoking so they’ll think about that before someone offers them a cigarette. Students in fourth and fifth grade are starting to make individual choices. They have to think for themselves.
Shannon gives each student a straw, Breathe through it, he tells them, and hold your nose. Now get up and run in place. After years of smoking, a person’s lungs turn from fleshy to leathery, he says. Inflating them over those years is like going from blowing up a balloon to a tire. Emphysema, or scarring of the lungs, makes it increasingly difficult to draw in oxygen, 21 percent or about a fifth of the air.
That’s why those with serious respiratory ailments wind up hauling oxygen tanks with them.
Breathing through a straw is like emphysema, Shannon tells me: You get worn out by the least exertion. If at that stage you don’t quit smoking, you’ll soon need an oxygen tank.
Besides the gradual decline in lung function that comes from smoking, there’s the cost. Shannon asks the class: What’s a pack of cigarettes cost?
Hmm ... stumps me.
“Five dollars!” a student answers, and he’s right.
So I am not smarter than a fifth-grader.
Do the math, Shannon tells the kids: A $5 pack a day is how much a week?
Twenty-five dollars, a student says.
Nope, $35 — five times seven, not five times five, Shannon says: “You took the weekend off. We smoke on the weekend, too.” With 52 weeks to a year, that’s $1,820 annually.
But worth it to look so glamorous, you would think from cigarette ads, minus the obligatory surgeon general’s warning. In the ads, some hot babes and hunks are having a smoke. They’re never overweight with wrinkled skin, brown teeth, yellow fingernails and shirt burns.
Shannon passes out cigarette ads for the kids to analyze. Then he passes out colored markers and poster paper. Having students create anti-smoking posters is the last piece of the “Tar Wars” program Shannon, with the Foundation of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, is presenting. Tar Wars has a national poster contest.
Mar 15, 2010
Duty-free smoke relief
Foreign cigarettes sold at duty-free shops at airport departure lounges are exempt from carrying the local pictorial warnings against smoking, the Supreme Court has ruled.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice has asked customs authorities to immediately release the Rs 75 lakh worth of cigarettes they had seized from a duty-free shop at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Bombay High Court had on January 13 refused relief to DFS India Private Limited, which has the contract for duty-free operations at Mumbai airport.
“These are exports, and exports are exempt from carrying statutory warnings,” DFS counsel Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court, appealing against the high court order.
“Duty-free is not export,” the high court had said. But Rohatgi argued that sale to those leaving the country amounted to “export” under the law.
Most of the buyers are passengers bound for the UK, the US and other countries where cigarettes often cost three times more, he said. “So they buy in bulk.”
The shops check a passenger’s boarding pass and passport before selling him such cigarette packs, the lawyer said, insisting that the packs have no way of making their way into India.
The cartons do carry the warnings even if the individual packs do not, Rohatgi said. Besides, the packs carry the warnings mandatory in their countries of manufacture — they only lack the Indian warning, he said.
Rohatgi added that cigarette packs sold at the arrival lounges — as opposed to departure lounges — did carry the pictorial warning introduced in India last year, in the form of a pair of lungs and two lines saying smoking kills and that tobacco causes cancer.
Only one international cigarette brand, Phillip Morris, now carries Indian warnings on packs sold even at the departure-lounge duty-free shops.
All countries in the world insist that cigarette packs carry local warnings in addition to those printed in their country of manufacture.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice has asked customs authorities to immediately release the Rs 75 lakh worth of cigarettes they had seized from a duty-free shop at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Bombay High Court had on January 13 refused relief to DFS India Private Limited, which has the contract for duty-free operations at Mumbai airport.
“These are exports, and exports are exempt from carrying statutory warnings,” DFS counsel Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court, appealing against the high court order.
“Duty-free is not export,” the high court had said. But Rohatgi argued that sale to those leaving the country amounted to “export” under the law.
Most of the buyers are passengers bound for the UK, the US and other countries where cigarettes often cost three times more, he said. “So they buy in bulk.”
The shops check a passenger’s boarding pass and passport before selling him such cigarette packs, the lawyer said, insisting that the packs have no way of making their way into India.
The cartons do carry the warnings even if the individual packs do not, Rohatgi said. Besides, the packs carry the warnings mandatory in their countries of manufacture — they only lack the Indian warning, he said.
Rohatgi added that cigarette packs sold at the arrival lounges — as opposed to departure lounges — did carry the pictorial warning introduced in India last year, in the form of a pair of lungs and two lines saying smoking kills and that tobacco causes cancer.
Only one international cigarette brand, Phillip Morris, now carries Indian warnings on packs sold even at the departure-lounge duty-free shops.
All countries in the world insist that cigarette packs carry local warnings in addition to those printed in their country of manufacture.
Mar 9, 2010
Kruger takes next step in taxing Native American cigarettes
State Senator Carl Kruger is still fired up about taxing tobacco.
The latest in the ongoing debate about taxing cigarettes sold on Native American lands, the Senate Finance Committee Chair issued “demand letters” Tuesday requiring that state agencies fork over everything they have about untaxed cigarettes coming into the state.
If the governor and state agencies don’t comply, subpoenas won’t be too far away, said Kruger (D-Brighton Beach, Mill Basin).
“I fear that the actions I am addressing constitute some kind of a ‘secret partnership’ to effectively stall and delay tax collection,” Kruger said. “With every day that goes by, even using the weak and ‘fuzzy math’ used by your Tax Department, triple-digit millions go flying out the proverbial window.”
Kruger believes that the state could generate about $1.6 billion a year — about half of the state’s budget deficit — if cigarettes sold on Native American lands were taxed.
Last year, he demanded that Governor David Paterson rescind a “letter of forbearance” that allows Native American tobacco retailers to avoid paying these taxes.
“The Governor has been a willing and active partner in a long-standing travesty that has hurt legitimate businesses and robbed billions from our state at a time when essential services are being threatened with deep cuts,” Kruger said.
The demand letters require the New York State Tax Department and other agencies to send Kruger’s office “books, papers, records and equipment of persons dealing with transporting or storing cigarette sales, or any person(s) having knowledge in the premises of cigarette sales tax” on Native American reservations.
Also being demanded are “bills of lading, invoices, delivery tickets, and records of cigarette orders including source, purchase price, number of cigarettes stamped and sale price.”
If these records are not brought to his office within seven days, subpoenas will be issued, Kruger threatened.The war Kruger’s waged on untaxed cigarettes has gained some momentum of late.
While the governor balked at the possibility of rescinding the letter of forbearance and very few came out to support Kruger’s plan when it was first raised last fall, more and more people have been flocking to this particular standard.
Just recently, Governor Paterson floated the idea of taxing Native American cigarettes in next year’s budget. Those who now rally behind Kruger include State Senate Conference Leader John Sampson (D-Canarsie).
“The state’s failure to collect cigarette taxes means critical services will be cut back and the taxpayers of New York will be forced to suffer while Native American tobacco retailers flout the laws of this state,” Sampson said in a statement. “It is critical that we immediately begin to collect these rightful taxes to begin to close the growing deficit.”
New York’s Tribal Nations and Native Americans cigarette wholesalers on reservations are against the plan, although Kruger said reservation residents can get special coupons so they don’t have to pay taxes.
In previous years state officials have been hesitant to rescind the letter of forbearance, since past attempts have sparked lawsuits as well as protests by Indian tribes that one time led to the closure of the state thruway.
Kruger said that in this economy there should be no “sacred cows.”
“I don’t know one homeowner on Long Island or Nassau or Westchester County that wouldn’t go out on the Sprain Brook or the Long Island Expressway and burn some tires if they didn’t have to pay their property tax,” Kruger said in a previous interview. “And if they attempted to do it, they would be arrested.”
A spokesman for Governor Paterson would not comment if the office would abide by Kruger’s demand letters, although he did say that the governor would “make good” on enforcing new regulations issued by the New York State Tax Department.
The spokesman also said that Kruger’s predictions on how much the state can recoup from taxing cigarettes on Indian lands is off -- by a lot.
“Frankly, Senator Kruger’s estimates on this issue is wildly out of whack,” the spokesman said. “He statements have not been credible on this issue.”
The latest in the ongoing debate about taxing cigarettes sold on Native American lands, the Senate Finance Committee Chair issued “demand letters” Tuesday requiring that state agencies fork over everything they have about untaxed cigarettes coming into the state.
If the governor and state agencies don’t comply, subpoenas won’t be too far away, said Kruger (D-Brighton Beach, Mill Basin).
“I fear that the actions I am addressing constitute some kind of a ‘secret partnership’ to effectively stall and delay tax collection,” Kruger said. “With every day that goes by, even using the weak and ‘fuzzy math’ used by your Tax Department, triple-digit millions go flying out the proverbial window.”
Kruger believes that the state could generate about $1.6 billion a year — about half of the state’s budget deficit — if cigarettes sold on Native American lands were taxed.
Last year, he demanded that Governor David Paterson rescind a “letter of forbearance” that allows Native American tobacco retailers to avoid paying these taxes.
“The Governor has been a willing and active partner in a long-standing travesty that has hurt legitimate businesses and robbed billions from our state at a time when essential services are being threatened with deep cuts,” Kruger said.
The demand letters require the New York State Tax Department and other agencies to send Kruger’s office “books, papers, records and equipment of persons dealing with transporting or storing cigarette sales, or any person(s) having knowledge in the premises of cigarette sales tax” on Native American reservations.
Also being demanded are “bills of lading, invoices, delivery tickets, and records of cigarette orders including source, purchase price, number of cigarettes stamped and sale price.”
If these records are not brought to his office within seven days, subpoenas will be issued, Kruger threatened.The war Kruger’s waged on untaxed cigarettes has gained some momentum of late.
While the governor balked at the possibility of rescinding the letter of forbearance and very few came out to support Kruger’s plan when it was first raised last fall, more and more people have been flocking to this particular standard.
Just recently, Governor Paterson floated the idea of taxing Native American cigarettes in next year’s budget. Those who now rally behind Kruger include State Senate Conference Leader John Sampson (D-Canarsie).
“The state’s failure to collect cigarette taxes means critical services will be cut back and the taxpayers of New York will be forced to suffer while Native American tobacco retailers flout the laws of this state,” Sampson said in a statement. “It is critical that we immediately begin to collect these rightful taxes to begin to close the growing deficit.”
New York’s Tribal Nations and Native Americans cigarette wholesalers on reservations are against the plan, although Kruger said reservation residents can get special coupons so they don’t have to pay taxes.
In previous years state officials have been hesitant to rescind the letter of forbearance, since past attempts have sparked lawsuits as well as protests by Indian tribes that one time led to the closure of the state thruway.
Kruger said that in this economy there should be no “sacred cows.”
“I don’t know one homeowner on Long Island or Nassau or Westchester County that wouldn’t go out on the Sprain Brook or the Long Island Expressway and burn some tires if they didn’t have to pay their property tax,” Kruger said in a previous interview. “And if they attempted to do it, they would be arrested.”
A spokesman for Governor Paterson would not comment if the office would abide by Kruger’s demand letters, although he did say that the governor would “make good” on enforcing new regulations issued by the New York State Tax Department.
The spokesman also said that Kruger’s predictions on how much the state can recoup from taxing cigarettes on Indian lands is off -- by a lot.
“Frankly, Senator Kruger’s estimates on this issue is wildly out of whack,” the spokesman said. “He statements have not been credible on this issue.”
Mar 1, 2010
EU court ruling could cut cigarette prices
Cigarette prices in Ireland could fall if, as expected, the European Commission wins its challenge against the Irish government this week. The commission has questioned Ireland’s right to set minimum prices for cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The EU’s 1995 Manufactured Tobacco Tax Directive permits importers and manufacturers of tobacco products to set maximum prices for their products. But Ireland’s 1986 Tobacco Products (Control of Advertising, Sponsorship and Sales Promotion) (No 2)Regulations prohibit the sale of cigarettes at less than 3 per cent below the average price.
The government says minimum prices are necessary to protect public health by ensuring that tobacco products are not too cheap. It claims that the directive refers only to the setting of maximum prices, not minimum prices.
But the commission is seeking a declaration that Ireland has breached its obligations under the 1995 directive. Similar cases are being pursued against France and Austria.
Last October, Juliane Kokott, the Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, found against Ireland and, while her opinion is not binding, the Advocate General’s views are generally followed.
Kokott argued that setting a minimum price interfered with manufacturers’ freedom to set a maximum price, which could not be lower than the limit set by the state. She said EU states could increase the excise duty on tobacco products, and this was an appropriate way to protect public health. The Court of Justice will deliver its judgment on Thursday.
The Revenue Commissioners collected an estimated €1.22 billion in excise duty from tobacco products last year, up from €1.17 billion in 2008.
In a separate development, customs officers last Tuesday seized cigarettes worth almost €12 million from business premises in Dundalk. The 28 million cigarettes were hidden in bulk pallets of timber. The operation involved the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Naval Service and Air Corps and customs officers and police from both sides of the border.
A statement from the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee said: ‘‘Non Irish duty-paid cigarettes cost this country €526 million last year. That is an unacceptable loss of government revenue during recessionary times. The expected loss to the exchequer for 2010 is set to reach €616million."
The EU’s 1995 Manufactured Tobacco Tax Directive permits importers and manufacturers of tobacco products to set maximum prices for their products. But Ireland’s 1986 Tobacco Products (Control of Advertising, Sponsorship and Sales Promotion) (No 2)Regulations prohibit the sale of cigarettes at less than 3 per cent below the average price.
The government says minimum prices are necessary to protect public health by ensuring that tobacco products are not too cheap. It claims that the directive refers only to the setting of maximum prices, not minimum prices.
But the commission is seeking a declaration that Ireland has breached its obligations under the 1995 directive. Similar cases are being pursued against France and Austria.
Last October, Juliane Kokott, the Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, found against Ireland and, while her opinion is not binding, the Advocate General’s views are generally followed.
Kokott argued that setting a minimum price interfered with manufacturers’ freedom to set a maximum price, which could not be lower than the limit set by the state. She said EU states could increase the excise duty on tobacco products, and this was an appropriate way to protect public health. The Court of Justice will deliver its judgment on Thursday.
The Revenue Commissioners collected an estimated €1.22 billion in excise duty from tobacco products last year, up from €1.17 billion in 2008.
In a separate development, customs officers last Tuesday seized cigarettes worth almost €12 million from business premises in Dundalk. The 28 million cigarettes were hidden in bulk pallets of timber. The operation involved the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Naval Service and Air Corps and customs officers and police from both sides of the border.
A statement from the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee said: ‘‘Non Irish duty-paid cigarettes cost this country €526 million last year. That is an unacceptable loss of government revenue during recessionary times. The expected loss to the exchequer for 2010 is set to reach €616million."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
