Tobacco Taxes Expected to Help you Quit Smoking, Hurt State Finances
Sharply rising tobacco taxes may accomplish what state lawmakers largely failed to do when handed a pile of money from the nationwide tobacco settlement a decade ago: drive home the consequences of smoking and cut smoking rates.
Bloomberg News has reported that the new 62-cent increase in the federal tobacco tax, combined with rising state tobacco taxes, could cut U.S. tobacco consumption by up to 10 percent.
States, however, may not be celebrating this odd approach to a new stop smoking alternative. Many took the money from the 1998 tobacco settlement and used it for everything but tobacco prevention. But declining tobacco consumption maybe the governments best stop smoking aid even those it could reduce the industry's annual payout to the states by up to $500 million, and also poses a threat to the $37 billion in bonds that states issued based on expected future receipts of tobacco money. The bonds were issued so that states could get an upfront, lump-sum payout of the settlement money rather than waiting for each year's payments, which are based on sales.
"While settlement revenues may be shrinking, most tobacco bond structures have debt service requirements with built-in increases for future years," said Richard Larkin, an analyst at municipal-bonds firm Herbert J. Sims and Co. Some state bond issues might have to use their reserves to pay the interest on the bonds, he added.
"States that earmarked revenues from cigarette excise taxes for specific programs may be forced to make cuts to those programs or increase the cigarette excise taxes, to make up for the revenue shortfall caused by the volume decline resulting from the federal excise tax increase," noted a recent report from Fitch Ratings.
"The striking irony of the [tobacco settlement] was that it made states dependent on the sale of a deadly product that dramatically increases their health-care costs," said Allan M. Brandt, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University.
Pass on E-Cigarettes
This product is due for a warning label.
A week ago, MSN's home page had a link to an article titled, "E-Cigarettes: Can They Help You Quit Smoking?"
It was an intruiging article about battery-powered cigarette look-alikes that don't produce smoke, and contain no tar or known carcinogens. It's basically an item that delivers nicotine to the "smoker's" system, sort of like the patch or the nicotine gums. It's being marketed as a tool to help smokers quit.
Upon further review, it looks like the carcinogens have been found, however. On July 22, the FDA released a warning about electronic cigarettes. Its Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis noted that the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands detected nitrosamines, and also diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze that's toxic to humans.
Yum!
If you look at the label of one of these products, which can be found at kiosks at local shopping malls, you won't find any health warnings. They're also available in different flavors like mint and chocolate. It's pretty obvious that the makers of these products are targeting the youth of America, not the smokers who want to quit.
"The FDA is concerned about the safety of these products and how they are marketed to the public and whether or not they are an alternatnive to use to stop smoking ," said Margaret A. Hamberg, M.D., commissioner of food and drugs.
E-Cigarettes are not made in the United States, and the FDA is trying to stop the import of these products. Fifty shipments have been seized, according to Michael Levy, the division director of the Office of Compliance at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
We can't blame the U.S. tobacco industry on this one, yet. I'm certain that over time, as more and more research is done on these questionable products, the news about what's in them is only going to get worse, because they contain nicotine they are not an altetnative to nicotine gum.
Originally Posted by Erik at MSN Health on Friday, July 24, 2009.
Communist Housing Complex Bans Indoor Smoking
RUSH LIMBAUGH:
"We finally have a communist idea that's not coming out of Washington. This is from the Leader-Telegram. I'm not sure where this is. Oh, it's in Wisconsin. It's not just indoor public places in Eau Claire where lighting up is prohibited. OH the bane of the Secondhand Smoke will kill you advocates. Now residents of a south side, owner-occupied housing complex will have to snuff out smoking (does this mean stop smoking?) in their homes, the most recent sign of public anti-smoking sentiment that forces people to quit smoking. Members of the Fairfax Parkside Homeowners Association [last] Wednesday voted to outlaw social smoking inside residences that are part of the 34-unit development. The ban also prohibits smoking in shared spaces, such as porches and garages, but does allow it in yards and on patios. Now, stop and think of this. Freedom from smoking? Or interventionist lobbying by government bent on using the danger of smoking as a way to promote a political agenda? This is not a way to help you quit smoking.
A homeowners association is making you quit smoking inside your own house and pushing a "not to smoke" message. It's a communist idea that's, finally, not coming from Washington. That's how this stuff is spreading. But you can smoke outside. HA! Now, which is more likely to reach your neighbors and kill them? Secondhand smoke inside your house? Remember, now, we're talking Wisconsin. In wintertime the windows and doors are going to be closed. You can go outside and smoke all you want. What's more likely to drift around and kill your neighbors, the secondhand smoke, from inside or outside? Not to mention the fact... (laughing) Do you realize what the budget deficit is going to be if they actually succeed in snuffing out smoking everywhere? We are going to see tax increases like you can't believe. You don't know what the tax on secrets is if you don't smoke, the tax on cigars if you don't smoke. It's outrageous, and the money is being used to pay for health care "for children," the S-CHIP program and so forth."
Federal regulators have ordered new safety language about quitting smoking on the smoking cessation drugs Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (buproprion). The two stop smoking meds are getting the toughest warning added to their labels, alerting doctors and patients to potentially severe mental health risks when using these drug to quit smoking , including behavioral changes, depression, hostility, suicide, and suicidal thoughts, as well as warnings about allergic and skin reactions.
The FDA has been reviewing Chantix safety since 2007, after hundreds of reports of erratic, aggressive and suicidal behavior when using it as part of a smoking cessation program. But as the agency notes, it's difficult to confirm these drugs are directly responsible, because nicotine withdrawal itself can be very difficult to endure. There's also the possibility that when Chantix is used to stop smoking it exacerbates symptoms of underlying mental illness rather than causing them--a problem that would have gone undetected in clinical trials because they excluded patients with a history of mental illness.
Hence the new trials FDA is requiring both Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, Zyban's maker, to undertake. Pfizer says it's currently conducting a safety study involving patients with schizophrenia and is in talks with the FDA regarding comparative studies. Glaxo will also be required to study Zyban's mental health effects on patients, including those with pre-existing mental problems.
"The risk of serious adverse events while taking these smoking cessation/stop smoking products must be weighed against the significant health benefits of quitting smoking," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director, the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States and we know these products are effective aids in helping people break their addiction to nicotine.
Pfizer won't yet say how the warning might affect its financial forecast or its Chantix sales force, but promises an update July 22 on sales figures for its primary care unit, in tandem with its earnings report. Meanwhile, GSK hasn't released a statement at all, despite the fact that the warning goes onto two of its meds: Zyban is sold as an antidepressant under the brand name Wellbutrin, and that drug gets updated "boxed warning" language added to its current "boxed warning" of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Generic versions, too. But Glaxo doesn't make much off Zyban, while Chantix is one of Pfizer's top selling meds, bringing in $846 million last year.
These products may not be the best stop smoking aids as alternatives to smoking and nicotine addiction. It may be preferable to seek other tips on quitting smoking with less potential for severe adversities.
Qutting smoking isn't easy. It's nicotine addiction and like any other addiction it requires help. Here's a few tip on quitting smoking:
1.When you try to stop smoking make sure you're ready.
2.Make sure you have your stop smoking "quit smoking day" in your own hands.
3.Don't let yourself be"told" to quit smoking for any other reason but your own.
4.Have some tools on hand to get you through those times when you want to smoke and have those "cravings".
There are natural products like smokerZchoice that help with cravings and irritabilty.
BUT remember to stick with it. Your odds of becoming a permanent non smoker go up everytime you try.
Powered by Compendium Blogware