Category Archives: Tobacco Facts
Tobacco Review
Tobacco is a large perennial herbaceous blooming plant that belongs to the solanaceae or nightshade family. It is the world’s most commonly grown non-food plant and is selected by growers from more than 120 countries due to its performance under broadly different climatic and soil conditions to fulfill the requirements of many various markets.
The tobacco plant varies from one to three metres in height and produces 10 to 20 leaves from its main stalk. About 90 percent of tobacco grows between 40º north and 40º south, although it can be grown up to 60º north.
A native crop of the Americas, tobacco is grown in order to get its leaves. But, for commercial cultivation the flowers are take off in order to encourage the leaves to grow further down the stem. Variations in soil and climate create leaves that have particular features and need various methods of fertilization, insect and disease control, growing and curing. All tobacco types belong to the Nicotiana genus, even though the main source of industrial tobacco is Nicotiana Tabacum. Nicotiana Rustica is as well cultivated, albeit to a far lesser extent, and used in Oriental tobaccos.
Farmers have created a broad variety of morphologically various types, from the small-leaved aromatic tobaccos to the large, broad-leaved cigar tobaccos. Yet, each kind of tobacco is usually identified by the curing technique applied to it.
Curing is the last stage in the manufacturing of tobacco. After that, the leaves are marketed to be turned into the ultimate tobacco product, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff.
With the aid of curing, the moisture content in the tobacco leaf is lowered from 80 percent to about 20 percent, therefore guaranteeing the tobacco’s preservability. Further, the various techniques of curing also enrich the leaf’s natural aroma. As various tobacco products need leaves with various characteristics, the unique flavour of each type of tobacco is what establishes its suitability for use in various tobacco products.
In curing barns leaves will be dried out some time. After the curing process is finished and the leaf has dehydrated completely, fresh air is released into the curing barn, a bit moistening the leaves as to enable them to be sent for sale without crumbling.
WHO urges tax hike on tobacco
China’s cigarette tax rate continues to be among the lowest all over the world, and the authorities must boost it to help control a smoking epidemic that affects more than 300 million people in China, based on the World Health Organization.
Around half of Chinese smokers pay 5 yuan (80 US cents) or less on a pack of 20 cigarettes, which is “much, much lower than the regular cost in developed countries,” said Angela Pratt, technical officer of the Tobacco Free Initiative in the WHO office in China.
In accordance with the book, which was first released in 2010, overall cigarette taxes make up about 50% of the mean retail price for cigarettes at the global level, with the mean price of a cigarette packet being $2.53. The countries with lower-middle-income have both lower cigarette prices and lower rates of cigarette taxation.
The excise tax rate in China represents 36% or 56% for cigarettes with different factory costs, official statistics demonstrate.
China is viewed as a country with middle revenue, but the cost of its tobacco products fits more into the group with lower-middle-income.
Additionally, information from the WHO demonstrates that the mean annual per capita revenue demanded to buy 100 packets of the least expensive cigarettes in China has slipped from 14% in 2000 to 3% in 2010.
WHO has suggested that at least 70% of the retail price of cigarettes sourced from excise taxes to effectively reduce tobacco consumption, yet it says the excise tax makes up only about 25% in tobacco’s retail price in China.
In 2009, Chinese government increased cigarette taxes by at least 6%, mainly on relatively high-priced brands.
“But that increase did not have an effect on cigarette retail prices, especially the low-end brands, as cigarette makers decided to absorb the tax hike to maintain consumers,” she said.
Liang Ji, associate professor of the Research Institute for Fiscal Science under the Ministry of Finance, said that there is a lot of room for further tax increases.
To address that, Liang proposed the taxation authority keep increasing the tax to squeeze the profit margins of cigarette makers as much as possible until they boost retail prices.
China established a State monopoly of the tobacco industry in the early 1980s, and it now creates more than 2.3 trillion cigarettes annually, making up about 40% of the world’s total, official statistics demonstrated.
Throughout the past 10 years, the tobacco industry has provided 7 to 10% of the whole yearly central government profits, official statistics confirmed.
Are Electronic Cigarettes a Safe Alternative for Smokers?
Electronic cigarettes, mostly known as e-cigarettes, have recently been advertised as a “safe” alternative to regular cigarettes, however according to the recent study, this extremely popular trend is harmful to overall health of a person. Nowadays about 700,000 people use such electronic devices in order to give up smoking.
E-cigarettes deliver nicotine through a vapor. Although there is no combustion, the nicotine is still derived from tobacco. This way of delivery has been considered to be potentially safer than smoking tobacco products. The electronic cigarettes are brought from China and their nicotine content is not regulated before sale.
According to a research presented at the European Respiratory Society’s annual meeting in Vienna in February, 2012 revealed that an abrupt increase in airway resistance resulting in a lower level of oxygen in the bloodstream in electronic cigarette users. This could have negative effects on those with coronary artery disease who have obstructing plaques in their coronary arteries. The Athens specialists analyzed the effects of the e-cigarettes on 8 people who never smoked, together with 24 smokers -11 with normal lung function and 13 with asthma. The research participants all used an electronic device for 10 minutes. All participants had a sudden jump in airway resistance which was about 10 minutes. It was revealed that the jump was more noticeable in smokers than non-smokers, although the effect seen in people with asthma was less immediate in nature.
The European Respiratory Society smoking cessation guidelines do not recommend the use of electronic cigarettes. It was noted by the Society that some brands of e-cigarettes contain high levels of nicotine which is highly addictive.
According to Dr. Klaus Lessnau, a pulmonary and critical care specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that “electronic devices are not recommended to quit smoking, there is just some degree of harm reduction compared to regular cigarette use.”
Dr. Lessnau added that there are no full studies to represent the harm from e-cigarettes, but he is sure that the impact on lung cancer will be significant.
In fact, incomplete conclusions can be made from the preliminary results of the small research presented in this article. However, findings from this research do add to growing evidence of the harmful effects of e-cigarettes.
Other methods that can help quit smoking such as nicotine gum, patches, and inhalers are known as nicotine replacement therapy, and are recommended as alternative to electronic cigarettes.
Camel Cigarette Brand’s Way to Success
In 1913 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company introduced Camel in the United States. Camel was the first cigarette brand that was marketed in the United States. It as well became Reynolds’ first major cigarette brand. Camel cigarettes were made of a blend of Turkish, Virginia, and Burley tobaccos, which was extremely popular among the smoking people. Before 1913 Camel cigarettes were the first produced cigarettes to be sold in packages of twenty.
Some of the main reasons for Camel brand success were the use of high quality tobaccos during manufacturing and the brand’s low price. Initially a 20-cigarettes-pack cost 10 cents. Camel cigarettes were permanently the best- or second-selling brand until the 1950s. Lucky Strikes were their nearest rival. The blend of Camel cigarettes provided proportional nicotine content. These cigarettes were smoked easier contrary to the much harsher brands popular in the 1910s and 1920s.
R. J. Reynolds began an advertising campaign with ‘teasers’ which stated that “the Camels are coming!” before the introduction of Camels. This fresh marketing method was a pattern to influence public opinion and to provide effect. One more promotional technique applied was the use of a circus camel, named Old Joe, which was driven through towns and villages by men who distributed free cigarettes.
It was proved that advertising has been a main feature of Camel’s success over the years. Popular Camel’s advertising slogans included “the ‘T’ Zone (T for taste and T for throat),” “more doctors smoke Camels than ever before!,” “I’d walk a mile for a Camel!,” and “Camel’s real taste satisfies longer.”
During 1972-1993, Camel brand was the general partner of the famous International Motor Sports Association auto racing series known as the Camel GT. It as well funded the Lotus Formula One team from 1987 to 1991, and the Benneton and Williams teams from 1991 to 1993. In the course of the nineties, Camel brand was s sponsor for the factory Honda team in the AMA Superbike series and the Supercross Championships.
Today, Camel cigarettes have three various lines of flavor – Classic, Turkish and Exotic Blends. The Classic styles represent the basic unit of the Camel’s business and suggest rich tobacco taste. Camel cigarettes’ Turkish line provides smooth and mellow variants of the brand’s distinctive flavor. Camel Exotic Blends, a family of premium-priced, limited-edition luxury blends, provide adult smokers indulgent taste signatures.
Nowadays Camel cigarette brand is one of thera best global cigarette brands. It is sold in over 90 countries all over the world. Canadian market gets these cigarettes importing them from the United States by J. T. I. Macdonald, which was formerly a property of R. J. Reynolds. Now only the filter and light variants of Camel cigarettes are still for sale in Canada.
Cigarette Filter Dimensions
Nowadays tobacco companies manufacture filtered cigarettes and unfiltered ones as the preferences of smokers are different. The cigarette filter is considered to be one of the most significant elements of a cigarette. The main aim of the cigarette filter is to lessen the amount of tar and smoke that smokers inhale when the cigarette is exposed to the process of combustion. Besides, it as well reduces the harsh effects of smoke. The major material that is used to produce filter is cellulose, which is derived from wood. In addition, cigarette filters are available in various dimensions.
The Dimensions of a Cigarette Filter
In point of dimensions, the mean length of a cigarette filter is about 3 centimeters. When dealing with diameter, it usually has similar value as the entire cigarette, which is about 0.8 centimeter. Some versions may be slightly bigger or a bit smaller than these measurements. Originally filters were made of raw material that is called crepe paper.
Extra Facts and Other Interesting Details
In 1925 the right for the process of using crepe paper to make a cigarette filter was granted to a Hungarian inventor Boris Aivaz. He revealed it while carrying out tests. Aivaz worked at an industrial factory that was owned by the outsourcing business Bunzl plc. In 1927, he invented the first filter under the auspices of Filtronic subsidiary under Bunzl. But, the absence of machinery led to its low uptake.
In 1935, the production of cigarettes with tipped filter was on the rise and that was due to the machine that was created by a British company at that time. Until 1954, filters were considered as specialty items. When the quantity of such machines increased, the use of these filters widely spread in various areas. At that time, cigarettes and especially cigarette use were widely criticized as there are many speculative affirmations made by researchers and physicians that associated smoking with health diseases.
Nowadays, almost all filters are made of cellulose acetate. The leading cigarette maker, British American Tobacco, affirms that the time needed for filters to break varies from 10 months to 15 years. This is the primary reason why they conduce greatly to major problems like environmental damage and littering. According to the findings taken from the International Coastal Cleanup in 2006, 27.4% of the whole litter was comprised of cigarettes and cigarette butts.
As for light cigarettes, the filters in such cigarettes have tiny holes, the aim of which is to dilute the smoke for less inhalation of nicotine and tar.
Early in 1950s, the filters were used only in Kent cigarettes and contained crocidolite asbestos.
Cigarette Smoking Guide
What do the figures mean?
The figures like “100′s” and “120′s” mean the length of the cigarettes in millimeters.
What is the difference between menthol and non-menthol cigarettes?
Menthol cigarettes are cigarettes flavored with the compound menthol, a substance which triggers the cold-sensitive nerves in the skin without actually providing a drop in temperature. The other type of cigarettes is called ‘non-menthol’ or usually known as regular. Menthol cigarettes have principal non-tobacco filler that makes these cigarette taste minty. Usually, people, who smoke menthol cigarettes, do not enjoy smoking regular ones.
Menthol, Regular… is there anything else?
One more major flavor is Clove. So, as it appeared it can be as well mixed with tobacco! Some brands are especially strong. Djarium Black should be smoked in a suitable, nice place while sitting in a comfortable sofa and not while driving or walking.
What else?
There are a lot of cigarette with various flavors. The most popular and wide spread flavors are cherry, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and apple. The Kiss cigarette brand is one of the most brands that has cigarette with many different flavors.
Does filter/non-filter make a difference?
Of course! Non-filter cigarettes are sold in short soft packs and do not have a filter. That is why a smoker can light up even a non-filter cigarette end. Non-filter cigarettes differ very much from filter cigarettes. A smoking experience is completely different. It is very easy to inhale the smoke from a non-filter cigarette. However, the amount of smoke a smoker inhales is much higher. If you are start smoking – DO NOT use non-filter cigarettes. It would be better to smoke filtered cigarettes. Tar and nicotine levels in non-filtered cigarettes are 30-45 percent higher than their filter counterparts.
What about Lights, Mediums, Ultra Lights cigarettes?
Tar and nicotine levels are the lowest in Ultra lights cigarettes. Lights, Mediums, Ultra Lights cigarettes have a filter. Lights usually have 50-70 percent the level of nicotine, Ultras have about 30%.
Why Lights cigarettes?
Some people consider “full flavored” cigarettes to be unpleasant on taste. Others enjoy such cigarettes. Most of people smoke Lights cigarettes in order to regulate the smoke inhaled. Light cigarettes are mostly popular among women or first-time smokers.
Tobacco Use Still Huge Worldwide
According to the recent study, there are about 852 million smokers in the world. Due to this fact, health experts intend to take more measures in order to eliminate smoking across the world.
Investigators from New York and Atlanta have conducted study that reveals nearly half of adult men in developing countries still smoke tobacco products and women take up cigarettes at a younger age.
In conformity with the study, rates of smoking cessation in most countries are still low.
Gary Giovino, from the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, said more researches and data are needed to introduce efficient anti-smoking policies and treatments all over the world.
“Although 1.1 billion people have been covered by the adoption of the most effective tobacco-control policies since 2008, 83% of the world’s population is not covered by two or more of these policies,” he said.
“Our data achieved a key point for tobacco control, some years after the approval of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and intensify the necessity for efficient tobacco control.”
Men still top smokers
The research focused on the findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Surveys undertaken 2008 through 2010. The research authors made a comparison of tobacco use and quitting in adults from 14 low and middle earnings countries and used national findings available for the U.S. and UK.
It was revealed that there are more male smokers than feminine – 41% smoking compared to 5% in women. The data was various in different countries, with 60% of Russian men smoking, compared with 22% in Brazil.
The research showed that there was a significant hike in smoking amongst women, particularly those of younger ages. Women in the UK and the U.S. had some of the highest smoking rates amongst women, or 21% and 16% respectively.
Smoking cessation rates were revealed to be very low in GATS countries, with fewer than 20% of adults who had ever smoked in China, India, Egypt and Bangladesh saying they had stopped smoking. The UK and U.S. were among the best countries for quitting smoking ratios.
Sign of the times?
Jeffrey Koplan from Emory University in the U.S. and Judith Mackay from the World Lung Foundation in Hong Kong said tobacco marketing is still threatening and forecast that more youth and women will take up smoking unless great measures are made.
They add: “For instance, in low-income countries, for every $9100 received in tobacco taxes, only $1 was spent on control.”
Cigar smoking at Masters still in fashion
When Mark Hazelwood passed by Augusta National Golf Club, he reached a cigar and lit it up, he felt ill at ease at that time.
Hazelwood, form Knoxville, Tenn, is a cigar lover during 30 years. He said that golf and cigars are things that are considered to be interrelated and people smoke cigars in the open air during a golf session.
Cigar smoking during a golf session
Over a number of years cigars have been an integral element of golf culture, but as the years go by, this tradition had experienced some changes.
Hazelwood added that he was smoking cigars at any time – and when they were cool and then now that they’re not.
Renee Howell, of North Augusta, who isn’t a lover of cigars, said that cigars smoking peak was in the 1990s. She added that in the past decade cigar smoking has become no as vogue as a shame grows on smoking.
Howell said that in the ’90s cigars were was very fashionable. Cigar smoking is a nationwide thing where it is part of the golf and being a man.
Marcella Perez, the owner of Marcella’s Fine Cigars in Augusta and Aiken, told that people still smoke cigars during the golf even though they become less fashionable.
She said cigar smoking peak was in the middle of 1990s when Cigar Aficionado magazine began to put celebrities on the covers. Since then, cigars have become less stylish, but are still a part of golf.
Perez said today smoking outdoor is allowed and that is why golf and cigars still go together.
Jon Yapo, 33, of Orlando, Fla., said that every time he plays golf he smokes a cigar. He likes the smell and the texture of a cigar.
He said that not every visitors of the club agree cigar smoking there and that is why when he goes to the Masters, he takes the cigar in his mouth all day but never lights up.
Yapo said that he likes the process of cigar smoking, but sometimes it bothers people he does not light it up. He added that earlier most men smoke cigars and it did not bother non-smokers.
Steve Cusick, at the age of 27, said there is a way to continue the tradition of golf and cigars. He said that when his family celebrates some events, they surely smoke cigars.
He said that he loves cigars and will continue enjoying smoking.
No Effect of Graphic Posters on Purchase of Cigarettes or Smoking Cessation
A research published online in the journal Tobacco Control contains the data of an analysis directed to see the effectiveness of New York City’s policy of demanding graphic anti-smoking posters at point-of-sale at all tobacco retail outlets. The demand that came into force late in 2009 was designed to reduce smoking rates by promoting smoking cessation at the point of sale.
The research included two rounds of interviews led among customers of retail cigarettes stores: one round in the beginning (before the implementation of the policy) and one round 9 months later.
Graphic anti-smoking poster
The influence of the signs on smoking cessation was estimated by asking recent quitters: “During this visit to the cigarette store or over the past 30 days, to what extent did these health warning signs help you to stop smoking or stay quit?”
Customers were also asked: ““During this visit to the store, did these warning smoking signs prevent you from buying cigarettes when you were about to purchase them?”
The major results of the research were as follows:
1. There was no difference across poll in the warning signs encouraging recent quitters to stay quit.
2. Differences in signs impelling smokers not to buy cigarettes achieved only borderline significance (15% to 8%). More participants said that they were persuaded not to purchase cigarettes before the graphic posters than after.
The research states these results: “The graphic smoking signs did not help recent quitters to stay quit or prevent smokers from buying cigarettes at the current visit to the store.”
Despite these negative results, the study made a conclusion that their results demonstrate that the implementation of signs was connected with a doubling in the awareness of health warning signs and an 11% rise in stimulating thoughts about smoking cessation.
The real question is whether the policy helped smokers to stop smoking and in accordance with this study, it did not.
This is yet another example of a research whose results are not in accordance with the reported research conclusion.
The final conclusion if the research is the following: “A policy obliging tobacco retailers to display graphic health warning signs raised awareness of health risks of smoking and stimulated thoughts about smoking cessation. Extra research was focused on evaluating the result of tobacco control measures in the retail sphere is necessary to provide further rationale for executing of these changes and countering legal challenges from the tobacco industry.”
This stated conclusion ignores the major results of the research. It ignores the fact that the research failed to reveal any effect of the warning signs on preventing the buying of cigarettes or leading to actual smoking cessation. Actually, the research did not provide evidence whatsoever of any impact on behavior.
Roll-your-own cigarette machines may have a hazy future
On Thursday, Charlie Saliby of Guimond Farms convenience store on Rhode Island Avenue said that his daily roll-your-own cigarette business is under threat as the federal government puts at hazard his business by a new tax.
An amendment to Congress’s transportation bill had an unrelated provision to redefine “manufacturers of tobacco products.”
Roll-your-own cigarette
President Obama is likely to sign the transportation bill, with the amendment, that is predominantly approved by Congress on June 29.
Roll-your-own Machine Rental LLC in Ohio said the bill touched upon nearly 2,100 retail outlets nationwide, in accordance with Saliby.
The bill that became effective July 1 supposes that anyone who uses roll-your-own cigarette machine will be considered cigarette manufacturers.
In a city where a wide range of adult people smoke, in comparison with typical Massachusetts communities, the news was spread quickly around Fall River’s lone roll-your-own outlet, where the version of a carton of cigarettes could be machine-rolled by customers in just 10 minutes.
That is 20 packs of roll-your-own cigarettes for $30, half the cost of common brands and about $50 less than a carton of premium brands like Marlboro.
A who woman emailed the Herald News wrote that government intends to close all roll your own cigarette machines.
The bill won’t touch upon those customers who buy ample quantity of tobacco and roll cigarettes at home on their own small machines.
The quickness of rolling cigarettes at a relatively low cost has driven customers to RYO machines at retailers, but the tobacco industry and lawmakers have pulled back on the questions of competition and taxes.
According to Charlie Saliby, more than 500 customers weekly buy tobacco and rolling papers and rent the do-it-yourself gear.
In October 2011Guimond Farms gave $35,000 for the first of 4 machines. This year, several more machines were brought to the store, a whole cost of $140,000, because customers of roll-your-own products demonstrated demand at the family variety store.
On Saturday, Guimond Farms together with customers was able to experience reprieve.
“Until July 6 the transportation bill won’t be signed as it was not prepared in time for the President to sign it.” read another corporate RYO email Saliby shared.
Richard Napert ended rolling 200 “light” cigarettes, as he does twice a week to share with his wife and daughter. He said that his savings could end due to new measure. He said that it would have a negative influence on his income.
