Tobacco Sales Season

The 2012 tobacco-selling season and cheapest Monte Carlo cigarettes smoking opened in Harare yesterday with the price averaging US$4 per kilogramme. The bulk of the crop was bought for more than US$ 4per kg, a price that many farmers feel was fair while the industry expressed satisfaction with the quality of the leaf. Most farmers at all the four auction floors expressed satisfaction at the state of the infrastructure and the service they were getting. Boka Tobacco Auction Floors, Millennium Tobacco Floors, Tobacco Sales Floor and Premier Tobacco Floor are the licensed floors. Farmers said they were happy with the ablution, water and health facilities. Marondera farmer Mrs Faith Chibare said farmers were now being treated in a decent way.

Altria Group Launches Tobacco Rights Site

Altria Group Inc.'s tobacco operating companies launched a "Citizens for Tobacco Rights" Web site last week. The new site is geared toward "adult tobacco consumers who are interested in information and advocacy on tobacco-related public policy issues," according to a company statement. "Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and John Middleton believe that it is important for adult tobacco consumers to make their voices heard on issues that affect them." According to the company, the new site, Citizens for Tobacco Rights, offers adult consumers information, tools and resources to help them "get informed, involved and active on tobacco issues."

New Plan to Ban Smoking in Public

Smoking could be banned in children’s playparks in Cumbria after the county council called on all districts to consider it. The health and wellbeing scrutiny committee made the call after hearing market research showed 70 per cent of people supported a ban on smoking in playgrounds. The research also indicated three quarters of those asked agreed children had the right not to be exposed to second-hand smoke outdoors. Councillor Bill Wearing, chairman of the committee, has raised the issue in the past and said he was in favour of a voluntary ban. “I’ve already come out in favour of a ban on smoking in children’s play areas – it’s clear that people find it socially unacceptable,” he said.