Smokers soon face $40-a-pack of cigarettes [...]

Smokers will soon be slugged extra tax on cigarettes under laws that lift the cost to $40 a packet within four years. Bipartisan legislation to increase the tax on cigarettes over four years cleared parliament on Wednesday night and will now move through the Senate. 'There will be fewer young kids who take up smoking and Australia will be healthier as a result,' shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh told parliament.

2016-09-15
dailymail.co.uk

Money Behind the Battle Over Raising California’s Cigarette Tax

Tobacco companies have given nearly $56 million since June to fight a proposed cigarette tax in California, according to a our analysis of data from the Secretary of State’s Office. The RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company and Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, have provided more than 97 percent of that money, the analysis found.

2016-09-15
natlawreview.com

Young adults say vaping helped them quit smoking

St. Louis County is among 191 U.S. communities that have chosen to ban the sale of vaping products to anyone under the age 21, despite arguments by shop owners and former smokers that e-cigarettes serve as smoking cessation devices. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay indicated on Twitter two weeks ago that he would pursue similar legislation for the city.

2016-09-15
detroitnews.com

The E-Cigarette Ban: A Win for Liars and Big Tobacco

The Food and Drug Administration has joined with Big Tobacco in an effort to crush the small businesses that make up most of the e-cigarette industry. In doing so, the FDA is putting at risk the lives of millions of Americans. Once again, bureaucrats and politicians are distorting scientific studies in order to support a political agenda. The ostensible mission of the FDA is to make sure food and medicine are safe, [...]

2016-09-15
capitalresearch.org

Cheap illicit tobacco comes at a cost

One in every five smokers in Scotland know that “illicit” or duty free cigarettes or tobacco are being sold locally, but only one in five of them (20 per cent) will report to the authorities. Such ‘non-shop tobacco products’ are sold at prices much lower than their legitimate counterparts, which carry duty. The average price for ‘non-shop’ cigarettes (pack of 20) in Scotland is £4.15 [...]

2016-09-15
heraldscotland.com

Libs call for rethink on e-cigarette ban

A Liberal backbencher has called for a rethink of Australia's ban on nicotine e-cigarettes, arguing the devices could spell the end of harmful cigarette smoking. James Paterson said some of the reasons cited by health groups for maintaining the ban were puzzling and strange. "We could in our lifetime see the end of conventional cigarette smoking and tobacco smoking and it could be replaced by a much safer alternative," [...]

2016-09-15
au.news.yahoo.com