NEWS
February 9, 2014
I am not a smoker, but CVS's decision to stop selling cigarettes is laughable ( "CVS goes smoke free," Feb. 5). The company has obviously done this for the publicity so it can stand out while not caring one iota about consumers' health. If they care so much about consumers' health, why not get rid of the candy, chips, alcohol products and soda pop as well? Maybe they forgot that their tobacco products are drawing customers into the store to make other purchases - such as candy, cosmetics and prescription medication - as well as visit their walk-in "clinics" (as a physician, I object to the irresponsible use of that term)
NEWS
February 5, 2014
During the last decade, local, state and federal governments have sought to make smoking inconvenient by restricting where and when people can light up. They have made it more expensive by increasing taxes - to the point that a pack of cigarettes costs at least $10.50 in New York City. They have tried to make it scary by requiring ever larger and blunter warnings about the health risks of smoking on cigarette packaging. And they have worked to make it un-cool, most recently with a new advertising and social media campaign this week aimed at teens.
NEWS
By Frederick N. Mattis | January 25, 2014
Maryland lawmakers on Monday introduced a bill to restrict the sale of tobacco products in the state to those age 21 and older instead of the current age of 18. If passed, that would make Maryland the strictest state in the nation when it comes to cigarette purchases. A few states have raised the tobacco buying age to 19, but no other state has reached the 21 marker, and only one city has: New York City last year passed a bill restricting the sale of tobacco to age 21; it goes into effect in April.
NEWS
July 1, 2013
Last week the federal Food and Drug Administration quietly did something that it has never done before. For the first time in its history, the agency charged with protecting the public from harmful foods and medicines rejected a bid by the tobacco industry to put new products on the market, based on the fact that they posed a serious risk to public health. Under a 2009 law supported by the Obama administration, the agency was granted the power to regulate cigarettes and other tobacco products, including cigars, loose rolling tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff.
EXPLORE
EDITORIAL FROM THE AEGIS | March 19, 2013
Those of us who work in the news business are well-accustomed to hearing the lament that it would be nice to see some positive things get a little bit of publicity. We're also a bit sensitive to it not because the lament is well-founded, but because there's never really a shortage of good news, and a fair amount of good news generally finds its way into print. The problem is, unfortunately, bad news is often more useful than good news, and it's generally what we focus on. A deer causes a bad accident.
HEALTH
By Andrea K. Walker | October 24, 2012
A tax increase on small cigars and other tobacco products popular with teenagers has resulted in a bump in the prices of these products just as health advocates had hoped. The Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition will release a study today showing that prices have increased since the tax went into affect July 1. For instance, a single Swisher Sweets flavored cigar cost $1.29 before the tax and now costs $1.69. A 5-pack of Swisher Sweets cost $5.49 before the tax and now costs $7.99.