Marlboro Red

This is a full-flavored variety which contains tar 10.0mg and nicotine 0.8mg. The package of this Marlboro type is most recognizable cigarettes box in the world. Marlboro Reds is an extremely popular variety among smokers worldwide and the package itself became brand's landmark. Marlboro Red contains the biggest amount of nicotine and tar in comparison with other varieties and thus it is a strongest version of this brand. It is produced in king size.

LETTER: Smoking ban laws don't make much sense

Some smoking bans now include smokeless tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

The FDA has ruled that tobacco companies cannot tell the public that smokeless tobacco products and electronic cigarettes are 95 percent to 99.5 percent safer than smoking cigarettes or cigars.

There is no smoke, ergo there are none of the harmful toxins that are associated with smoking.

When questioned about their reasoning for including smokeless tobaccos and electronic cigarettes in their bans, government officials will often cite that they don't want smokers using these items to circumvent the no-smoking policies.

So they tell people you want them to quit smoking and yet at the same time you also take away their rights to use smokeless tobacco products in the place of cigarettes or cigars? Something just is not right about that thinking.

Dorothy Taylor

Study Links Chemicals to Diabetes, Obesity

Diabetes and obesity may result from exposure to chemicals and pesticides in cigarette smoke, chemicals in plastic, and arsenic, U.S. government researchers said Thursday.

Michael Gallo, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, reported the results of the recent study during a workshop this week. He said the link between smoking while pregnant and a child's risk of future development of type-2 diabetes and obesity was strong. "It is consistent with our understanding of how diabetes and obesity develop," he told Reuters Thursday.

"Perhaps less recognized is the consistent association with increased risk of offspring being overweight or obese later in life," Dr. Kristina Thayer, director of the National Toxicology Program Center for Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, told AOL Health. "Maternal smoking during pregnancy is consistently associated with an increased risk of offspring being overweight or obese during childhood, adolescence or adulthood,"

According to Thayer, this pattern is initially detectable in young children and continues through adulthood. It is supported by laboratory findings that monitor animals who are treated with nicotine during development. In addition to smoking during pregnancy, exposure to secondhand smoke and pesticides during both pregnancy and childhood are linked to diabetes and obesity.

Thayer also says that a number of anti-psychotic medications are linked to diabetes and metabolic disturbances that can lead to weight gain and obesity.

"Like many complex diseases, it is likely that many factors contribute to the development of diabetes," explains Thayer. "It is unknown to what extent environmental chemicals may be contributing to the current epidemics of diabetes and obesity, but it is clear that additional research is warranted to follow-up on the reported associations."

Thayer recommends focusing on risk factors we can control for diabetes and obesity. That means pursuing and maintaining a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular exercise.

Tobacco health labels won’t convince addicts, association says

The Minister of Health last week announced plans to expand health warning labels on Canadian cigarette packages, a move meant to discourage young adults from starting to smoke, and to encourage long-time smokers to quit cigarettes. But one interest group is skeptical that the expanded labels will actually lower smoking levels.

“There’s some scientific evidence that suggests it will help, but if you read the commentary that people have written in the papers, they’re addicted, so they’re going to continue to smoke,” said Steve Tennant, vice president of the Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA), whose members credit between 40 and 50 per cent of annual sales to tobacco products, with independent downtown Ottawa stores seeing sales as high as 60 per cent.

Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre joined Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq at Tunney’s Pasture Dec. 30 to announce the plan, which includes expanding health warning labels on cigarette packages from 50 per cent to 75 per cent of the cover, and adding real victims’ testimonials about their struggles with smoking-related diseases.

Canadian anti-smoking activist Barb Tarbox, who died of lung cancer in 2003 after a whirlwind tour of the country to show young Canadians what happens if you smoke, will be featured in her dying moments on some of the new labels. Many new labels will be in colour.

The plan will also launch a new anti-smoking campaign on social media sites such as Facebook, and will introduce a nation-wide toll-free quit line.

“We know that having health warning labels on packages is still one of the most effective ways to warn smokers of health hazards. Therefore we will toughen efforts to make them bolder and bigger,” said Aglukkaq.

But Tennant believes these kinds of initiatives do not really make much difference, particularly for long-time smokers. “If you want to buy cigarettes from us, you’re going to buy cigarettes from us,” he said.

Indeed, one Quickie employee in Ottawa South said cigarette sales at his store have actually gone up since convenience stores have had to keep tobacco products hidden from view.

“Whether you can see it or not, you know we sell cigarettes,” Tennant said. “All it does is slow down service, but as for sales it doesn’t really affect them.”

Tennant added that if the Canadian government really wants to tackle smoking in Canada, it needs to focus on a bigger problem: contraband.

“It’s great to govern the legal products, but it’s frustrating to see business eroding around you because of contraband products that don’t have health warning labels, that don’t pay the taxes, that follow none of the guidelines the Feds have put in place,” he said. “What we get frustrated with is that the Ontario government especially and the Feds don’t take action on the amount of contraband flowing into the country, particularly into areas like Ottawa,” which is bookended by contraband hubs in Cornwall and Montreal.

In 2008, contraband cigarette seizures jumped to its highest level ever, hitting nearly 967,000 cartons, compared to only 29,000 cartons in 2001. Much of that contraband circulates around Ontario.

The Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation both sent representatives to the conference to offer support to the government’s initiatives.

“This outstanding package of new measures will increase awareness of tobacco’s health effects and will reduce smoking among both youth and adults,” said Daniel Demers, director of national public issues at the Canadian Cancer Society. “The announcement comes just in time for New Year’s and provides a further impetus for the many Canadians who will make a resolution to quit smoking.”

The new health warning labels will appear on cigarette packages “as soon as possible” Aglukkaq said, but she wouldn’t give any sort of time line.

SPD's DeSalle in sticky situation amid tobacco allegation

A Sandusky police officer caught last year with 50 grams of methamphetamine in his locker is now on administrative leave for apparently chewing tobacco on duty and denying it, police said.

Supervisors placed James DeSalle, a 12-year veteran, on paid leave Wednesday and scheduled him for a pre-disciplinary hearing at 2 p.m. Monday.

In question is a Nov. 5 domestic call at an East Shoreway Drive home, where another officer twice saw DeSalle spit a dark-brown substance on the ground while leaving the home.

When supervisors later asked him if he was chewing tobacco, DeSalle denied it and said he was allergic to a cat in the home, police said.

A video camera in DeSalle’s police cruiser recorded footage of him spitting a substance onto the ground, police said.

Confronted with the video, DeSalle denied he’d been chewing tobacco on duty.

Family of Barb Tarbox wants her deathbed image on cigarette packs

he family of an Alberta anti-smoking activist is pushing to have a photo of the woman on her deathbed used on cigarette packages in Canada.

Tarbox, who died of lung cancer in 2003 at 41 years old, spent her final days as the poster child for Alberta's anti-smoking movement. Before she was confined to a hospital bed, Tarbox spent almost every waking moment lecturing students and working for anti-smoking groups.

A similar health warning using the same photo of Tarbox was recently proposed for American cigarette packages by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminsitration. The best choise for your health is to quit smoking cigarettes.

"It is very disheartening to know that Barb's warning may not see the light of day in Canada while (possibly) appearing on millions of cigarette packages in the United States," said her husband Pat Tarbox.

"One of Barb's last wishes was to have her dying image conveyed on cigarette packages. Barb was selflessly committed to preventing others from experiencing her fate. It would be a terrible shame if Canadians are deprived of Barb's message. The Prime Minister has the ability to get these warnings approved and to provide Canadians with further protection from the deadly consequences of tobacco use."

According to Les Hagen of Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta, the federal government has put any decision to use the image on hold indefinitely.

He says the Commons Health Committee doesn't know if the image would be effective with children and teens, and that the more pressing issue is contraband cigarettes.

The issue has been on the table in Ottawa for seven years, he said, adding the government should be embarrassed that the U.S. is moving much quicker on using the image of a Canadian victim of lung cancer.

Pat Tarbox said the image of his wife in her final moments is the first time a real person would be used on cigarette packaging, and that it's a message that will reach children and adults.

Meanwhile, he's calling on all Canadians to contact the Prime Minister's office or Health Canada to get the issue back on the agenda.

Health Canada has invested millions of dollars in the development of the new health warnings including 60 focus groups held across the country.

Research has revealed that the current health warnings have lost their impact over time.

Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of premature death in Canada—resulting in 37,000 deaths annually.