Smoking Ban Approved In Bulgaria

A smoking ban was approved by Parliament in Bulgaria and will go into affect in June 2012, the government announced. The ban will prevent people from smoking in all public places and forbid smoking cheap R1 Slim cigarettes outside of nurseries, kindergartens and schools. Bulgaria, the poorest member of the European Union, is also the country with the second highest rate of tobacco consumption. Over one third of adults in Bulgaria are smokers, as well as nearly one out of three teenagers between 13 and 15. Bulgaria has already banned smoking in offices and hospitals, in addition to public transportation. In restaurants and bars, smoking and non-smoking sections are required.

Health Department Won't Hire Smokers

If you smoke or use tobacco then do not expect to ever get hired by the Central District Health Department. On Friday, the CDHD Board of Health voted unanimously to check for nicotine use on pre-employment screenings. Job candidates who test positively for nicotine will not be offered positions. The policy takes effect immediately and applies to all job openings at CDHD. The pre-employment screening is done through urine testing. Three years ago, the department made all of its three campuses in Boise, Mountain Home and McCall tobacco-free. For CDHD, officials say choosing to not hire tobacco users is a logical step in its effort to reduce tobacco use in Idaho. CDHD believes a non-smoking workforce is more productive and healthier. "We know that they (smokers) use more sick time and because they get ill more often they are driving up health care costs for the majority of people who don't use tobacco products," said Dave Fotsch, public information officer with CDHD.

Bulgaria to Introduce Full Smoking Ban June 2012

Bulgaria will introduce a full smoking ban for closed public areas on June 1 2012, the country's Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov has reiterated. On Wednesday, Konstantinov will submit his proposal for a full smoking ban to the country's Council of Ministers. "The Ministry of healthcare is fighting to make Bulgaria's people healthier," Konstantinov told the Bulgarian National Television early on Tuesday, pointing out that the system's main aim is to prevent the population from getting sick rather than treat it when it already suffers from illnesses. Konstantinov stated that his proposal will be backed by the Council of Ministers, since the potential costs for medical treatment of tobacco smokers would otherwise greatly exceed what could be gathered by the state in terms of cigarette excise taxes.

Dangers of Water Pipe Smoking

Commonly known as ‘sheesha’ or ‘huqqah,’ water pipes and smokeless tobacco including both snuff as well as chewing tobacco, pose health dangers that are little understood by users. Contrary to popular belief, water pipes and smokeless tobacco are not a safe alternative to cigarettes, and there is no proof that any device or accessory can make water pipe smoking safer. It is often wrongly believed that the smoke is purified when passing through water in a water pipe. Using a water pipe to smoke tobacco may seriously damage the health of a smoker and of those exposed to the second-hand smoke emitted.

Cigarettes & Tobacco Market Report 2011

The UK cigarette and tobacco market comprises four main sectors cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco (HRT [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]), cigars and pipe tobacco. The total value of the market is estimated to have reached 17.66bn in 2010, after rising by 8% from 2009, while, between 2006 and 2010, a 12.9% increase was witnessed overall. Key Note estimates that the cheap Ritm cigarettes sector continued to account for the largest proportion of the market, representing 86.6% of sales in 2010, followed by HRT, which represented 11.5%. Cigars and pipe tobacco are by the far the smallest sectors of the market, with a combined contribution of 1.9% in 2010. Despite the value the UK cigarette and tobacco market increasing in recent years, a long-term decline in volume sales has become more apparent.