Group Questions Smoking Ban Injunction

Health groups Thursday expressed disappointment over the injunction issued by a Mandaluyong court Wednesday against the anti-smoking policy of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). “We respect the authority of our honorable courts to decide on legal matters mainly because they are the proper venue for this. However, the life and health of our people should not be held hostage to legal battles nor technicalities of the law," Dr. Oscar D. Tinio, president of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), said. The Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 213 issued a writ of preliminary injunction against the MMDA from implementing its smoking ban. The six-page order handed down by Judge Carlos Valenzuela stated that the MMDA, headed by Chairman Francis Tolentino, is prevented from enforcing the no-smoking campaign on open areas not covered by the definition of public places in Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.

Cigarette Sales, Price Hikes

FMCG companies in India have been grappling with high input costs and margin pressures over the last several quarters. There are also worries that consumers may resort to downtrading or cut back on spending if the overall economic uncertainties continue and RBI hikes interest rates further. However, there will be no such concerns for ITC when it reports second quarter results on Monday. Its bread and butter cigarettes segment continues to surge ahead as consumers smoke tobacco away, despite price hikes and pictoral warnings. The company has raised prices of its Navy Cut and Classic brands by 10%, and analysts expect there will be more price hikes in coming quarters. "The company has not raised prices enough to compensate for the VAT increase in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh in the second quarter," say Amnish Aggarwal and Harit Kapoor of Motilal Oswal Securities.