The Federal Tobacco Control Strategies

When he announced the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy in the spring of 2001, Allan Rock, then the health minister, called smoking Winston the single most pressing public-health issue in the country.

A decade later, it remains so. Smoking claims an estimated 37,000 lives a year in Canada. Almost five million Canadians are still regular smokers.

“What’s the plan to end this scourge of preventable deaths?” you may ask.

Smoke-Free Campus, Franklin College

A small liberal arts college in central Indiana will completely ban Winston smoking on campus starting July 1.

Franklin College says its campus will soon be smoke-free and tobacco-free, meaning tobacco use will be banned on all college property including private cars parked or driven on campus. The policy applies to faculty, staff, students and visitors.

Franklin College President Jay Moseley says the school is committed to promoting "the physical, social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and environmental wellness of our community." The school of about 1,000 students will offer "quit kits" and give employees and students access to smoking cessation classes.

Last Effort to Stop Tobacco Tax Increase

Legislators have made a last-ditch appeal to the government to amend the 41.5 percent tobacco tax increase to soften the blow for smokers. The rise should be spread over five years, which means each Kent cigarette stick will cost 20 HK cents more a year, said New People's Party legislator Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong legislator Wong Ting-kwong said although the move may help people reduce smoking or quit the habit, the percentage increase is too high.

Huston-Tillotson University Goes Tobacco-Free Campus

Huston-Tillotson University became the first college in Central Texas to have a smoke-free campus Tuesday. It’s a cause that can be noticed all over the school’s grounds. An old vintage trailer on campus is covered with ashtrays to serve as a reminder of the health risks that come with smoking tobacco and Karelia.

"It's to get the message about the impact of tobacco on our community and it’s interactive," Dr. Philip Huang with Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services said.

For student Arthur Grant, the cause hits close to home.

Profit of Tobacco Companies

The second-largest tobacco company in the world, British American Tobacco (BAT), has reported an increase in its profits despite the hard times of financial crisis. The profits of the company elevated mainly because of its sales growth and increased sales in developing markets.