FDA issues warning letters to 3 tobacco companies over "additive-free" claims

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to the makers of Winston, Natural Spirit and Nat Sherman cigarettes over their “additive-free” and “natural” label claims. The agency issued the warnings to ITG Brands LLC, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Inc. and Sherman’s 1400 Broadway N.Y.C. Ltd. The issue […]

LA Times: $2 more for cigarettes? California tobacco tax proposal revived in special session

A proposal to raise the tobacco tax by $2 per pack of cigarettes in California was given new life Wednesday when legislation was announced as part of a special session on healthcare. Supporters say the new bill has a better chance of passing than one that stalled in the regular session because the $1.5 billion […]

NY Times Opinion: Clashing Views on E-Cigarettes

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD A British government agency has issued a bullish assessment of the value of electronic cigarettes in helping people to quit smoking. It found that e-cigarettes can reduce the health risks of smoking by 95 percent because they deliver nicotine to satisfy an addiction, but far fewer harmful chemicals than regular cigarettes. […]

AP: Teens' E-Cigarette Use Linked With Later Smoking

By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer Teens who use e-cigarettes are more likely than others to later smoke conventional cigarettes and other tobacco products, a study at 10 Los Angeles high schools suggests. The study doesn’t prove that electronic cigarettes are a “gateway drug” but some doctors say it bolsters arguments that the devices should […]

Opinion: Chamber's tobacco tax stance flawed

By John LaChance from Fargo I used to believe smoking was just a part of life. My parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, neighbors, doctors, nurses, teachers, etc. all smoked around me as I was growing up. For years, I worked in bars and restaurants where people smoked. The more they smoked, the more they drank. […]