Hotels in Kuta violate smoke-free bylaw

In a special inspection, officials found many hotels in Kuta were still violating the bylaw on smoke-free zones by providing ashtrays and allowing their guests to smoke in their lobbies and open spaces. A team of inspectors, consisting of officials from the provincial public order office (Satpol PP), Bali Health Agency and anti-smoking advocates, conducted the raid at a number of star-rated hotels located in Kuta. Among the hotels inspected were Holiday Inn, Bali Rani, Kartika Plaza Hotel, Kuta Paradiso, Bali Dynasty Hotel, Harris Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Mercure Hotel and Bounty Hotel.

 The Bali smoke-free zones, enacted in November last year, are clearing the way to banning smoking across broad swathes of the island. The bylaw states that hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, places of worship, healthcare facilities and schools, among other places, are to be smoke-free areas. Anyone who smokes or provides cigarettes in the area may face three months imprisonment or a fine of Rp 50,000 (US$5.35). Ayu Rai Andayani, head of the preventive disease department at Bali Health Agency, said that all the inspected hotels had violated the bylaw on smoke-free zones.

 “They [hotel managements] still put ashtrays on tables in their lobbies. There were no signs prohibiting smoking on the walls or in other places in the hotels,” Andayani said. The team also found some tourists smoking in the smoke-free areas. “But most of the tourists said that they didn’t know about the smoke-free bylaw and there were no signs to prohibit smoking,” she added. The team finally seized the ashtrays from the hotels as evidence, and issued reprimand letters to the hotel managements.

“We have only reprimanded them as we are still disseminating the bylaw. We hope all the hotels on the island enact the bylaw soon,” she said. Previously, Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association’s Bali chapter, said he fully supported the enforcement of smoke-free zones in hotels and other tourist establishments. “Such a bylaw is crucial to improve public health. “We are more than ready to implement the bylaw in our properties,” he said. However, he also criticized government officials for not abiding by the bylaw.

 “They are still smoking in their offices. They are bad role models for the public. If we want to enact the bylaw, all of society must show their commitment,” Wijaya said. Wijaya said that many hotels, restaurants and tourist establishment had already implemented smoke-free areas and smoke-free rooms. “Guests were happy to accept the regulations,” he said.

Smoking ban in Hamilton to be self policing

A move to ban smoking in designated public spaces in Hamilton will rely on people's "moral consciences" to make it work. Hamilton City Council's strategy and policy committee yesterday signalled preference for a self-policing policy to make all council-owned facilities, children's playgrounds and smoking hot spots - Garden Place and Hamilton Transport Centre - smoke-free zones.

Council's strategy and research manager Tegan McIntyre recommended introducing a policy instead of a bylaw which allowed people to be penalised because of the difficulties of enforcement. The city employed only one bylaw officer to look after 17 bylaws. The proposed policy targeted areas like Garden Place where council staff could have a high-level of control and appeal to people's "moral conscience", she said.

Other areas such as outdoor dining areas, Hood St and sports fields and reserves could be added once the policy was introduced. Councillors asked for more information around banning smoking in sports fields and bus stops before making a final decision about what would be included in the final policy at tomorrow's full council meeting.

But Elaine Hickel, who owns Embargo Restaurant in Garden Place, queried how the policy would work as legally restaurants had to provide a designated smoking area, so by following the policy they would be breaking the law. A review is to be carried out six months from when the policy is introduced.

Synthetic marijuana seized from smoke shop

The downtown Green Bay smoke shop Imports Plus has been closed until further notice after authorities found synthetic marijuana during a raid. On Sept. 10, officers raided the Broadway street shop and arrested owner Michael Denis and clerk Amy Richards after recovering more than 1,300 grams of the hallucinogenic as well as numerous drug paraphernalia items. Both Denis and Richards have been charged with two counts of possession of an illegal non-narcotic drug and may each face a fine of up to $10,000 and up to six years in prison.

For the Broadway Street businesses, the raid caught both employees and patrons completely off-guard. DuBois Formal Wear store manager Aaron Alexander knew something was amiss when he saw officers swarming their across-the-street neighbors. “When I looked outside, there were bunch of flashing lights and police officers coming in and out of the shop,” Alexander said. “There were on-lookers from everywhere walking out into the street to get a look at what was going on out there. It was certainly something you don’t see every day.”

Broadway district promotional business, On Broadway, Inc., was dismayed to learn about a drug raid at one of their featured businesses. Executive director, Christopher Naumann says that the events involving Imports Plus has put On Broadway, Inc. in a tough position. “It’s all very disappointing to us at On Broadway, Inc.,” Naumann said. “We’re an organization that promotes responsible business in the Broadway district, and to have something like this happen is just very upsetting.” Prior to the raids, On Broadway, Inc. had a brief promotional page for the small smoke shop, announcing their support for the bohemian and hippie cultures.

And although Naumann was not well acquainted with either Denis or Richards, he says that this situation will take a toll on any promoting his organization does for Imports Plus. “My organization promotes the Broadway district as a whole and although we didn’t have much interaction with Imports Plus, we certainly aren’t going to be promoting them much more,” said Naumann. “At this point, we’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen with the store since it has been locked up since the police raid.” On June 24, 2011, Gov. Scott Walker signed Act 31 into law which officially made the manufacturing, distribution and delivery of synthetic cannabinoids a felony offense.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the drug was invented in the early 1990s by John Huffman for research purposes only and was never originally intended for recreational usage. Under the street names “K2” and “Spice”, it was eventually sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops, in Wisconsin until 2011. And unlike many other smoking products, there was no age limit to purchase synthetic marijuana. The general process for creating synthetic marijuana involves coating herbs or plants with special pesticide-like chemicals for the hallucinogenic effects when smoked.

The drug mimics the effects of authentic marijuana, without containing Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, the chemical in marijuana that causes hallucinations. UW-Green Bay’s chief of public safety, and 30 year Marathon county drug unit veteran, Tom Kujawa, says that synthetic marijuana caused quite a stir when it began appearing in Wisconsin. “When this all began, it was complicated because this stuff wasn’t marijuana and it wasn’t THC but had a lot of the same effects,” Kujawa said. “A lot of communities began independently banning it and when Scott Walker made it illegal, it settled the debate our state was having on how to deal with it.”

Although synthetic marijuana is not botanically related authentic marijuana, its chemical structure is similar, which causes the drug to replicate the hallucinogenic traits of THC. Those smoking synthetic marijuana may cause mild physical effects such as elevated heart rate and vomiting to serious side effects like skyrocketing blood pressure, seizures and extreme paranoia. For those who doubt serious side effects can happen to them, Kujawa says that the uncertainty is too much to risk. “I met someone who started having seizures right after she started taking these drugs, and when I ran into her 15 years later she was still having them,” Kujawa said.

“The feeling may be pleasant at first, but considering the potential dangers to your mind, your body and brain it needs to be avoided. These drugs can even damage the DNA in your reproductive cells which be harmful to any children you have.” Kujawa adds that if the mental and physical complications aren’t enough to steer people away from the job, the legal consequences of being involved with the drug may be overwhelming. “For students, a conviction means you can have any financial aid or scholarships pulled and problems finding a job once you graduate since you have a criminal record,” Kujawa said.

“It impacts your ability to reach for everything you can, and all of you UWGB students are here to accomplish a lot. Plus, there are too many other ways to have fun in life that don’t involve drugs.” Although, Kujawa adds that consequences for possessing, using or distributing drugs may feel unfair to some who wish to use it, he says that the banning of the drug is entirely for the public’s well-being. “When I look at you guys, you are the future,” Kujawa said. “You’ll become our nurses, accountants, social worker, doctors and teachers of the future and we just want the best for all of you.”

Expectations of the National Tobacco Growers Association justified at Skopje Forum

Expectations of the National Tobacco Growers Association have justified during the Forum for oriental tobacco in Skopje. That is what Chairman of the National Tobacco Growers Association Tsvetan Filev, who was the Bulgarian representative at the forum said for FOCUS News Agency. In Skopje was adopted a declaration against discrimination on tobacco growers.

According to Tsvetan Filev tobacco is the only alternative in the region where oriental tobacco thrives. “We know that the fight will not be easy, it will not complete this fall, or year-end. 2013 is the last year of that framework in which the EU operates”, he said. Within the sidelines of the forum that took place in Skopje, representatives of the countries united around a statement in support of tobacco both at EU level and globally.

Representatives of the industry have moved against discrimination against tobacco in general, in Europe and in the world. “I am glad it was possible to make such a forum about oriental tobaccos in Skopje just because oriental tobaccos thrive mainly on the Balkan Peninsula”, Tsvetan Filev said.

Imperial Tobacco poised to light up

cigarettesonline.getfreehosting.co.uk - cigarettes online: camel, pall mall, marlboro, vogue
It has been a strong fortnight for equities amid growing expectations that the US Federal Reserve would announce a third round of quantitative easing and that Germany’s constitutional court would rule in favour of Europe’s new bailout fund. Speculation has intensified that the US Central Bank will unveil further stimulus measures to boost the economy following the disappointing jobs report last week. Equities moved higher in anticipation despite reports that Moody’s Investors Service is considering lowering the US credit rating unless budgetary negotiations to reduce the debt/GDP ratio are met.

The Federal Reserve confirmed the speculation, saying it would pump $40 billion into the US economy each month until it saw a sustained upturn in the weak jobs market. The Fed said it would only purchase mortgage backed securities, in an effort to boost the housing sector and this would be in addition to its so called “operation twist” program, in which it is selling short-term bonds to buy longer-term US Treasury debt. Germany’s constitutional court gave a green light on Wednesday for the country to ratify the Eurozone’s new bailout fund. Germany is the only country in the 17-nation bloc that has yet to ratify the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which will erect a €700 billion firewall in order to prevent the spread of contagion in the region.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said in a speech to parliament “this is a good day for Germany and a good day for Europe.” Voters in the Netherlands also backed two pro-European parties, a result widely regarded as a test of opinion backing austerity and the recent Eurozone bailouts. The ball is now firmly in Spain and Italy’s courts. If they deliver the planned fiscal tightening and structural reforms, the debt crisis could end in a couple of years. Economic data, however, remains mixed with US job growth slowing sharply.

The unemployment rate fell to 8.1% from 8.3%, but employment rose by much less than expected in August. Employment increased by 96,000 jobs last month following a downwardly revised increase of 141,000 jobs in July, analysts had expected a 125,000 increase. Meanwhile, the number of Britons on unemployment benefits dropped in August by the largest amount in two years as companies created new jobs. Employment also rose to the highest level in over four years between May and June, raising hopes that improved prospects will allow consumers to spend more and boost the recovery.

China offered further reasons for caution following the release of a series of weak economic figures. Imports fell 2.6% on the year in August, confounding expectations of a 3.5% rise. Exports grew 2.7%, below forecasts for a 3% rise, which is concerning for a country where exports generate 25% of gross domestic product and support an estimated 200 million jobs. Technical analysis illustrates the strong moves experienced over the past two weeks, with a series of higher lows forming a medium-term upward trend since May. The oscillators are also rising with the MACD stepping into positive territory, implying there could be further upside to come.

A close above the August high at 5880 is needed to confirm the trend, with support seen at 5705 and 5600. In conclusion, the market has benefited from a series of highly anticipated political developments crucial to boosting the global recovery and resolving the European debt crisis. As is often the case, the news could be largely priced into the market in the short-term and there is likely to be an element of “buy the rumour – sell the fact”. That said, the trend is higher and the newsflow is positive, so I am looking to buy any weakness. A study released by the BNY Mellon Wealth Management revealed that the MSCI World Tobacco Index had the highest return out of 67 sectors in the MSCI World Index over the past 10 years.

‘Low price of tobacco causing billions of rupees loss’

Every year the country has been facing a loss of billions of rupees due to the constant lowering of tobacco prices, sources said. As per details, the Secretary Tobacco Board while over exceeding his power and bypassing the Commerce Ministry and the Pakistan Tobacco Board in 2010-2011, decreased the price of tobacco by Rs. 33 from its original price and the country faced a direct loss of billions of rupees.

Tobacco had been contributing billions of rupees in direct and indirect taxes every year and instead of providing some relief to the tobacco growers and dealers, they have been subjected to additional taxes, which were adding to their woes amid raising the cost of inputs, the sources said. The prices of different agriculture inputs during the last three years had gone higher by about 100-150 per cent while the prices of tobacco had been increased marginally from Rs. 105 per kg to Rs. 117 per kg and then Rs. 121 per kg.

STEM Academy freshmen tour Montgomery County tobacco farm

Raising tobacco, from the start of the original 13 American colonies to today, has always been hands-on, hard work. This week, 47 high-achieving freshmen from the STEM Academy at Kenwood High School, along with school officials and teachers, toured the Southern Lights Farm on Rossview Road in northeast Montgomery County to learn more about raising tobacco. Christi Fordhan, administrator for the STEM Academy, said the students have been researching agriculture from the beginning of human history to the time of agricultural societies.

“We chose to look at tobacco not only because it is grown locally, but the role in establishing the United States and how it has impacted Southern culture and the money involved in the tobacco market,” Fordham said. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math, and the academy is a Clarksville-Montgomery County School System initiative to provide specialized training to students with a particular interest in and an aptitude for the topics. When the students arrived at the Southern Lights Farm, they were greeted by owner Jerry Stuard and taken by hay bale trailer to a tobacco barn.

Students filed in and around as Stuard explained the process of the hanging tobacco. “One thing about farming, is that every season is different.” Stuard explained how his 28 farmhands work daily to keep fires going in 20 tobacco barns without losing a barn to fire. “There is that risk, and we have had to replace a barn,” he said. Students asked complex questions about trapped gases and ventilation – like what keeps the fire from reaching the hanging tobacco? Stuard explained they use hardwoods and proper sawdust, and they water at the right time.

 This was the first time up close to see a smoking barn for student Jacqueline Krantz. “The smell goes right to your stomach and to the back of your throat,” she said. Fordham said, “We wanted to bring the students to see a real job operation. They have been talking about how agriculture affects society and how culture has been shaped ... in the last century technology has massively impacted how we do agriculture, not just here but all around the world.”