Tobacco

Greece is failing to enforce smoking bans despite apparent public support for the legislation, the Hellenic Thoracic Society (HTS) said Thursday, appealing to the government to crack down on violations.

A 52-year-old Bangladeshi man was arrested for possession and distribution of contraband cigarettes and tobacco Monday in the area of Aghios Dimitrios in southern Athens.

After a search of the suspect's home, police found and confiscated 8,965 cigarette packets and 1,120 packages containing tobacco. The suspect was to appear before a prosecutor. 

A neighborhood in the Indonesian capital has informally declared itself a smoke-free zone as students plan further protests against what they see as an increased effort by cigarette companies to target the young.

Data from the World Health Organisation has revealed the prevalence of male smokers across the world, with a staggering 40 per cent smoking tobacco.
This is compared to only 9 per cent for women.
Smoking tobacco accounts for the death of 600,000 people worldwide every year, with 1.1 billion people regularly smoking, in 2015.

The second largest tobacco company according to its shares on the world market - British American Tobacco (BAT) announced that it has made substantial investments in Bulgaria and that it is signing contracts for the purchasing of leading brands from Bulgartabak, BNR reported.

A number of herb types with narcotic effects are being put in hookahs, according to the head of the Turkish Thoracic Society. 

Speaking at the association's 20th congress, Prof. Ali Fuat Kalyoncu said tobacco is often being mixed with herbs such as opium when hookah is served. 

Greek retail sales by volume fell 0.1 percent in January compared to the same month a year ago after a 1 percent decrease in December, statistics service ELSTAT said on Friday.

Retail sales were led lower by tobacco, foods, department stores, furniture and household appliances, fuels, lubricants, drugs and cosmetics, the data showed.

Marlboro maker Philip Morris will invest 300 million euros ($323.76 million) in its Greek unit Papastratos to convert the cigarette plant into a maker of tobacco sticks for its smokeless IQOS product, executives said on Thursday.

Farm protests are expected today in different parts of the country, according to BNR.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will gather breeders of several professional organizations, and in southern Bulgaria tobacco producers are threatening to block the crossings along the Bulgarian-Greek border.

In Bulgaria, smoking is the cause of 13% of the diseases and causes 12% of death cases, according to a new study made by the World Health Organization, quoted by BTA.

More than 6 million people worldwide die from diseases caused by tobacco use. It is expected in 2030 to reach 10 million people and smoking to become the world's leading single cause of death.