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The Pentagon is looking to raise the price of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco sold on U.S. military installations worldwide, in an attempt to ween U.S. service members from tobacco use. Defense Secretary Ash Carter codified the policy in an April 8th department-wide memorandum, which also expanded smoke-free areas on American military bases, according to Reuters. The new tobacco policy would increase prices on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco sold at U.S. military commissaries and post exchanges to match the price of tobacco products sold off base, which are subject to state and local taxes. Currently, tobacco products sold on U.S. bases

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback offered options on Wednesday for dealing with sinking revenue for the state's current and next budgets, including the sale of tobacco bonds. With the fiscal 2016 revenue estimated to drop by nearly $94 million and fiscal 2017 revenue expected to be $134.7 million less than previously projected, the Republican governor said Kansas could raise about $158 million through its first sale of bonds backed by its share of a 1998 multi-state settlement with U.S. tobacco companies.

The controversy surrounding e-cigarettes was previously muted by the promise that, despite their flaws, they do help smokers quit smoking. But now, even that silver lining has been disproven. As per a new study, not only do e-cigarettes not help you kick the habit, they may have the exact opposite effect — as it turns out, e-cigarette smokers are 28 percent less likely to quit than individuals whove never used these devices at all. ~snip

New York is reaping the whirlwind of sky-high cigarette taxes with a wave of smuggling decimating the state’s revenue. New York raised taxes on cigarettes to $4.35 in 2010 from $2.75. In total, cigarette taxes have increased by 190 percent since 2006. The sharp rise has resulted in a raft of unintended consequences which are dealing a significant blow to the state’s finances. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reports New York’s revenue from cigarette taxes has plunged by $400 million over the past five years.

New York is reaping the whirlwind of sky-high cigarette taxes with a wave of smuggling decimating the state's revenue. New York holds the dubious honor of having the highest cigarette taxes in country, with the average pack of smokes in New York City costing as much as $10.60. New York raised taxes on cigarettes to $4.35 in 2010 from $2.75. In total, cigarette taxes have increased by 190 percent since 2006. The sharp rise has resulted in a raft of unintended consequences which are dealing a significant blow to the state's finances. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reports New York's...

CVS Health is leaving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, saying the trade group’s position on tobacco products is incompatible with CVS’ focus on health. The Chamber of Commerce said its position on tobacco products is being misinterpreted and it’s unfortunate that a company is leaving the organization over the issue. A New York Times article published June 30 said the Chamber of Commerce is fighting anti-smoking laws around the world at the behest of the tobacco industry, which is facing increased regulation aimed at reducing smoking. …

The New York Post has learned that NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio is going to “ramp” up the city’s war against smoking…at home.If you live in New York, here is where you city tax dollars are going: The administration is planning to select and pay four health-advocacy groups $9,000 apiece to pressure landlords and developers to prohibit smoking in their apartment complexes so neighboring tenants don’t inhale secondhand smoke. And the result of this campaign is: …smokers would be barred from lighting up in one of their last sanctuaries: their own living quarters. Smoking is already banned in public...

Though it might seem like “no smoking” signs on airplanes aren’t even needed anymore — who could possibly think lighting up a cigarette in an enclosed cabin filled with other people is okay? — there are apparently those out there who still need reminding that smoking isn’t allowed. To wit: a United Airlines flight headed to Boston from Denver was forced to turn around after a passenger reportedly lit up and refused to stop smoking. Officials said the flight returned to Denver International Airport around midnight on Friday due to a disturbance on board, an airport spokesperson told Channel 2...

Mayor de Blasio is ramping up the city’s war against smoking — at home, The Post has learned. The administration is planning to select and pay four health-advocacy groups $9,000 apiece to pressure landlords and developers to prohibit smoking in their apartment complexes so neighboring tenants don’t inhale secondhand smoke. That means smokers would be barred from lighting up in one of their last sanctuaries: their own living quarters. Smoking is already banned in public places, including bars and restaurants, workplaces, sports venues and parks.

One California city is trying to make it happenOn the day “Mr. Padre” Tony Gwynn should be celebrating his 55th birthday, I was thinking of the best way to pay tribute to the greatest sports figure our city has called our own. While it won’t happen today, I think the best thing we can do in his memory is make sure his death teaches us a lesson and ban tobacco in Major League Baseball. Gwynn passed away June 16, 2014 from salivary gland cancer he believes was the result of being a longtime tobacco chewer. Gwynn began his cancer battle...

“The triumph of persuasion over force is a sign of a civilized society.” – Mark and Jo Ann Skousen, “Persuasion vs. Force” pamphlet The governor and the legislature of the state of Hawaii could learn a thing or two from the views my wife Jo Ann and I shared in our pamphlet, “Persuasion vs Force.” Read it here.Last week, Hawaii became the first state to raise the smoking age to 21. Let’s see, now, you can vote and go to war for your country but you can’t pick up a cigarette? What’s going wrong in this country when we...

In New Orleans, midnight sounded on last call – for smoking. A new law just took effect banning cigarettes, cigars and other forms of tobacco smoking from all bars. And some local residents are relieved. “This is one of the smokiest bars in town,” said Steve Zweibaum, speaking to the New York Times from one local bar. “I know a bunch of people who don’t come in here because of the smoke. Maybe they’ll come back.”

For nicotine enthusiasts, 2015 will be remembered as part of a golden era. Less than 10 years after they were introduced in the United States, e-cigarettes have gone relatively unregulated by health agencies, with companies and users making their own rules in a nicotine-laced Wild West. E-cigarette companies have been advertising their products to adults and children alike, claiming to help smokers quit while simultaneously promoting lollipop-flavored liquids. But now health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and even city-based public health departments are starting to fight back—not in the form of regulations, but with their own...

“Unborn baby shown grimacing in womb as mother smokes,” is the somewhat misleading headline in The Daily Telegraph. The news comes after researchers released dramatic images of babies in the womb taken using 4D ultrasound scanners. 4D scanners provide real-time moving images of babies in the womb.

LEXINGTON, KY -- Surveillance video shows a tobacco store clerk fighting off two robbers in Lexington, Kentucky. The Tobacco Zone had been locked, but the thieves got in as a customer was leaving. They then went to the office and demanded money. As one of the thieves rummaged through the cash register, he carelessly left his handgun on the counter. "While he was struggling to get money out, he threw the gun on the counter. And I grabbed the gun and I pointed it," store clerk Zara Adil told WKYT-TV, "and I told him, 'I'm gonna shoot you if...

IF you think the air travel experience generally stinks now, consider what it was like before smoking was banned on domestic flights 25 years ago. Tracy Sear, a flight attendant with US Airways, was looking over some Facebook posts from colleagues recalling those bad old days when a third or more of passengers on any flight puffed away, and cabins were foul with smoke. When I spoke with her the other day, she read one of those posts to me: “Suitcases, uniforms, hair — all stunk from cigarette smoke. And it’s astounding that we didn’t have more cabin fires.” ~snip

Egypt said Sunday it will raise the sales tax on both local and imported cigarettes as it confronts a major budget deficit. The decision announced by the presidency increases a flat tax by at least 7 cents for a pack of less expensive cigarettes. More expensive brands will see an increase of at least 20 cents. A similar move last July raised prices 25 to 40 cents per pack. One in four Egyptian adults smoke, according to a 2013 World Health Organization report. …

You may like technology (who doesn't these days) or the energy sector (where would we be without it) -- but if you're making a long-term bet as an investor, there's a lot going for Big Tobacco. It's not just that tobacco boasts the best historical performance of all U.S. industries. The industry's future seems especially bright. As marijuana gradually becomes a legal drug, Big Tobacco is poised to dominate the market.

A handful of Bay Area cities have exceptional tobacco control policies, but many more are in need of improvement, according to a statewide report released this week. The American Lung Association in California’s State of Tobacco Control 2015 report overall found that many Bay Area cities were leading the state in its policies but a larger number were stagnating, organization officials said.

Dispensaries in the 23 states that have legalized medical marijuana can all breathe a sigh of relief. The massive “Cromnibus” spending bill passed Saturday night includes an amendment that essentially shuts down the DEA’s pricey prosecution of state-sanctioned medical marijuana. The amendment bans the Justice Department from using funds to “prevent [medical marijuana states] from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” The bill now awaits approval from President Obama. The Obama administration has regularly raided and prosecuted medical marijuana dispensaries regardless of state laws. According to a study by Americans...