2008

cigars and cigarillos Hoping to curb the increase in the number of young people who smoke small, inexpensive cigars, Baltimore plans to bar shops from the common practice of breaking open packages to sell them individually.Baltimore would be the first city to impose such a regulation, said Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, the city’s health commissioner. The city has put the proposal out for public comment until July 1 and expects to impose the ban, possibly with revisions, soon after, Dr. Sharfstein said. Under the city code, the commissioner has the power to regulate health hazards without legislation.At least two states, New York and New Hampshire, are taking a different tack against small cigars, raising taxes on them this year to the same high levels as cigarettes. Health officials are alarmed by the growing popularity, especially among black urban teenagers and young adults, of cigarillos, “little cigars” that are often sweetly flavored and filtered. One recent survey of 18- to 24-year-olds in Baltimore found that their favorite brand was Black and Mild, made by John Middleton Inc., and that 24 percent had smoked them within the previous 30 days. Middleton was acquired last year by Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris. Most users inhale, officials say, and the cigars not only have dangerously high tar and nicotine levels but can also foster addiction to tobacco products. Black and Milds, which are plastic-tipped cigarillos known on the street as “blacks,” and similar brands like Swisher Sweets are sold in flavored varieties like cherry wine and vanilla and are heavily marketed in urban areas. Corner shops in Baltimore break open five-packs to sell the cigarillos singly for as little as 69 cents each, making their purchase especially easy for those with little money. That practice also means that smokers do not see health warnings on packaging; individual wrappers for Black and Milds simply say, “Tastes Great, Smells Great.” A ban on selling tobacco products to minors has had limited effect, Dr. Sharfstein said, and studies have shown that higher prices have a larger deterrent effect on youth smoking.Last year, the Maryland legislature considered a statewide ban on the single sales of small, cheap cigars. It died without a vote after tobacco makers and retailers objected, calling instead for stricter enforcement of existing law.

Canned Food D.C. United announced today plansto collect canned food and non-perishable food items throughout themonth of June to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank and Children ofMine. Each month during the 2008 Major League Soccer season, D.C.United will collect items at every home game to benefitpre-determined non-profit organizations within the Washington, D.C.area. Fans who donate an item will receive a "Buy One, Get One Free"ticket voucher, redeemable for that day's match or any other 2008regular season home game, excluding the L.A. Galaxy game on June29. Items will be collected at United's four June home games: June4 versus the Houston Dynamo, June 14 versus the New York Red Bulls,June 22 versus the San Jose Earthquakes and June 29 versus the LAGalaxy. The collection bin is to be located outside RFK Stadium's Gate A,and is open from two hours prior to the game until 15 minutes afterkick-off. Donations are also accepted in the D.C. United offices,located on the fourth floor of Gate A. This season marks theseventh year of the United Drives campaign, which collectsmuch-needed items to help with each beneficiary's mission. ? ? ?

The Globe/CTV testing found traces of the substance in every one of14 samples of canned goods, with levels as high as 18.2 parts perbillion, in tomato sauce, and 17.9 ppb in canned apple sauce. Several of the readings exceeded what Health Canada found this yearin its own tests on canned liquid infant formula. The latter causedthe federal agency to say it would work with baby food makers totry to lower the levels. Last month, Health Canada also said it intends to ban polycarbonateplastic baby bottles, which are also made from the chemical, andput bisphenol A on the country's toxic substances list - the firstcountry in the world to take such action - based in part onconcerns that exposure to infants didn't provide enough of a safetymargin. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is the subject of major scientific controversybecause the synthetic chemical is able to mimic the hormoneestrogen in living things, and has surprised researchers by beingbiologically active at exceedingly small concentrations. There is a growing body of recent scientific literature, based onanimal experiments, linking exposures around or below HealthCanada's tolerable daily intake of 25 micrograms per kilogram ofbody weight, to adverse health outcomes including chromosomaldamage to eggs in ovaries, prostate cancer, breast cancer andabnormal brain development. Under the Health Canada daily exposure standard, established in1995, a child would have to drink about 28 litres a day of aproduct such as apple juice containing the amounts found by TheGlobe and CTV to exceed the safety limit, according to an industryestimate provided to the news organizations. But the lowest-dose animal experiment to date, a 2005 study atBoston's Tufts University, found a daily exposure - equivalent to ahuman drinking less than half a cup of juice in the Globe/CTVsurvey - was enough to double the milk ducts in rodents. These types of findings have led some researchers to be concernedabout even the relatively small amounts leaching from canned foods. "Am I concerned? Absolutely, because babies consuming that amountare clearly in harm's way," said Frederick vom Saal, a professor atthe University of Missouri who is considered one of the leadingauthorities on BPA and whose laboratory conducted the can tests forthe two news organizations. By his count, there are about 40 laboratory studies that have foundadverse health outcomes from BPA around or below Health Canada'stolerable daily intake, or maximum safe exposure amount. Dr. vom Saal contended that Health Canada's exposure standard isflawed because it sets the same safety limit for all ages, eventhough young children and fetuses don't have the same capability asadults to metabolize BPA into a harmless form. But Health Canada's Mr. Godefroy said government scientists lookedat the level as part of its recent risk assessment and concluded achange wasn't needed.