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Man steals two cartons of cigarettes from Certified Gas station
PARIS Feb 5, 2007
The cashier said the man asked for two cartons of cigarettes.
When she placed them on the counter and began to ring them up, the man reached across the counter and grabbed the cigarettes to take them.
The cashier said she held onto the cigarettes and a struggle occurred.
During the struggle, the cashier said she was struck in the face.
The cashier told officers she was able to bite the suspect, possibly on the hand, during the attack.
The robber took the cigarettes and ran out of the gas station, heading
north and disappearing into a nearby apartment complex.
The cashier was not taken to the hospital.
This is the second cigarette robbery in six days.
At 12:15 a.m. Friday, a man entered Walgreen Drug Store, 859 E. Main St., and asked for a carton of cigarettes.
When the clerk asked for identification to verify his age, the man attempted to grab the cigarettes, according to a Lancaster police report.
The suspect grabbed the clerk's arm and twisted it, snatching the cigarettes from her hand and running out of the store.
The clerk at Walgreen sustained minor bruises and scrapes from the robbery.
Lancaster police Lt. Shane Wilson urged anyone involved in a robbery to be cautious.
"No one should resist over property, like cash or cigarettes," Wilson said.
"Property is not worth getting seriously hurt or losing a life over it. The best thing people can do is comply with the robber and get a good description of what they look like, what they are wearing and what they are driving."
Tips for Helping Your Teen Steer Clear of Cigarettes
Source:NZ Herald, Feb 5, 2007
Tobacco use produces significant health problems in teens, including an increase in the number and severity of respiratory illnesses, like asthma and bronchitis,
and decreased physical fitness. Cigarettes use also increases the risk for cancer,
heart disease, stroke, emphysema and other health problems later in life. The first symptoms of nicotine dependence among 12- and 13-year-olds can appear
within days to weeks after occasional use begins, often before the onset of daily smoking. It is important to realize that kids are exposed to
Cigarettes from a very early age, so it's never too soon to start talking with
them about the health dangers of smoking. Use any opportunity, such as movies that depict people smoking and tobacco-related situations you may see in your
own neighborhood, to start the conversation about why it's important not to start smoking cigarettes or using other drugs. The following are a few tips to
help your kids stay cigarettes-free:
1. Roll play with your fourth- through sixth-grader about what to do if someone offers him or her cigarettes or other drugs.
2. Ask your seventh- through ninth-grader about what he or she knows about the dangers of smoking and using drugs and add to your child's knowledge on the subject.
3. Focus on the more immediate consequences of smoking, such as bad breath; smelling like cigarettes; having dull skin and hair, and yellowed nails; and being out of shape and breathless.
4. Continue to encourage your 10th- through 12th-grader for all the positive choices he or she makes.
5. Know who your teen's friends are and if they smoke or drink.
6. If your teen is looking for a job, encourage her to apply only at smoke-free workplaces.
7. Encourage your teen to get involved in team sports where your teen may be more likely to meet friends who don't smoke.
8. Make sure your child knows the rules (including no smoking) of your house and that you'll enforce them.
Remember: The most important thing is to continue anti-smoking, anti-drug use conversations as your child grows.
Suggest to your teen to do one of the following when he or she feels like smoking when trying to quit:
1. Go for a walk.
2. Call a friend.
3. Drink water or juice.
4. Take a deep breath and count to five. Let your breath out slowly. Repeat five times.
5. Tell yourself, "I can quit smoking."
State keeps eye out for bootleg cigarettes
Source:Aberdeen News Feb 5, 2007
RAPID CITY, S.D. - South Dakota smokers who cross the border to escape the $1 per-pack tax increase on cigarettes are breaking state law when they bring the cigarettes back into the state.
The bootlegging, if large enough, can result in penalties and loss of the cigarettes.
"Our statute says that any cigarettes in South Dakota without tax stamps are contraband, and subject to seizure," said Michael Kenyon, director of property and special taxes for the South Dakota Department of Revenue in Pierre. "We look for unstamped stuff
and cigarette not on our directory. Obviously, we seize those, generally from a seller. We haven't gone into anybody's home yet."
Voters in November approved higher tobacco taxes, including a boost in the cigarette tax to $1.53 a pack. The increase took effect Jan. 1.
Cigarettes brought into the state without a South Dakota tax stamp are illegal, whether by the box, the carton or the pack.
People caught with more than 2,000 cigarettes - or 10 cartons - also could face a financial penalty. On 10 cartons, the penalty
would be the $1.53-per-pack South Dakota tobacco tax, or $15.30 per carton, plus an additional penalty of 10 percent, or $1.53 per carton.
In certain cases, revenue officials also might try to recapture the sales tax that wasn't paid if the cigarettes were bought in another state, unless that state has a tax equal to
South Dakota's 4 percent sales tax.
State enforcement efforts for now focus on making sure that retail outlets in South Dakota are selling cigarettes and other tobacco products that have been properly taxed and stamped.
Kenyon said enforcement agents will continue checking retailers, but it's unclear when or whether that work will extend to individuals.
"Obviously, we've heard about it. We point out what the law is," he said. "As far as enforcement goes, we're going to wait and see what the problem is. The tax increase is less than a month old."
The per-pack cigarette tax in neighboring states is 60 cents in Wyoming, 44 cents in North Dakota, 64 cents in Nebraska, 36 cents in Iowa, $1.70 in Montana and $1.49 in Minnesota.
Customs seize KENT worth of cigarettes
Source:The Northern Echo Feb 5,2007
MORE than seven million counterfeit cigarette have been seized in a North-East customs swoop, confirming the region as one the UK's worst hot spots for contraband smuggling.
The illegal haul, estimated to be worth in excess of KENT , was intercepted by customs officers while it was being delivered to business premises in the Easington area of County Durham.
The seizure happened last Friday night and customs said yesterday that organised criminal gangs were behind the smuggling operation.
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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) head of detection, John Kinghorn said: "HMRC has highlighted the North-East as one of the worst areas in the UK for smuggled cigarettes and tobaco and this seizure shows that the region is playing host to the organised criminal gangs who are behind the high levels of smuggling crime.''
Some people, he said, assumed that cigarettes smuggling was a fairly low-level crime and the public turned a blind eye to it.
"What they don't realise is that this activity means big business to criminals and their gangs," he said.
"These gangs will go to great lengths to smuggle in goods and they are making a hefty profit at the expense of the honest taxpayer.''
He added: "Cigarette smuggling often provides the funding for much larger criminal operations such as drug smuggling or people trafficking. For these reasons alone we need to flush out the criminals in this activity.''
Mr Kinghorn also warned against buying cheap or duty- free cigarettes or tobacco .
"People may feel they are getting a good deal by saving a couple of pounds on their packet. However, not only are they funding criminal activity, but they will be seriously damaging their health."
Customs bosses also encouraged the public to inform them if they had seen large amounts of cigarettes being loaded or unloaded.
"If you have information about any of these activities HMRC urge you to come forward and help us crack down on the criminals in your area,'' said Mr Kinghorn.
Senator Introduces Smoking Tax, Again
Boston Globe,United States Feb 5,2007
Tennesseans could soon be paying more for a pack of cigarettes. Senator Rosalind Kurita is pushing for a $1 per pack increase on the cigarette tax. She said it could generate close to $400 million in extra money for the state.
This isn't the first time Kurita has talked about a cigarette tax increase. It's always failed in the past, but some believe the idea is gaining momentum this time around.
"Every year I've gotten closer and closer to passing this," Kurita said.
Senator Kurita said an increase would keep kids from smoking, and Tennessee has one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the country.
"We have such low taxes on cigarettes. Conversely we have the highest number of high school students who use cigarettes than any state in the United States," Kurita said.
New support for the increase could keep the idea afloat on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Jimmy Nafieh seems confident there will be some sort of increase.
"I feel there will be an increase in the cigarette tax, don't know how much, don't know where we're going to put it yet," Naifieh said.
Her tax increase could get more traction in the legislation this time around because of her position. She's now the speaker pro temp, the number two position in the Senate.
Kurita said studies show the more cigarettes cost, the less likely kids are to pick up the habit.
Kurita is also pushing a bill that would ban cigarette companies from passing out free samples to teenagers.
Lawmakers should start debating the bills over the next few weeks.
This legislative session, bills will also be introduced to ban smoking in restaurants.
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