The Anti-Cancer Council vs. The Tobacco Companies (big drug pushers)
I was reading this, and I thought, "When are we as a world - as nations, as communities and as individuals, going to start dragging the management and staff of these corporations - and their fucking legal teams, out of their offices, onto the streets and then give them thorough beatings with cricket bats?"
They ARE criminal organisations...
Drug Pushers....
Fuck this making the corporation accountable - make ALL the individuals within the corporation personally identifiable, accountable and make them legally liable for their own actions.
Someone goes off their nut with a gun - kills a few - "Naughty naughty - in prison you go."
Drug Pusher Corporations - "Target and market to people, to give them a life long addiction and kill most of them along the way - and get their kids hooked on this shit as well.. - millions dead every year from the actions of the people in these corporations = profit!!"
The penalty - "Naughty, Naughty plain packaging with pictures of people with cancer on them - while these fuckers bleed the "do good" organisations dry through legal fees."
When I donate to the Anti-Cancer Council - I do it to help people get well, not to line the pockets of the tobacco companies and their sleazy pieces of shit legal teams...
http://www.smh.com.au/national/cancer-council-spends-thousands-fighting-big-tobacco-over-childrens-survey-data-20150820-gj3nh7.html
Cancer Council spends thousands fighting big tobacco over children's survey data
Tobacco companies are being warned not to chase information about Australian children's views on smoking as the federal government continues to fight its own legal battles with the industry.
After Fairfax Media revealed a multi-national tobacco company was using freedom-of-information laws to try to gain access to taxpayer-funded research on children's attitudes to cigarettes, Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said she was "appalled".
"If tobacco companies are obtaining research on young people through state FOI to increase their sales to children, then I am appalled," Senator Nash said in a statement.
"Smoking causes great harm to Australians, leads to deaths from cancer; lung and heart disease, and hurts families. The Coalition Government has powered ahead with plain packaging and invested in reducing smoking rates, including a particular focus on indigenous communities," she said.
"The Government is also defending the legal action against plain packaging by big tobacco."
The Cancer Council Victoria is being forced to spend thousands of dollars to fight British American Tobacco's attempt to gain access to sensitive research about children and young people.
The council is fighting the application in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which has so far cost thousands of dollars and is set to escalate as the case continues.
Council chief executive Todd Harper told Fairfax Media that the money and resources used to fight the VCAT case could be better spent on anti-smoking campaigns and education.
Mr Harper would not disclose exactly how much has been spent so far, but added that whatever is spent in the courts would be "worth it".
"There are 14,000 lives lost every year due to tobacco, so whatever we have to spend to defend this sensitive data, it will be small by comparison to the devastating effect the tobacco industry has in our community.
"We recognise that data like this is sensitive and needs to be handled sensitively. We have a commitment to privacy and confidentiality to those who participated in the surveys."
Mr Harper said the information that had been gained through the surveys and research had been essential in helping to lower the smoking rate and education young people about the dangers of smoking.
"It's been surveys like this that have really given Australia such a good knowledge base around what works in tobacco control and it's no coincidence that we currently have the lowest level of smoking amongst children that we've ever had."
Despite existing laws being used against the organisation, Mr Harper said freedom of information was essential for maintaining accountability and transparency, but added that he doubted the laws were intended to suit the purposes of British America Tobacco.
Since the story broke, Mr Harper said the organisation had been inundated with support "It's very reaffirming, that the public, community, researchers and political leaders feel the same sense of outrage that the cancer council does."
When asked about how this legal saga might affect future research and people's willingness to take part, Mr Harper said he was confident the public would support its approach.
"It's important for the future of public health research that we do take a stand and hopefully that will send a strong message to those who might try these types of approaches.
"I hope that what the public has seen from the council and the way that we've responded, I hope that it builds trust, that this is an organisation that is committed to privacy and confidentiality."
After Fairfax Media revealed a multi-national tobacco company was using freedom-of-information laws to try to gain access to taxpayer-funded research on children's attitudes to cigarettes, Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said she was "appalled".
"If tobacco companies are obtaining research on young people through state FOI to increase their sales to children, then I am appalled," Senator Nash said in a statement.
"Smoking causes great harm to Australians, leads to deaths from cancer; lung and heart disease, and hurts families. The Coalition Government has powered ahead with plain packaging and invested in reducing smoking rates, including a particular focus on indigenous communities," she said.
"The Government is also defending the legal action against plain packaging by big tobacco."
The Cancer Council Victoria is being forced to spend thousands of dollars to fight British American Tobacco's attempt to gain access to sensitive research about children and young people.
The council is fighting the application in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which has so far cost thousands of dollars and is set to escalate as the case continues.
Council chief executive Todd Harper told Fairfax Media that the money and resources used to fight the VCAT case could be better spent on anti-smoking campaigns and education.
Mr Harper would not disclose exactly how much has been spent so far, but added that whatever is spent in the courts would be "worth it".
"There are 14,000 lives lost every year due to tobacco, so whatever we have to spend to defend this sensitive data, it will be small by comparison to the devastating effect the tobacco industry has in our community.
"We recognise that data like this is sensitive and needs to be handled sensitively. We have a commitment to privacy and confidentiality to those who participated in the surveys."
Mr Harper said the information that had been gained through the surveys and research had been essential in helping to lower the smoking rate and education young people about the dangers of smoking.
"It's been surveys like this that have really given Australia such a good knowledge base around what works in tobacco control and it's no coincidence that we currently have the lowest level of smoking amongst children that we've ever had."
Despite existing laws being used against the organisation, Mr Harper said freedom of information was essential for maintaining accountability and transparency, but added that he doubted the laws were intended to suit the purposes of British America Tobacco.
Since the story broke, Mr Harper said the organisation had been inundated with support "It's very reaffirming, that the public, community, researchers and political leaders feel the same sense of outrage that the cancer council does."
When asked about how this legal saga might affect future research and people's willingness to take part, Mr Harper said he was confident the public would support its approach.
"It's important for the future of public health research that we do take a stand and hopefully that will send a strong message to those who might try these types of approaches.
"I hope that what the public has seen from the council and the way that we've responded, I hope that it builds trust, that this is an organisation that is committed to privacy and confidentiality."
https://www.rt.com/news/312929-tobacco-survey-children-cigarettes/
Big Tobacco accused of using FOI to access data on kids’ smoking habits
British American Tobacco is under fire for trying to gain access to survey data on children’s habits. Australia’s Cancer Council Victoria received the initial request without knowing it came from the tobacco giant’s lawyer.
The survey data, collected over 30 years, included 12- to 17-year-old children’s age, gender, location, habits, access to money and preferred brands, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The data was always collected with parents’ permission, and with the notion that it would be used in the interests of public health, and in order to come up with strategies to tackle underage smoking.
But the cancer council and anti-smoking advocates have reason to believe the information would be used for commercial purposes and to more effectively market cigarettes, the daily reported.
The Australian organization’s director Todd Harper was only told that a lawyer with unknown credentials had requested the data. The council had refused it on the grounds that it was not in the interest of the public.
The council’s decision was later appealed by the lawyer. Only when this was reported by Fairfax Media did Harper learn of the origins of the information request.
“We had no idea that British American Tobacco was behind the request,” Harper told the Guardian. “All we knew was it was an individual from a law firm who wanted the data. I’m disappointed that the tobacco company wasn’t upfront about its involvement.”
As the request was being processed, the health body was slapped with another Freedom of Information Act request by the same lawyer, who now wanted to obtain similar information, this time relating to adult habits. The institute was allegedly legally compelled to disclose the data.
"If this information were to be used for commercial purposes, for instance to hone or localize tobacco or alcohol marketing and pricing strategies to appeal to the young, provision of such information would be highly detrimental to Victoria's children," Harper said.
When the Australian news source reached out to British American Tobacco, a spokesperson said the request “wasn’t about children,” but “about plain packaging.”
In 2011, Australia became the first country to pass a plain packaging law, requiring all packs to be stripped of branding, leaving only the health warnings.
“We did not seek any personal data or information in respect of children. We’ve asked for figures via a normal freedom of information request because we want to find out if plain packaging, a measure introduced without evidence and that directly affects our industry, is having the impact the Australian government claims it is,” a spokeswoman for British American Tobacco told the Guardian.
She further said that the company sought out the information to back its view that “instead of Australian youth smoking rates going down because of plain packaging, they’re going up.”
A government review on the effects of plain packaging is ongoing at this time.
The spokesperson says the tobacco company’s findings would be relevant to it.
"In this context any such request for an FOI to obtain this information is both reasonable and legitimate. Importantly, in none of the FOI applications was any personal data or information in respect of children or adolescents sought."
The same year the Australians passed the plain packaging law, over in Britain, Phillip Morris International was forced to back down from using FOIs to gain access to interviews with university teenagers on the subject of smoking.
The man behind the plain packaging initiative, who chaired the Australian government’s Expert Committee on the matter, Curtin University Professor of Health Mike Daube, believes it’s a “new” low for Big Tobacco to use FOIs.
"The companies claim that they have no interest in children – yet they are going to extraordinary lengths to access research data about children and tobacco, alcohol and drugs,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
A further problem the professor wants to call attention to is the endless and cumbersome legal battles, which serve to confuse the issue and waste time.
"If Big Tobacco can use FOI to harass a cancer council, what is to stop them using FOI to obtain information from any researchers employed by universities, or to tie them up in endless legal battles?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who is the lawyer? What is their name, contact details, place of residence, work number, home phone number, and who are the others in the legal firm doing this kind of stinking shit?
What are all their contact details?
They should all be dragged into the city square, whipped relentlessly, sued for everything, thrown in gaol for 50 years for crimes against humanity and run out of the profession.
Fucking bastards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Tobacco Act 1987 can be viewed at website.
Read more about smoke-free children's recreational areas.
See certified specialist tobacconists for further information on the changes to the law affecting applications for specialist tobacconist certifications.
Read more at Supporting patients to be smokefree: An ABCD approach in Victorian health services
The new arrangements will extend the existing smoke free zones, which already include covered areas of train platforms and under covered tram and bus shelters. The fine for smoking in a smoke free area on public transport is $212 for adults and $72 for children.
For more information about these bans, visit the Public Transport Victoria website.
Under the Victorian Tobacco Act 1987 smoking is now unlawful within these areas and could result in being issued with an infringement penalty of up to $141. Some councils have also introduced local laws that prohibit smoking in public outdoor places, including other beach areas. Check the signs when you get to the beach.
This ban will protect beach users from exposure to second-hand smoke, stop children seeing people smoke (which may influence their decision to smoke as adults) and reduce environmental damage from butt littering.
Tobacco retailers fact sheet An exemption applies to on-airport duty free shops and certified specialist tobacconists. For further information please refer to Information for certified specialist tobacconists.
Certified Specialist Tobacconist Fact Sheet In August 2009, the Victorian Parliament passed the Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 to amend Tobacco Act 1987. These amendments include:
A copy of the Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 is available on the Victorian Legislation website.
Fact sheet: Ban on smoking in motor vehicles if a person under the age of 18 is present
Fact sheet: Ban on the sale of tobacco from temporary outlets
Fact sheet: Ministerial power to ban certain products
Fact sheet: Penalties and infringements
But the cancer council and anti-smoking advocates have reason to believe the information would be used for commercial purposes and to more effectively market cigarettes, the daily reported.
The Australian organization’s director Todd Harper was only told that a lawyer with unknown credentials had requested the data. The council had refused it on the grounds that it was not in the interest of the public.
The council’s decision was later appealed by the lawyer. Only when this was reported by Fairfax Media did Harper learn of the origins of the information request.
“We had no idea that British American Tobacco was behind the request,” Harper told the Guardian. “All we knew was it was an individual from a law firm who wanted the data. I’m disappointed that the tobacco company wasn’t upfront about its involvement.”
As the request was being processed, the health body was slapped with another Freedom of Information Act request by the same lawyer, who now wanted to obtain similar information, this time relating to adult habits. The institute was allegedly legally compelled to disclose the data.
"If this information were to be used for commercial purposes, for instance to hone or localize tobacco or alcohol marketing and pricing strategies to appeal to the young, provision of such information would be highly detrimental to Victoria's children," Harper said.
When the Australian news source reached out to British American Tobacco, a spokesperson said the request “wasn’t about children,” but “about plain packaging.”
In 2011, Australia became the first country to pass a plain packaging law, requiring all packs to be stripped of branding, leaving only the health warnings.
“We did not seek any personal data or information in respect of children. We’ve asked for figures via a normal freedom of information request because we want to find out if plain packaging, a measure introduced without evidence and that directly affects our industry, is having the impact the Australian government claims it is,” a spokeswoman for British American Tobacco told the Guardian.
She further said that the company sought out the information to back its view that “instead of Australian youth smoking rates going down because of plain packaging, they’re going up.”
A government review on the effects of plain packaging is ongoing at this time.
The spokesperson says the tobacco company’s findings would be relevant to it.
"In this context any such request for an FOI to obtain this information is both reasonable and legitimate. Importantly, in none of the FOI applications was any personal data or information in respect of children or adolescents sought."
The same year the Australians passed the plain packaging law, over in Britain, Phillip Morris International was forced to back down from using FOIs to gain access to interviews with university teenagers on the subject of smoking.
The man behind the plain packaging initiative, who chaired the Australian government’s Expert Committee on the matter, Curtin University Professor of Health Mike Daube, believes it’s a “new” low for Big Tobacco to use FOIs.
"The companies claim that they have no interest in children – yet they are going to extraordinary lengths to access research data about children and tobacco, alcohol and drugs,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
A further problem the professor wants to call attention to is the endless and cumbersome legal battles, which serve to confuse the issue and waste time.
"If Big Tobacco can use FOI to harass a cancer council, what is to stop them using FOI to obtain information from any researchers employed by universities, or to tie them up in endless legal battles?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who is the lawyer? What is their name, contact details, place of residence, work number, home phone number, and who are the others in the legal firm doing this kind of stinking shit?
What are all their contact details?
They should all be dragged into the city square, whipped relentlessly, sued for everything, thrown in gaol for 50 years for crimes against humanity and run out of the profession.
Fucking bastards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tobacco reforms
This site provides information about Victoria's anti-smoking initiatives comprising the regulation of the sale and display of tobacco products and reduction of environmental tobacco smoke through legislation.The Tobacco Act 1987 can be viewed at website.
What's new
Smoking to be banned at learning environments and certain building entrances
From 13 April 2015, smoking will be banned:- within the grounds of, and at and within four metres of an entrance to, all Victorian childcare centres, kindergartens (or preschools) and primary and secondary schools
- at and within four metres of an entrance to children’s indoor play centres and Victoria public premises. Victoria public premises are all public hospitals and registered community health centres and certain Victorian Government buildings.
Smoking ban where children play
From Tuesday 1 April, 2014, smoking is banned outdoors within 10 meters of playgrounds and skate parks, sporting venues during under 18s events and within public swimming pool grounds.Read more about smoke-free children's recreational areas.
Tobacco reforms affecting applications for specialist tobacconist certification
From 1 April 2014, applications for specialist tobacconist certification will close. This means from this date, a person will not be able to apply to have a premises certified as a specialist tobacconist and therefore will not be exempt from the tobacco product display ban.See certified specialist tobacconists for further information on the changes to the law affecting applications for specialist tobacconist certifications.
Supporting patients to be smokefree: An ABCD approach in Victorian health services
Supporting patients to be smokefree: an ABCD approach in Victorian health services is a Department of Health initiative that aims to support patients in Victorian health services to quit smoking.Read more at Supporting patients to be smokefree: An ABCD approach in Victorian health services
Train stations, tram shelters and platforms, and bus shelters now smoke-free
From Saturday 1 March 2014, all areas of train stations and raised platform tram stops will be smoke free, increasing the comfort for customers who travel on Victoria’s public transport network.The new arrangements will extend the existing smoke free zones, which already include covered areas of train platforms and under covered tram and bus shelters. The fine for smoking in a smoke free area on public transport is $212 for adults and $72 for children.
For more information about these bans, visit the Public Transport Victoria website.
Shopper loyalty and rewards schemes must now exclude tobacco product purchases
From 1 March 2013 tobacco products must be excluded from shopper loyalty and rewards schemes. This means tobacco product purchases must not count towards any benefits or rewards for buying behaviour. This includes rewards points, fuel discounts coupons or any other benefit.Victoria's patrolled beaches are now smoke-free
From 1 December 2012 smoking is banned at all of Victorias patrolled beaches in the area between the red-and-yellow lifesaving flags and within a 50 metre radius of a red-and-yellow flag. The ban will apply during patrolled times, when one or more red-and-yellow flags installed by a Life Saving Victoria club are in place.Under the Victorian Tobacco Act 1987 smoking is now unlawful within these areas and could result in being issued with an infringement penalty of up to $141. Some councils have also introduced local laws that prohibit smoking in public outdoor places, including other beach areas. Check the signs when you get to the beach.
This ban will protect beach users from exposure to second-hand smoke, stop children seeing people smoke (which may influence their decision to smoke as adults) and reduce environmental damage from butt littering.
Tobacco retailers including premises with vending machines
From 1 January 2011, retailers selling tobacco were banned from displaying tobacco products. Tobacco products must not be visible from anywhere inside or outside most retail outlets. Tobacco products are also banned from being displayed on vending machines. Tobacco retailers fact sheet An exemption applies to on-airport duty free shops and certified specialist tobacconists. For further information please refer to Information for certified specialist tobacconists. Certified Specialist Tobacconist Fact Sheet In August 2009, the Victorian Parliament passed the Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 to amend Tobacco Act 1987. These amendments include:- a ban on the display of tobacco products at point-of-sale with an exemption for certified 'specialist tobacconists'
- smoking bans in a motor vehicle if a person under the age of 18 years is present
- a ban on the sale of tobacco products from temporary outlets
- a power for the Minister for Health to ban the sale of certain tobacco products and packaging that appeal to young people
- amendments to penalties and enforcement provisions including:
- amending the definition of 'occupier'
- power for the Secretary of the Department of Health (formerly Department of Human Services) to request the names and addresses of persons supplied with tobacco in an electronic format
- increases to the maximum infringement penalties for a number of offences, and specific provisions for higher ‘body corporate’ offences.
A copy of the Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 is available on the Victorian Legislation website.
Fact sheet: Ban on smoking in motor vehicles if a person under the age of 18 is present Fact sheet: Ban on the sale of tobacco from temporary outlets Fact sheet: Ministerial power to ban certain products Fact sheet: Penalties and infringements 
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