The following was sent from Susumu Kudo and I am posting it now -WITH MY COMMENTS- to remind CANCHID subscribers that after the 15th of August I hope we can hold several week discussion on internet based Tobacco Control strategies. My hope is that at the end we can produce a useful document (reposted to an FTP/gopher site) for Tobacco Control strategies around the globe. - Sam Lanfranco - CANCHID ListManager - ----------------------- reposting ----------------------------------- Date: Wed, 02 Aug 1995 08:41:23 +900 From: Susumu Kudo <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Cc: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: IDRC: Tabacco Query from Japan Dear Tim Stone and Sam Lanfranco Thank you both for informing me of Asian Tabacco Conference. I knew about the Conference and I will try to attend this time. The last Conference was in Saitama, Japan two years (?) ago. I think even though most of the efforts to control and restrict tabacco lay at the local (and national) level, it is critical to have international cooperation with a global perspective. Especially, the movement in the United States is critical as the country is the major exporter of this product and, especially in case of Japan, the news (and the pressure) from the U. S. is taken more seriously. I know Congressman Waxman, ASH and other groups and individuals on the internet that are active on this issue. Who or which organization do you suggest to contact in the US ? I read a story sometime ago that after Canadian government increased cigarette tax, the number of cigarrette smuglled into Canada from the US increased significantly. How did you cope with this issue and who acted for Canada and who did you negotiate with? You may not answer my questions but I think we have a lot to learn from Canadian experience. Thank you. Susumu ----------------------------\ POSTSCRIPT BY SAM LANFRANCO: \----------------------------------------- THE TOBACCO TAX EPISODE IN CANADA WAS INSTRUCTIVE. CANADA RAISED THE TAX ON TOBACCO SIGNIFICANTLY AND IN RESPONSE CIGARETTE SMUGGLING GREW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. THE GOVERNMENT 'GAVE IN' AND ROLLED BACK THE TAX. THE INTERESTING PARTS ARE (a) THE CIGARETTES WERE ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED IN CANADA SO THE OPTION OF CONTROLLING THE FLOW FROM THE SOURCE WAS THERE BUT NEVER CONSIDERED, (b) THE ACTUAL SMUGGLING WAS DONE BY NATIVE GROUPS WHOSE RESERVES STRADDLE THE USA/CANADIAN BORDER. AT THE END THE WHOLE EPISODE GOT QUITE VIOLENT AS GROUPS FOUGHT OVER THE TRAFFIC. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE WAS ACTIVE INVOLVMENT BY FINANCIAL GROUPS OUTSIDE THE NATIVE COMMUNITIES. AS A POSTSCRIPT TO THIS, THE NATIVE COMMUNITIES WERE THE RECENT SITE OF MARIJANA FARMS WHICH WERE TORCHED BY NATIVE GROUPS AND SECURITY FORCES IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. THE TWO 'FORCES' WORKED IN SEPERATE ACTIVITIES SINCE NEITHER TRUSTS THE OTHER. IT WOULD APPEAR HERE TOO THAT NON-NATIVE FINANCING WAS INVOLVED IN THE CULTIVATION OF THE PLANTS. AS FOR THE HIGHER/LOWER CIGARETTE TAXES THE TIME FRAME WAS TOO SHORT AND THE CONSEQUENCES UNCLEAR AS TO THE EFFECTS OF THE BRIEF PRICE INCREASE AND FOLLOW-UP PRICE FALL. ON THE UP SIDE IT IS CLEAR THAT THE PRICE INCREASE DID REDUCE SMOKING AMOUNG THE YOUNG IN THE SHORT-RUN. It would be useful if - starting next week - people could point to more complete sources on the episode. - Sam Lanfranco CANCHID ListManager