Questions continue to come into Samoa News about the type and quality of cigarettes being sold on island with some people suggesting certain brands are causing headaches and nausea, while others are claiming the more outrageous— that they are ‘counterfeit’ brands brought in by Asian merchants.
the B&H brand no longer carries the designation of ‘Light’ on the pack, but has been replaced by the word, ‘Deluxe’.
In particular, the Benson & Hedges brand of ‘Benson Light’ is pointed to as a possible counterfeit menthol brand, causing headaches and nausea. At the heart of the allegation is the fact that the B&H brand no longer carries the designation of ‘Light’ on the pack, but has been replaced by the word, ‘Deluxe’.
Wightman, Crane & Stuart, the local distributor of Philip Morris USA cigarette brands, which includes Benson & Hedges and Marlboro, when asked about alleged counterfeits said, “the Benson & Hedges Menthol “Lights” cigarette label which we have been selling on island has changed from “Lights” to “Luxury” on the pack.”
That’s the only change, according to the distributor, who points to the Philip Morris USA website— that to comply with federal law, packaging and advertising changes have been made by the company.
According to the Philip Morris USA website: “On June 22, 2009, President Obama signed legislation granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products; Effective June 22, 2010, the law prohibits the use of certain terms such as “light,” “mild,” or “low” in cigarette labeling and advertising.”
According to the website product page, “to comply with this prohibition, PM USA is removing these terms where they appear from its packaging and advertising.”
“Our products, which have not changed as a result of this law, continue to be available, but their packaging may be different,” it states.
PM USA explains that “packages using prohibited terms may be found at retail for some time,” because FDA is allowing existing inventories produced before June 22, 2010 to continue to be sold.
Called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, H.R. 1256/S. 982, according to the website http://www.tobaccofreekids.org, the bill grants authority to the FDA to among others:
• Crack down on tobacco marketing and sales to kids, with specific provisions banning tobacco-brand sports and entertainment sponsorships; require that tobacco products be placed behind the counter in stores; and strengthen enforcement and penalties to prevent tobacco sales to kids.
• Ban deceptive cigarette labels such as “light” and “low-tar.”
• Require larger, bolder health warnings on smokeless tobacco products. Cigarette packs will soon be required to have large, graphic health warnings that cover the top half of the front and back of the pack.
The ‘tobaccofreekids’ website notes that for decades, the tobacco industry has used deceptive terms “to promote the falsehood that some cigarette brands are less harmful, and to discourage smokers from quitting.”
The PM USA website in its message posted about the packaging and advertising changes brought about by the June 22, 2010 bill states:
PM USA sells a variety of cigarette brands distinguished by their flavor, strength of taste and packaging design. The FDA has not determined that any cigarette is less risky or results in less exposure to harmful compounds compared to any other cigarette, or will help you quit smoking.
• Nothing about our cigarettes, packaging or colors should be interpreted to mean that any cigarette is less risky or results in less exposure to harmful compounds than any other cigarette.
• The amount of tar, nicotine or other constituents in smoke a smoker inhales from a cigarette can vary based upon how a smoker smokes. The amount a smoker inhales will be higher, for example, if a smoker blocks ventilation holes, inhales more deeply, takes more puffs, or smokes more cigarettes.
• There is no safe cigarette. If smokers are concerned about the risks of cigarette smoking, the best thing to do is to quit.
As to headaches and nausea being caused by cigarettes or a specific brand of cigarette currently on sale in American Samoa, as noted by PM USA, only the packaging changed, not the tobacco blend or filter composition.
