Archive for June, 2008

Has anyone else been taken by Income Strategies Institute?

Monday, June 30th, 2008
trading workshops
bud asked:


Income Strategies Institute (ISI) holds seminars on investing–stock market, real estate, & internet businesses. I attended an ISI seminar in which they offered to educate & train you to successfully trade on the stock and options markets, via seminars & other provided materials. Their speaker was very motivational & I purchased their Bronze workshop program which provided me with webinars, seminars, & materials to learn stock trading & options. This cost me to this point $ 8,015.00. I received 2 poorly written manuals (these manuals appear to contain plagerized materials–no notations or credits given to anyone & no copy right on manuals), attended 2 webinars, & two 2-day seminars on said subjects. The instructors on the webinars promised notes to be emailed to the students within a day or two. Instead, it took a week+ & seminars were worse! I found everything ISI had charged me for was available on-line or via other sources for free! ISI would not refund my money when asked!

Sergio Bazini

Which stores are good to buy jackets from?

Friday, June 27th, 2008
trading workshops
:O asked:


In CANADA .. Brands likes element, burton .. etc

These are the stores that the mall has which I’m going to today. If you know of other stores which will have them, please suggest!

2nd Look Day Spa

A&W

Aaargon Dental Centre

Access

Acinda Jewellers

Aldo Shoes

Alive Health Centre

Ancient Art Gallery

Ann Louise Jewellers

Arby’s

Ardene

Aritzia

Athletes World Superstore

Atkinson & Terry Insurance

B.B. Watch Service

Bell

Below The Belt

Ben & Jerry’s

Ben Moss Jewellers

Benix & Co.

Bentley

Blenz Coffee

Blue Line Sports

Bobby Dazzler

Body Shop, The

Booster Juice

Bootlegger

Bourbon Street Grill

Boutique of Leathers

Buffalo

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Capz Canada

Care Point Medical Clinic

Carlton Cards

Cartunes Telus Mobility

Change of Scandinavia

Changing Seasons

Claire’s

cleo

Coast Mountain Sports

Coles

Coquitlam Centre Eye Care - Dr. Hardip Thind

Coquitlam Dental Clinic

Crabtree & Evelyn

Dallany Jewellery Designs

Daniadown Quilts

Dollars & Cents

Dr. Boyco’s Image Optometry

Dunn’s

East Side Mario’s

EB Games

Eccotique Spa and Salon

Eddie Bauer

Escents

Extreme

Fairweather

Fido

Flight Centre

Flowerchild Florist

Foot Locker

Framing & Art Centre

Freedman Shoes

Fruits & Passion

Future Shop

GAP

GAPKIDS

Garage

Garden Fresh Express

Gateway Newstands

Generation Wireless

GNC

Golf Town

Guess?

H & M

Heads Up Hair & Body Spa

Heel & Sole Shoe Repair

His & Hers Hair

HMV

House of Knives

ICBC Driver Services Expressway

Icing by Claire’s

In-Look Optical

International News

J76

Jacob

Jacob Connexion

Just for FEET

K.R.C. Perfume Club Ltd.

Ke Dong Kiosk

Kebe

Kerrisdale Cameras

KFC

Koya Japan

L3 Fashions

La Senza

La Senza Girl

La Vie en Rose

La Vie En Rose Aqua

Le Chateau

Le Chateau MensWear

Lenscrafters

Lisa’s Purse Shop

London Drugs

Lottery Center (Lower)

Lottery Center (Upper)

LUSH

Mantique Clothing Co.

Mappins Jewellers

Mariposa

Marlin Travel

Mastercuts

McDonald’s Restaurant

Mecca

Metalsmiths

Michael Hill Jeweller

Montana’s Cookhouse

Motherhood Maternity

Mr. Big & Tall Menswear

Mrs. Vanelli’s Pizza

Naturalizer Shoes

New Dynasty

New York Fries

Northern Reflections

Nutrition House

Off The Wall

Office X-Press

Old Navy

Orange Julius/ DQ Treats

Payless ShoeSource

Pearle Vision

Peoples Jewellers

Personally Yours

Please Mum

Postal Outlet

Premier Salons

Premier Spa Boutique

Pro Stitch

Pro Systems

Proactiv Kiosk

ProfessioNAIL

Purdy’s Chocolates

Quilts Etc.

Randy River

Reitman’s

Ricky’s All Day Grill

Roasty Jack

Rogers Wireless

Ronsons

Rose Cosmetics

Royal Lepage Kiosk

Royal Lepage Showcase

Ruffage

RW&Co.

Sacos Sweaters

Saje

Sashimi Sushi

Satchel Shop

Scotiabank

Sears

Sears Hearing Aid Clinic

Selene Handmade Jewellery

Shefield & Sons Tabacconists

Showcase

Shuangye Furniture

Silkway Travel

Sirens

Smart Set

SoftMoc Shoes

Sparky’z Kutz For Kidz

Specs on the Spot

Sport Chek

Spring Shoes

Starbucks

Sterling Shoes

Sticky Chews - Urban Child Wearables

Stitch It

Stitches

Str8Up Custom Tees

Sunglass Hut

Suzy Shier

Sweet Factory

T & T Supermarket

Tabi

Taco Time

Tan Jay & Alia

Telus.Connect

The Bay

The Children’s Place

The Little Tea House

The Sony Store

The Source By Circuit City

Things Engraved

Thomas Cook Foreign Exchange

Timbo Dino

Tip Top

ToGo Sushi

Too Smooth Kiosk

Toy Jungle

Trade Secret

Tri-City Optometry. Dr. G.S. Leekha and Associates

Tristan

Urban Behavior

Urban Vista

Versailles Jewellers

Vina Vietnamese Gourmet

Vivah

Watch IT!

West 49

Windsor Ties

WirelessWave

Yogen Fruz

Zellers

Zennkai Salon
Thanks!
I’m a girl

Danny

rate/fix my gear deck?

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
trading workshops
psycho shocker asked:


monsters

ancient gear golem x3
ancient gear gadjiltron dragon x2
ancient gear engineer x2
ancient gear knight x3
e-hero stratos
e-hero prisma x2
evil hero prodigy x2
cyber dragon
kuraz the light monarch x2
grand mole

spells

rota
future fusion
monster reborn
geartown x3
ancient gear workshop x2
pot of avarice
power bond x2
fissure
smashing ground
mst
heavy storm
trade-in x3

traps

reckless greed x3
threatening roar x2
torrential tribute

it does really well but somethings missing or in the way see what u think

Vincent

Monday, June 23rd, 2008
trading workshops
Jamey Adams asked:


Trade shows can be instructive events, a place to both gain knowledge and give knowledge to others. Trade shows are opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with other experts, meet and talk to customers and find out what they want, and generally a way of trend spotting to get a feel for where your industry may be headed. Trade shows are a staple for businesses wishing to attract new customers and stay ahead of the competition. For new companies, a chance for needed exposure, photo opportunities and greater visibility. But, it does not seem to matter the scope of the event or the level of information being distributed at trade shows - the thing you can always count on is that each and every booth will have an array of promotional items.

Attendees expect to get stuff to take home with them. The smartest companies will provide attendees with the biggest bag they can find and turn attendees into walking company advertisements. This way they are spreading the news and getting their message out there. Very clever. But, little things at trade shows count too. A custom happy-face-computer-brush, computer-monitor-clip, paper-clip-buddy, pop-up-sticky-note, ergo-grip-pen,cake-lift, and all the stuff that attendees grab to fill the giant bag are also ways to maximizing profits. Promotional products are advertising with staying power and a proven and cheap way of generating interest in your business. Little things customized with your company name - count.

Promotional items are ever popular and can, however, be customized with more than just your company logo. Use a promotional merchandise to :

1. Promote your products or services

2. Give contact information

3. Highlight benefits of your product or service

Make the information engaging. Keep it short in the form of a bulleted list. Include your web address and then be sure your website is up-to-date and professional looking. Let promotional items to give your businesses an extra push.

Promotional items make great handouts at trade shows and the scope of products used for this purpose is only limited by what inspires your imagination. It is a way to deliver a better advertising campaign and cuts time off of planning booth presentations . To set up a booth – all that is required is you and your promotional merchandise. That’s it. All that you want to say, all the information you wish to give, is highlighted, concise and ready for the briefest encounter to get your point across.

Trade shows are opportunities to share news of company happening. Share news of growth, new additions, services or new projects you are involved with. Trade shows have classroom areas for training, seminars or workshop presentations, areas to feature your products or get feedback. There are countless opportunities to hand out promotional items. Feedback is important for your businesses planning and sales development. Take information gathered at trade shows and use it to address issues in your business. Take the opportunity to promote your business and allow attendees to meet you and discover who you are.

Use promotional items to gear-up for trade shows.

Give attendees items to remember you by and cost effective advertising that rewards with customer business and customer loyalty again and again.

©2007

I give permission to webmasters/publishers to reprint my article provided they leave the article as is together with my bylines.



Vincent

Are Fathers really getting “True” Equality?

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008
trading workshops
mydrumz1 asked:


June 2006 – THE WAR ON FATHERS: How the ‘feminization of America’ destroys boys, men – and women

The June edition of Whistleblower magazine is a mega-eye-opener exploring one of the most crucial but little-reported phenomena of modern America – what WND calls “THE WAR ON FATHERS.”

The evidence of this almost unthinkable scenario is everywhere:

SCHOOL: In public school classrooms across America, in every category and every demographic group, boys are falling behind. Girls excel and move on to college, where three out of five students are female, while young boys – who don’t naturally thrive when forced to sit still at a desk for six hours a day – are diagnosed by the millions with new diseases that didn’t exist a generation ago. To make their behavior more acceptable, they are compelled to take hazardous psycho-stimulant drugs like Ritalin.

Boys are more than 50 percent more likely to repeat elementary school grades than girls, a third more likely to drop out of high school and twice as likely to have a “learning disability.” And the suicide rate among teen boys is far higher than that of girls.

“What we have done,” explains Thomas Mortenson, senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, “is we have a K-12 school system that seems to work relatively well for girls and does not work for a very large share of boys.”

HOME: It’s well known that roughly half of America’s marriages end in divorce, but not nearly as well known that two out of three of those divorces are initiated by the wives. Moreover, America’s family court system is scandalously biased in favor of the mother in child custody disputes. Fathers get custody of children in uncontested cases only 10 percent of the time and 15 percent of the time in contested cases. Meanwhile, mothers get sole custody 66 percent of the time in uncontested cases and 75 percent of the time in contested cases.

“Where you have minor children, there’s really no such thing as no-fault divorce for fathers,” says Detroit attorney Philip Holman, vice president of the National Congress for Fathers and Children. “On the practical level, fathers realize that divorce means they lose their kids.”

Unfortunately, this loss by children of their fathers’ influence is directly responsible – far more than any other cause – for the modern national scourges of gang life, crime and much more.

CULTURE: Fifty years ago, “Father knows best” was a hit TV show, in which insurance agent Jim Anderson (actor Robert Young) would come home from work each evening, trade his sport jacket for a nice, comfortable sweater, and then deal with the everyday growing-up problems of his family. He could always be counted on to resolve that week’s crisis with a combination of kindness, fatherly strength and common sense.

Today, television virtually always portrays husbands as bumbling losers or contemptible, self-absorbed egomaniacs. Whether in dramas, comedies or commercials, the patriarchy is dead, at least on TV where men are fools – unless of course they’re gay. On “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” the “fab five” are supremely knowledgeable on all things hip, their life’s highest purpose being to help those less fortunate than themselves – that is, straight men – to become cool.

As this issue of Whistleblower shows, experts like Ph.D. scholar Christina Hoff Sommers, author of “The War Against Boys,” agree: “It’s a bad time to be a boy in America.” Sommers provides example after example of what can only be called an all-out anti-male campaign:

“The carnage committed by two boys in Littleton, Colorado,” declares the Congressional Quarterly Researcher, “has forced the nation to reexamine the nature of boyhood in America.” William Pollack, director of the Center for Men at McLean Hospital and author of the best-selling “Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood,” tells audiences around the country, “The boys in Littleton are the tip of the iceberg. And the iceberg is all boys.”
In fact, Sommers reveals, it has become fashionable in elitist circles to conspire to change boys’ very identity:

There are now conferences, workshops, and institutes dedicated to transforming boys. Carol Gilligan, professor of gender studies at Harvard Graduate School of Education, writes of the problem of “boys’ masculinity … in a patriarchal social order.” Barney Brawer, director of the Boys’ Project at Tufts University, told Education Week: “We’ve deconstructed the old version of manhood, but we’ve not [yet] constructed a new version.” In the spring of 2000, the Boys’ Project at Tufts offered five workshops on “reinventing Boyhood.” The planners promised emotionally exciting sessions: “We’ll laugh and cry, argue and agree, reclaim and sustain the best parts of the culture of boys and men, while figuring out how to change the terrible parts.”
“Terrible”? As this edition of Whistleblower shows, there is nothing wrong – and a very great deal right – with boys and masculinity. As maverick feminist Camille Paglia courageously reminds her men-hating colleagues, masculinity is “the most creative cultural force in history.”

“The problem,” said David Kupelian, managing editor of WND and Whistleblower, “is that misguided feminists, intent on advancing a radically different worldview than the one on which this nation was founded, have succeeded in fomenting a revolution. And that revolution amounts to a powerful and pervasive campaign against masculinity, maleness, boys, men and patriarchy.”

Issue highlights include:

“Banning ‘mom’ and ‘dad,’” by Joseph Farah, who exposes the latest in bizarre and dangerous legislation by the California legislature.

“The fathers’ war” by Stephen Baskerville, a troubling look at how increasing numbers of America’s military men risk all to serve their nation in wartime, only to be divorced by their wives and lose their children.

“The war on fathers,” by David Kupelian, an in-depth look at what’s really behind the feminization of America.

“Why men are being attacked,” by Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who says: “It isn’t all about hating men – it’s largely about disdaining and dismissing them.”

“Has the bias pendulum swung against men?” Fewer college-bound, higher suicide rates, shorter life spans suggest males getting shaft.

“Paternity fraud rampant in U.S.,” showing how 30 percent of men assessed for court-ordered child support are not actually the fathers of the children receiving the support.

“‘Shared parenting’ seen as custody solution,” a look at bills in New York that would require courts to treat mom and dad equally.

“Resolving the boy crisis in schools” by Jeffery M. Leving and Glenn Sacks, showing how today’s public schools are profoundly unsuited for the genuine needs of boys.

“Child support gold-diggers” by Carey Roberts, who shows how frequent fraud results in fathers being victimized by the justice system.

“Hating our fathers, hating ourselves” by Bob Just, a penetrating look at the high cost of resenting the fathers and husbands in our lives.

And much more.
“This is one of the most soulful, important and insightful issues of Whistleblower we’ve produced in a long time,” said Kupelian. “I urge people to read it – it’s much more than eye-opening. It could be life-changing. Really.”

Note: You can also order a subscription to Whistleblower magazine. Simply click here.

If you wish to order by phone, call our toll-free order line at 1-800-4WND-COM (1-800-496-3266).

——————————————————————————–
Face it Guys, watch the commercials, sit coms, court hearings, ect. And see for yourself. Do the research. I believe Men and Fathers should stand up for there Rights. women do all the time.
They are Not as inocent as they would like everyone to believe.

Don

Friday, June 20th, 2008
trading workshops
Manjari Peiris asked:


Combating Illicit Tobacco Products

Manjari Peiris

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, jointly organized a two-day Regional Workshop on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products from 15-16 September 2008 in New Delhi. Delegates from SEARO countries attended this meeting and the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, India, Dr.Anbumani Ramadoss formally inaugurated this workshop and said that the Indian Government will make a blanket on smoking in government or private offices, public places from October 2nd this year.  Mandatory pictorial warnings on tobacco products too will appear from November 30th this year.

He added that enough resources would be provided to control tobacco. “Money collected through surcharge on tobacco products is proposed to be used for tobacco control activities such as awareness campaigns, alternate cropping, establishment of labs, alternate employment for tobacco growers etc.” said Ramadoss.

Illicit trade in tobacco products not only undermines the government’s effort to raise taxes and investing the same in relevant social programmes, but also hampers the control of tobacco supply chain by making available cheaper tobacco products.

The two-day regional workshop was organized jointly by the World Health Organization, Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India is one among the foremost countries to sign and ratify the WHO-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which enlists key strategies for reduction in demand and supply of tobacco products.  Sri Lanka was the first Asian country and the fourth in the world to ratify the FCTC.

Death caused by the tobacco around the world has touched 5.4 million each year, and is projected to rise to eight million by 2030. If the current trends are not checked, tobacco will claim around one billion lives this century.

The specific objectives of holding this  workshop were to review and assess countries capacity to control illicit trade in tobacco products, to identify key actions in the Region to support countries in their efforts to develop and implement measures to control illicit trade in tobacco products, including the role of WHO and other international  organizations in this area and to review the text for the Draft Protocol to the Convention on Illicit Trade In Tobacco Products issued by the chairman of INB. 

The Regional Workshop aimed to raise awareness regarding serious and adverse health consequences of illicit trade in tobacco products. Illicit trade includes smuggling, evasion of Central Excise duties/taxes and counterfeits. Each one of these undermines the efforts of Governments to collect taxes due on tobacco products. The lost taxes could have been used for national programmes including tobacco control initiatives. The illicit trade leads to availability of tobacco products at cheaper prices. Most countries in this region are grappling with the problem of illicit trade in tobacco products. There is also a realization that Governments need to work together to address this serious concern. The WHO – Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first global health treaty and it identifies key demand and key supply reduction strategies. The elimination of illicit trade is one such supply reduction strategy. However, the effective implementation of FCTC provisions will require binding obligations among countries as also a firm commitment for international cooperation.

Financial support to hold this Workshop was provided by the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA).

Dr. Vinayak M. Prasad, Director,       Ministry of Health,      Government of India, explained the Key Elements/Strategies to Control Illicit Trade, including importance of International Cooperation.

What is Illicit Trade?

Any practice or conduct prohibited by law and which relates to production, shipment, receipt, possession, distribution, sale or purchase including any practice or conduct intended to facilitate such activity will be illicit trade. The term “Illicit trade” is broad and     it includes   Illicit Manufacturing, Smuggling and Counterfeiting. Smuggling involves transaction across international border. Illicit manufacturing involves transaction within national boundaries and could include mis-declaration or evasion of duties/domestic taxes.  Counterfeits may be both national/trans-national, with or without the involvement of manufacturers/ producers.

Article 15 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) recognizes elimination of illicit trade as essential to tobacco control and suggests legislative, executive, administrative and other measures   e.g. Marks and Numbers, tracking and tracing, exchange of information etc. The FCTC recognizes the need for elimination of all forms of illicit trade, development / Implementation of national laws and sub-regional/regional/global agreements.  The Conference of Parties to FCTC (COP1) identified control of illicit trade as one of the first areas for development of protocol.

The WHO-FCTC came into force in February 2005 (>3 years) with the recognition that the implementation of Article 15 will require more comprehensive and binding obligations. COP2 (June 2007) decided to establish INB for negotiating the 1st protocol under this treaty viz. Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco.

Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director,     Tobacco Free Initiative,      World Health Organization, addressing this workshop said that from a public health perspective illicit trade in tobacco products is a major concern because it leads to increased availability, accessibility and affordability of cigarettes especially for youth and the poor. Illicit trade undermines the impact of tobacco control measures in general and any measures to prevent children to consume tobacco. Also it increases health inequalities among populations as cheaper products encourage tobacco use among low income groups.

Illicit tobacco products increase premature tobacco attributable deaths and diseases. The largest share of tobacco attributable disease burden is borne by low-income households and less-developed countries.

–        highest prevalence rate

–        highest proportion of family income spent on tobacco

–        least amount of knowledge on risks borne by tobacco use

–        worst access to smoking cessation help

By 2030, 83% of all tobacco attributable deaths will occur in developing countries (Mathers et al. 2006)

A 10% price increase reduces smoking as much as 8% in low or middle-income countries and 4% in high-income countries.

•          Evidence from Thailand (Sartinsart, 2003) suggests that low-income groups can be 4 times more responsive to price changes than high income groups, particularly in urban areas.

•          Illicit products are 25% to 30% cheaper than legally imported brands (Joossens, 1999)

•          This will therefore increase smoking prevalence and consumption most among the price-sensitive poor, and low or middle-income countries.

•          Misguided government policy responses to     smuggling (e.g. reducing taxes) may contribute to health inequality.

•          Tobacco use is a marker of social inequity.

•          Tobacco use is unequally distributed in the population. Patterns of inequity of distribution of tobacco use have been seen across income, age, ethnic groups and by gender.

 

From a public health perspective illicit trade in tobacco products is a major concern, because it leads to:

•          Increased availability, accessibility & affordability of cigarettes especially for youth and the poor

–        Undermining the impact of tobacco control measures in general

–        Undermining tobacco control measures to prevent children to consume tobacco

–        Increasing health inequalities among     populations as cheaper products  encourage tobacco use among  low-income groups

•          Increased premature tobacco attributable deaths and diseases

•          Evidence also shows differential health consequences of tobacco use across different groups of population.

•          Progress in tobacco control is also disproportionately distributed, with the richest and most socially advantaged enjoying the most efficacious implementation of tobacco control interventions.

•          Efforts to prevent and control tobacco consumption among disadvantaged groups are not likely to succeed outside of an integrated approach that seeks to reduce the underlying social inequities that predispose these groups to tobacco use and confer on them a relative disadvantage in accessing cessation services.

•          To achieve the optimal impact from the WHO FCTC, it is critical to develop enforcement mechanisms for the key WHO FCTC elements that assure equitable coverage of the most disadvantaged sectors of society. 

•          In particular, with regards to taxation and illicit trade, action needs to be taken to reduce disparities.

 Illicit tobacco and the young

•          They are more sensitive to prices and a e  10% price increase may increase cessation by as much  as 9% among young smokers (Chaloupka et al., 2003)

•          The young are more brand conscious - most smuggled cigarettes are well-known       brands (Joossens, 1999)

•          Smuggled cigarettes are sold on the streets,  near schools where underage have easier                             access (Joossens, 1999)

•          Lesser developed countries tend to have larger young populations, and may be disproportionately affected by smuggling Industry myths about Illicit Trade.

•          Price and tax increases are the main drive for large scale illicit trade in tobacco products

•          1- It has been long believed that tobacco control is a rich countries luxury. However, evidence has showed that a number of developing countries have successfully implemented strong tobacco control measures and reduced consumption. We will see later that tobacco control is actually relatively cheap to implement and usually cheaper in developing countries.

•          2- TC reduces government revenues: if consumption reduces, government revenues from tobacco taxes should reduce as well. In reality, the price elasticity of demand is inelastic. This means that consumption will reduce to a lesser extent than the increase in prices; this leaves room for government revenues to increase even with a reduction in demand.

•          3- In the last decade or so, tobacco employment has been declining due to increase in efficiency and technology gains. This was not at all related with tobacco control.

•          4-TC increases smuggling: smuggling is a result of tax avoidance. A tax increase can encourage bootlegging, but not necessarily large scale illicit trade. Taxes are an incentive for illicit trade, but other factors are important such as corruption, ready supply, irresponsible exporting etc.

•          5- Taxes are regressive on the poor, because they are applied equally to all levels of the society. This may be true, but it is important to note that the poor are the ones who react the most to price increases by reducing their consumption. So a tax increase can actually be progressive on the poor.

Illicit tobacco’s bottom line

•          Revenue loss leads to smaller budget for government programs (including public health)

•          Higher costs of combating organized crime and corruption also squeezes budget (Joossens, 1999)

•          Higher direct health costs from increased consumption (especially the poor and the young)

•          Increasing health burden

Six proven policies to reverse the tobacco epidemic

To monitor tobacco use and prevention    policies

To protect people from tobacco smoke:

To offer help to quit tobacco use

To warn about the dangers of tobacco

Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

Raise taxes on tobacco (including   combating illicit trade)

Raising taxes and smuggling rates

•          Increasing cigarette taxes and improving anti-smuggling law enforcement would significantly increase government revenues, while decreasing global cigarette consumption and smuggling activities.

•          The enforcement level plays a significant role in controlling the worldwide smuggling activities, and also reduces global consumption.

–        if a tax increase is not accompanied by an improvement in law enforcement, then the level of global smuggling would increase, but governments would still enjoy increased tax revenues (even with increased smuggling).

–        Government commitment is the key for success

Parties to the Framework Convention are negotiating and drafting a new, legally binding protocol on illicit trade that will fight smuggling and counterfeiting as part of global efforts to reverse the tobacco epidemic. This protocol should markedly increase coordination at the international level to address this important issue.

•          Smuggling – involves transaction across international border.

•          Illicit manufacturing – involves transaction within national boundaries and could include mis-declaration or evasion of duties/domestic taxes.

•          Counterfeit - may be both national/trans-national, with or without the involvement of manufacturers/ producers.

•          Article 15 Recognizes elimination of illicit trade as essential to tobacco control.

•          Suggests legislative, executive, administrative and other measures   e.g. Marks and Numbers, tracking & tracing, etc. and it recognizes the need for elimination of all forms of illicit trade.

•          Development / Implementation of national laws.

•          Sub-regional/regional/global agreements.

 The Conference of the Parties (COP1) identified control of illicit trade as one of the first areas for development of protocol exchange of information etc.

•          WHO-FCTC came into force in February 2005 (>3 years) having had recognized that the implementation of Article 15 will require more comprehensive and binding obligations.

COP2 (June 2007) decided to establish INB for negotiating the 1st protocol under this treaty viz. Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

Strategies to control Illicit Trade

It is NOT A CUSTOMS ISSUE. It needs diverse strategies/multi-sectoral issues such as Information/data from agriculture/industry/ revenue, Control of supply chain, sharing of intelligence/ Cooperation between agencies within the country/with other countries.

Rational Government policy

-          Taxation & Trade:

    WTO bound rate (150% and 100%)

-          Imposition of tariff barriers /non tariff barriers ( contrary to WTO/GATT principles) e.g. control of supply chain through licensing

-          Supply Chain Control

-          License Enforcement, offences, Sanctions- penalty provisions, Search and seizure provisions, Seizure payments, Destruction, Special investigative techniques, Customer identification and verification, Tracking and Tracing, Record Keeping, Security and Preventive measures.

-          International Cooperation

-          Information sharing, Statistical data, Operational data, Assistance and cooperation, training, technical assistance, investigation and prosecution, Jurisdiction, Joint investigation, Law enforcement cooperation – MAA and MLA, Internet and other modes of sales.

-          To control the supply chain licensing, facilitation of enforcement and provision of a database are required.

-          Record keeping of tobacco farmers, tobacco products and key inputs or manufacturing equipment used for manufacture of tobacco products is required.

-          Security and Preventive measures

-          Measures to prevent diversion to illicit trade channels e.g. suspension or cancellation of license, prohibit intermingling of tobacco products with other products, reporting of cross border transfer of cash/negotiable instruments; payment only by wire/cheque etc. are needed.

-          TRACKING & TRACING

-          “Tracking “is ability to monitor tobacco products from place of manufacture, through distribution chain, to intended market of retail sale.

-          “Tracing” is ability to recreate route (Post audit/seizure) from place of manufacture, through distribution chain.

-          The First Protocol/treaty under the Convention is being negotiated to regulate/prohibit illicit trade in tobacco products. The Parties to FCTC are at present negotiating the Protocol - a number of key elements that are proposed to be discussed in the next round of negotiations scheduled in October in Geneva.

-          It is expected that there will be greater awareness and experience, sharing of issues and challenges in the SEARO Region as also support for the Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

At this workshop it was mentioned that cigarettes worth of 13.5 million have entered into the Sri Lankan market illicitly in 2005. The detections of illegal imports by Sri Lanka Customs in the recent past were reported to be;

n  October 2007 –                                 21,704 Ctns

n   December 2007 -                             21,932 Ctns

n   February 2008 –                               6,764  Ctns

Also the following quantities of cigarettes have been destroyed;

n  October 2007    -   4,340,920 sticks

n   December 2007  -  4,386,560 sticks

n   February 2008   -  1,356,800 sticks

The measures that Sri Lanka government has taken to control the Illicit Trade in Tobacco products are Education and    Legislation.

The legislative measures are -

n      involvement of governmental and       National Authority on Tobacco and          Alcohol Act, No.27 of 2006,    Tobacco Tax Act, No. 8 of 1999,    Customs Ordinance,     Excise Ordinance  on-governmental organizations.

There is considerable evidence that tobacco producers themselves assist wholesale smuggling in transporting tobacco products. Much of the organized criminal smuggling that accounts for the vast majority of cigarette smuggling worldwide has occurred with the knowledge of the major cigarette companies themselves and would not occur without their compliance. Cigarette company documents do not use the term “smuggling”, but instead use euphemisms or code words for the activities whose meaning is clear.

Smuggling has been an integral part of the business activities of global cigarette companies… these actions expand their markets and help them gain a competitive advantage over other cigarette companies. It has also been used by the cigarette companies to gain political leverage to persuade governments to reduce cigarette tax rates or duty fees. Recent data from tobacco industry documents show that roughly a third of all exported cigarettes worldwide continue to be diverted into smuggling supply lines with major international brands continuing to dominate.

There is a growing volume of evidence that the legal manufacturers of certain cigarettes have knowingly fostered and have consciously supported the illegal smuggling of their own brands. Although the major international cigarette companies make the same amount of profit on legal and illegal sales, they have several economic initiatives to smuggle. Through smuggling they can sell their brands in countries otherwise closed to them because of import bans or because tax rates and duty free make legal imports much more expensive than domestic brands. Smuggling expands the companies’ sales being much cheaper than all legally imported cigarettes sold in the country. By helping to keep overall cigarette prices down, smuggled cigarettes also help to increase overall sales.

Tobacco industry benefits from smuggling in several ways – smuggling stimulates consumption both directly and indirectly, threat of smuggling has been used to avoid trade barriers or force open new markets.

The international tobacco companies that incorporate smuggling penetrate the market through illegal imports, weaken the state monopoly by reducing the market share of domestic brands and legal role, convince the authorities to prioritize or open the market, authorize the legal import and or production of foreign brand and stop fuelling the illegal market and take over the market in a legal way.

 Documents demonstrate that apparently legitimate duty free sales have provided an effective means of supplying smuggled cigarettes.



Bruce