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Connecticut Ranks 45th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 – WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Connecticut ranks 45th in the nation in funding programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations.

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Connecticut currently spends $400,000 a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 0.9 percent of the $43.9 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other key findings for Connecticut include:

In the past year, Connecticut has virtually eliminated funding for tobacco prevention, cutting funding from $6.1 million to $400,000.Connecticut this year will collect $529 million from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just 0.1 percent of it on tobacco prevention programs.The tobacco companies spend $123 million a year to market their products in Connecticut. This is 307 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention.The annual report on states' funding of tobacco prevention programs, titled "A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 12 Years Later," was released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Connecticut for years was one of the worst states in the nation in funding tobacco prevention, providing little or no state funding. But Connecticut improved significantly in fiscal year 2009 when it provided $7.4 million. Now Connecticut has slashed funding and is again one of the worst states.

"Connecticut has completely reversed the promising progress of the past two years and reverted to being one of the most disappointing states in funding programs to protect kids from tobacco," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. љ"To reduce tobacco's devastating toll, it is critical that Connecticut's leaders increase funding for tobacco prevention. љEven in these difficult budget times, tobacco prevention is a smart investment that saves lives and saves money by reducing health care costs."

In Connecticut, 15.3 percent of high school students smoke, and 4,700 more kids become regular smokers every year. Each year, tobacco claims 4,700 lives and costs the state $1.6 billion in health care bills.

Nationally, the report finds that most states are failing to adequately fund programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. Altogether, the states have cut funding for these programs to the lowest level since 1999, when they first started receiving tobacco settlement payments. ^AљKey national findings of the report include:

The states this year will collect $25.3 billion from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend just two percent of it - $517.9 million - on tobacco prevention programs. љStates have cut funding for tobacco prevention programs by nine percent ($51.4 million) in the past year and by 28 percent ($199.3 million) in the past three years.Only two states - Alaska and North Dakota - currently fund tobacco prevention programs at the CDC-recommended level.The report warns that the nation's progress in reducing smoking is at risk unless states increase funding for programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. љThe United States has significantly reduced smoking among both youth and adults, but 20.6 percent of adults and 19.5 percent of high school students still smoke.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. љ

More information, including the full report and state-specific information, can be obtained at .

SOURCECampaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

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Book Talk: The secret of Pakistan's swish set

NEW DELHI (Reuters Life!) – When Maha Khan Phillips set out to write a novel as part of a creative writing program, she didn't have to look much further than her native Pakistan for ideas.

Partly inspired by her desire to change global perceptions about Pakistan, "Beautiful from This Angle" is a satire on Karachi's party circuit and the television media set against the backdrop of honor killings and a feudal society.

The novel, recently launched in India, revolves around columnist Amynah Farooqui and her two friends who set about making a documentary on violence against women and find the perfect subject in village woman Nilofer.

Phillips has previously published a children's novel but with "Beautiful from This Angle", the London-based financial journalist offers readers an insight into post-9/11 Pakistan.

The 34-year-old told Reuters in an email interview that Pakistan is a multi-dimensional country that needs to be portrayed more positively by the media.

Q: How much of 'Beautiful from This Angle' is inspired from real life?

A: "Well, it's satire. So I have taken a situation and a group of people and exaggerated them. But many stories in the book are based on real, albeit less dramatic events. The only story that is based entirely in truth and is shockingly underplayed, is Nilofer's story.

"My family has a farm close to Rahim Yar Khan and there was a woman there who was treated as brutally as Nilofer claimed to be treated in the book. I remember that my father had to bring her into our house and stand guard with a gun because her husband and his mother wanted to kill her. It was very shocking to me."

Q: Did you set out to write a novel about Pakistan that would in a way change people's impression of the country?

A: "This book definitely stemmed from a desire to turn things on its head a bit. I live in the UK and I am married to a man who is half-English and half-French, which has exposed me to a world where people have only the media on which to base their opinions about Pakistan. The narrative in the media seems to be one dimensional.

"Either we are all terrorists or we are all victims. Pakistan is a multi-dimensional, extremely complicated place. I wanted to show, in part, that women can be the ones who make things worse for other women. I also wanted to show how ridiculous some of the media stories are about Pakistan and Islam."

Q: As Muslim women, Amynah and Nilofer are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Are things changing for the better for women in Pakistan?

A: "I think as long as you have structural violence which is in effect institutionalized, things will not get better, no matter how hard individuals try and change things. We need better government, better civil society. We need education. We need a judicial and police system that works. Otherwise, there can't be any lasting change."

Q: Was the main character meant to reflect you?

A: "Everyone is assuming that but it's far, far from the truth. I am as removed from the party scene as can be imagined and I am pretty boring. I had a misspent youth like everyone else but nowadays my social life consists of reading my son his bedtime story."

Q: How difficult is the transition from financial journalist to writer?

A: "To be honest, it was the financial journalism that was hard. I hated math and economics in school. I studied politics and international relations and then international conflict analysis/mediation at university. I thought I was going to save the world. I took on a job in financial journalism in the interim while I looked for work I wanted to do.

"I barely knew what a stock or a bond was. But then I realized that, even in financial journalism, it always comes down to the human factor. Who is winning and who is losing? And why do we care? I started to enjoy it. When it came to the writing, I was a bit braver -- because after that experience of writing about things I didn't really understand myself, figured I could try anything."

Q: What next after 'Beautiful from This Angle'?

A: "Who knows? I am trying to write a thriller but it's early days."

Q: What's your writing schedule like?

A: "I wish I had one -- but life is rather hectic at the moment, between work and my family. I tend to snatch moments, late at night, whenever I can."

Q: Any advice for aspiring writers?

Australia grabs thrilling rugby victory over S.Africa

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AFP) – A long range penalty goal by fullback Kurtley Beale with the last kick of the match enabled Australia to defeat South Africa 41-39 in a thrilling southern hemisphere Tri Nations match on Saturday.

The Wallabies scored four tries in the space of 17 minutes in the first half, spreading the ball wide with quick passes which enabled their pacy outside backs to rip open the Springbok defence.

They led 31-6 shortly before half-time but the Springboks came storming back to go ahead 36-31 with 11 minutes left.

The lead changed three times in a frantic finish before Beale, with his only kick at goal in the match, calmly booted the ball over from near the right touchline, just inside the South African half.

The win ensured that Australia would finish in second place with the world champion Springboks condemned to finish last in a tournament they won in 2009.

New Zealand, who have already clinched the title, meet Australia in Sydney next Saturday in the final match of the tournament.

The Springboks looked a beaten side when the Wallabies led 31-6 in the last minute of the first half.

But with the half-time siren already having sounded, lock Victor Matfield picked up a loose ball, chipped ahead and gathered his own kick before feeding centre Jaque Fourie who scored a try which was converted by Morne Steyn.

The fightback continued immediately after the break, with prop Gurthro Steenkamp and centre Jean de Villiers scoring converted tries, while two penalty goals by Steyn put the Springboks 33-31 ahead midway through the second half.

Another Steyn penalty put South Africa five points ahead and the home side seemed to have gained a decisive advantage when replacement hooker Saia Faingaa was yellow-carded for a spear tackle.

But the Wallabies produced another thrilling thrust which ended with wing Drew Mitchell scoring under the posts, and James O'Connor's conversion putting them two points ahead again.

With three minutes remaining, Steyn landed a penalty from near the right touchline to complete a perfect goal-kicking game and put his side ahead once more.

It was a result which seemed improbable when the Wallaby backs ripped open the Springbok defence in the first half.

Australia scored their first try in the eighth minute when a 50metre move ended with O'Connor racing down the right touchline and feeding Beale who crossed over untouched.

Six minutes later O'Connor was the man who finished off a move which started with a mistake by Springbok captain John Smit, whose throw in to a lineout near his own line went over his forwards and was picked up by the Australians who fed it quickly down the line to the flying right wing.

Hooker Stephen Moore and flanker and captain Rocky Elsom added further tries to the dismay of the home crowd.

South Africa fielded a starting line-up which had a total of 750 caps, their most experienced team in history, but a year out from the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand they have much about which to be concerned.

In particular the outstanding defence which took South Africa to victory in the 2007 World Cup in France took a battering in the Tri Nations, with 22 tries conceded in six matches, including 12 in their three home matches.