The death and disease caused by cigarettes is nothing to celebrate.  But that’s not stopping R.J. Reynolds from celebrating the 100th birthday of its Camel cigarettes this year. Their Camel web site touts “A Century of Camel” and urges visitors to “Celebrate the original that sparked a tradition.”

Indonesia has been called the tobacco industry’s playground due to the country’s large number of smokers and unrestricted tobacco marketing.

In the latest example, Indonesian tobacco giant PT Djarum has placed billboards promoting its L.A. Lights cigarettes with the shameful slogan “DON’T QUIT.”  If discouraging smokers from quitting isn’t bad enough, the ad appears to mock efforts to reduce smoking by instead encouraging smokers to “DO IT” and using the slogan “Let’s Do It!”

It’s no news flash that exercise, eating healthy and watching your weight are all good for your heart – and that smoking is most decidedly not.

Tobacco control advocates around the world today are marking World No Tobacco Day, organized by the World Health Organization to focus attention on the devastating global toll of tobacco use and the need for nations to take strong action to save lives.

Indianapolis residents are celebrating their right to breathe clean air:  This Saturday marks one year since the city strengthened its smoke-free law to include all restaurants and bars.

“When you’re 15, it’s hard to imagine the consequences of your decisions. I never thought I would suffer this much,” said former smoker Bill Busse, who lost vision in his left eye and had his leg amputated because smoking worsened his diabetes.

The vast majority of Americans require their homes and cars to be smoke-free, according to a new study published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, based on a 2009-2010 survey, found that 81 percent of U.S. adults report having smoke-free rules in their homes and 74 percent have such rules in their vehicles.  The percentage of Americans with smoke-free homes has increased dramatically from 1992-1993, when only 43 percent had such rules.

At last week’s annual meeting of Philip Morris International shareholders in New York City, CEO Louis Camilleri answered a question from a youth tobacco control advocate by denying that the company markets to kids, saying “That’s just not true. It’s a fable.”

Overcoming more than four years of delays and strong tobacco industry opposition, the Parliament of Bangladesh has enacted a new law that significantly strengthens the country’s efforts to reduce tobacco use.  

The new law is a major step forward in a country where about 43 percent of adults use tobacco, with high rates of both cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use.

Today is Earth Day, and we couldn’t let the day pass without pointing out that cigarettes are not only the world’s number one cause of preventable death, they’re also a major cause of air, land and water pollution.