ELBLOGDEFORMACION

Massachusetts City Considering Banning Tobacco Sales Completely

While most cities have banned smoking indoors in public places, and companies like CVS have decided to stop selling cigarettes outright, no U.S. town has actually banned the sale of tobacco… yet. One Massachusetts city is considering taking tobacco off the shelves, a choice that would make it the first town to do so.

The town of Westminster’s Board of Health will hear a public comment on a proposed regulation that would make it the first U.S. municipality to give all tobacco products the boot within town lines, reports the Associated Press.

“To my knowledge, it would be the first in the nation to enact a total ban,” said Thomas Carr, director of national policy at the American Lung Association. “We commend the town for doing it.”

A town health agent said she thinks the ban could be the solution to a worrisome issue.

“The tobacco companies are really promoting products to hook young people,” she said, noting the racks of cheap, bubblegum-flavored cigars and other offerings. “The board was getting frustrated trying to keep up with this.”

She cited the U.S. surgeon general saying that if people keep smoking, 5.6 million American kids under the age of 18 now will die prematurely.

On the other hand, the owner of a local market says about a quarter of his customers buy tobacco, and will often pick up other items when they’re purchasing smokes.

“It’s going to send business five minutes this way or five minutes that way — no one’s going to quit,” he says. He’s gathered more than 800 signatures for a petition against the proposal.

And as one might expect, the tobacco industry isn’t too pleased.

“We believe businesses should be able to choose which products they carry,” a spokesman for Altria Group Inc., owner of the nation’s biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA said. “If the ban were to be implemented, adult tobacco and e-vapor consumers could shift their purchases to neighboring stores. The proposed regulations, if enacted, would fundamentally alter these businesses and would likely cost Westminster jobs.”

The topic is so controversial that the Board of Health’s meeting will be held at a school cafeteria instead of in a conference room as usual, due to the expected turnout from the public on Wednesday.

Westminster weighs nation’s 1st tobacco ban [Associated Press]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Pizza Hut Overhauls Image With New Logo, Plethora Of Crusts, Sauces And Topping Options

(Adam A. Koch)

By now it seems that pizza companies add different, often odd combinations to their pizza lineup each week (we’re looking at you sausage-stuffed crust). A newly revamped menu – and overall identity – at Pizza Hut aims to allow consumers to expand their creative concoctions.

USA Today reports Pizza Hut is overhauling its menu in order to attract a younger generation.

In addition to the revamped menu, Pizza Hut will also be makeover their overall image with a new logo and new uniforms.

The company’s new menu will focus on dozens of new flavor options including adding 11 new pizza recipes, 10 new crust flavors, six new sauces, five new toppings, and four new flavor-pack drizzles.

Crust options have increased from one to 10 including honey sriracha and salted pretzel, while the new sauces include garlic parmesan and buffalo.

As for toppings the company will now offer “premium” options such s banana peppers and Peruvian cherry peppers.

The newest special recipe pizzas bring a bit of heat to the menu with a 7-Alarm Fire creation with peppers and jalapeños.

As announced previously, the chain is also attempting to appeal to the health and weight conscious consumer by offering so-called Skinny Slice pizza.

“This is the biggest change we’ve ever made,” Carrie Walsh, chief marketing officer, tells USA Today. “We’re redefining the category.”

Officials with Pizza Hut say the new menu additions and new look will be rolling out at the chain’s 6,300 locations beginning November 19.

Pizza Hut to turn brand upside down [USA Today]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

White House Calls On FCC To Reclassify Broadband Under Title II, Protect Net Neutrality

Consumer advocates urging the FCC to protect net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a Title II “common carrier” service have picked up a surprising new ally this morning: the President of the United States.

In a statement this morning, President Obama has unexpectedly jumped into the fray over net neutrality. His message sets out four bright-line rules that the FCC should is very clear: in order to protect net neutrality, the FCC should reclassify broadband.

The FCC is an independent agency, so requests from the chief executive are just that: requests. They carry no weight of law and the FCC is free to follow or ignore guidance from the White House as they see fit. However, realistically speaking, a direct statement from the White House has a hefty level of political impact, if not practical impact.

The White House asks the FCC to “answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.” That means protecting four particular bright-line rules of net neutrality: no blocking, no throttling, no paid prioritization, and increased transparency. And the best way to do that, Obama says, is with reclassification:

[T]he time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do. To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services. This is a basic acknowledgment of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone — not just one or two companies.

The incumbent ISPs, of course, strenuously object to Title II classification. Verizon in particular has threatened to sue the FCC again if the commission reclassifies any part of the broadband pipeline under that regulation. Their argument runs that Title II regulation is arcane and archaic, and will ruin their ability to do anything useful (i.e. make lots of money).

However, the White House statement seems to see that argument coming, and continues: “If carefully designed, these rules should not create any undue burden for ISPs, and can have clear, monitored exceptions for reasonable network management and for specialized services such as dedicated, mission-critical networks serving a hospital.”

Although Obama has spoken favorably about net neutrality and nondiscrimination before, this marks the first time the White House has come out in favor of using Title II. The White House also endorses applying net neutrality regulations universally, to mobile as well as wired broadband.

In February, over 100,000 people signed a petition asking the President to request the FCC take the Title II approach. However, the White House did urge the FCC to take action but stopped short of actually asking commission chairman Tom Wheeler to consider reclassification.

The statement from the White House comes as Wheeler is said to be shopping around the FCC’s “hybrid” approach in Capitol Hill meetings with both members of the House and the Senate this week.

Net Neutrality: President Obama’s Plan for a Free and Open Internet [The White House]

by Kate Cox via Consumerist