From: SMOKEFREE@compuserve.com
Date: Wed, 04/09/08
The following press release from Star is the first time (that I'm aware of)
any tobacco company has publicly endorsed laws that protect nonsmokers (in
this case children) from tobacco smoke pollution. Congratulations to Star.
Smokefree tobacco/nicotine products don't pose health risks to nonusers,
and they are far less hazardous alternatives for smokers (than cigarettes).
Bill Godshall
Smokefree Pennsylvania
412-351-5880
- - -
April 09, 2008 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Star Scientific Applauds Recent State Legislation - Banning Smoking in Cars
with Children an Important Step Forward
PETERSBURG, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI)
issued the following statement today:
A growing number of states have recognized the harm associated with
exposure to secondhand smoke in confined spaces such as automobiles, and
have moved to protect children from this risk. Last week, Maine joined
California, Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as Puerto Rico, in passing laws
that ban adult smoking in cars when youngsters are present. This
legislation is an important step forward in recognizing the health risks
associated with exposure to cigarette smoke, and in enhancing preventive
health for youngsters.
At the same time, dependent smokers light up to satisfy the cravings linked
to nicotine, and they are most likely to do so when in stressful
situations, according to a large body of research and consumer surveys.
There are a number of options available to assist adults driving cars with
children present, particularly when in heavy traffic or when traveling over
longer distances. Among those options, reduced-toxin, smoke-free products
can be helpful to adult dependent smokers in such situations. Star
Scientific's dissolvable smokeless tobacco products, ArivaŽ and StonewallŽ,
provide a satisfying alternative to cigarettes, and also have the lowest
TSNA (tobacco specific nitrosamine) levels - the major group of
cancer-causing agents in tobacco - available anywhere.
While the obvious best choice is to avoid using tobacco, the most dangerous
form of tobacco use occurs when the highly toxic smoke from cigarettes is
inhaled into the lungs. When tobacco is burned more than 4000 chemical
compounds are formed, and at least 60 of those compounds are
cancer-causing. Cigarette smoke, in an enclosed compartment such as an
automobile, impacts not only the smoker but also any other person in that
compartment. Because smokeless tobacco is not burned, there is no
secondhand smoke. It also contains far fewer toxins, and among them, TSNAs
are the major group of cancer-causing agents. An article published in the
December, 2007 issue of The American Journal of Preventive Medicine
illustrated that the TSNA levels in ArivaŽ and StonewallŽ were the lowest
observed among a variety of smokeless tobacco products manufactured both in
the United States and abroad. The article also discussed the importance of
the uptake of TSNA in the human body. The authors concluded that the uptake
of TSNAs in humans, measured by levels of the biomarker NNAL, was roughly
the same for ArivaŽ and StonewallŽ as the uptake level for the nicotine
replacement lozenge that was studied. More information can be found at
http://www.dissolvabletobacco.com
Star Scientific applauds Maine for its proactive stand on this issue. These
actions prevent youngsters from being exposed to cigarettes and their
highly toxic properties, which addresses both preventive health and
behavior modeling. Star believes that the company's very-low TSNA
dissolvable tobacco products provide an alternative that fits within a
broad harm-reduction approach to tobacco. The company also believes that
the future of tobacco lies in meeting the concerns of adult dependent
smokers, not in recruiting another generation of smokers.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The
Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking
statements using words such as "anticipates", "believes", "estimates",
"expects", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions. These statements
reflect the Company's current beliefs and are based upon information
currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to
differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements..
These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, without limitation,
the challenges inherent in new product development initiatives,
particularly in the smokeless tobacco area, the uncertainties inherent in
the progress of scientific research, the Company's ability to raise
additional capital in the future necessary to maintain its business,
potential disputes concerning the Company's intellectual property, risks
associated with litigation regarding such intellectual property, potential
delays in obtaining any necessary government approvals of the Company's
low-TSNA tobacco products, market acceptance of the Company's new smokeless
tobacco products, competition from companies with greater resources than
the Company, the Company's decision not to join the Master Settlement
Agreement ("MSA"), the effect of state statutes adopted under the MSA, and
the Company's dependence on key employees and on its strategic
relationships with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation in light of its
combination with RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, Inc. The impact of potential
litigation, if initiated against or by individual states that have adopted
the MSA, could be materially adverse to the Company.
See additional discussion under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with the
SEC on March 17, 2008, and other factors detailed from time to time in the
Company's other filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update or advise upon any such forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press
release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Star Scientific
Star Scientific is a technology-oriented tobacco company with a toxin
reduction mission. It is engaged in the development of dissolvable
smokeless tobacco products that deliver fewer carcinogenic toxins
(principally tobacco specific nitrosamines, or TSNAs), through the
utilization of the innovative StarCuredŽ tobacco curing technology, and in
sublicensing that technology to others. Star Scientific has a Corporate and
Sales Office in Petersburg, VA, an Executive, Scientific & Regulatory
Affairs office in Bethesda, MD, and manufacturing and tobacco processing
facilities in Chase City, VA and in Petersburg, VA.
See Star's website at: http://www.starscientific.com
Contacts
Star Scientific, Inc.
Sara Troy Machir
Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations
301-654-8300
smachir@starscientific.com
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