2020-10-10
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A group of scientists has written to the World Health Organisation (WHO) two days before World No Tobacco Day on May the 31st. The 53 scientists asked the WHO not to class e-cigarettes as a tobacco product. E-cigarettes are an aid to help people quit smoking. They do not have any tobacco inside them. Instead, they release a nicotine vapour that makes people feel like they are smoking. Many doctors say this is better for people's health than real cigarettes. The WHO wants countries to put e-cigarettes in the same category as real cigarettes. This means taxing them, banning advertising, introducing health warnings and stopping people from using them in public places.
The group of scientists told the WHO that e-cigarettes are helping to reduce disease and deaths from smoking. The scientists said e-cigarettes are a "low-risk product" that are "part of the solution" in the fight against smoking, not part of the problem. They wrote: "These products could be among the most significant health innovations of the 21st century, perhaps saving hundreds of millions of lives. The urge to control…them as tobacco products should be resisted." However, researchers from the University of Chicago say e-cigarettes could encourage young people to smoke. They said: "It's possible that seeing e-cigarette use may promote more smoking behavior and less quitting."
The best companies to work for
A new report has identified the top 25 companies in the USA to work for. The report comes out every year and always has some surprises. It ranked the best places to work in 2014 by taking a survey of employee satisfaction. Top of the list was Google, which has become famous for its excellent working conditions. Google knocked Facebook off of the number one position. A Google software engineer earns an average salary of $119,000 a year. He or she also gets free access to a gym, laundromat, sports facilities and a place which looks after their pets when the employee goes on holiday. One ex-employee said Google staff are so happy that it is unusual for anyone to take time off.
Another survey released at the same time shows a slightly different picture. The careers website Glassdoor asked employees to rate how happy they are with their company, career opportunities, pay, culture, and values. It found that the consulting firm Bain and Company was the best place to work. Russ Hagey, Global Chief Talent Officer at Bain and Co. said: "We are incredibly proud to be named the number one best place to work." He added that: "For more than 40 years, we have placed significant focus on creating an outstanding professional and personal work experience that in turn has fueled our growth anchored in a mission of delivering results for clients and organizations around the globe."
Major supermarket bans candy from checkouts
A major supermarket in the UK will soon remove all candy and chocolates from near its checkouts. The supermarket giant Tesco said that from the end of this year, there will be no sweets or chocolates next to customers waiting to pay for their food. This is because it wants its customers to be healthier. Tesco did a lot of research on the best place to put things in its stores. It said that two-thirds of its customers thought it was a good idea to remove candies and chocolates from in front of the checkouts. Tesco's chief executive Philip Clarke said: "We all know how easy it is to be tempted by sugary snacks at the checkout, and we want to help our customers lead healthier lives."
Britain's Public Health Minister Jane Ellison welcomed Tesco's idea. She said it would help tackle obesity and poor health. She said: "This initiative will help people to make healthier choices, which all contributes to reducing the long-term cost to our nation of obesity and ill-health." A spokeswoman from the parenting website MumsNet.com told the BBC that Tesco's move was "positive" and would make life "that little bit easier". She said: "Popping into a shop with a small child…can sometimes feel like navigating an assault course." She was happy that Tesco listened to people, saying: "It's really positive to see a supermarket responding to the views of their customers."
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