Satire

It's Thursday, July 14th.

The NHL and the players' association reached an agreement on a six-year labor deal, ending the lockout that put last season on ice.

Also, I just managed to get my lawn mower working again. Needed to fix the pull cord.

Currently, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be mixing such irrelevant trivia with important news that really matters. So, as I was saying: turns out the cord was getting a bit frayed. Just needed a bit of duct tape. Now, excuse me, I've got a lawn to mow.

This is The Current.

Safe Cigarette Company

Well, where there's smoke, there's controversy. Despite years of graphic warnings about the dangers of smoking, toll-free "quit lines", and a ban on cigarette advertising. Health Canada says tobacco remains the number one preventable cause of death in this country, killing more than 45,000 people prematurely each year. And around the world, the picture is much worse. The World Health Organization says tobacco takes about 5 million lives a year. It also predicts that half of current smokers -- about 650 million people -- will eventually be killed by tobacco. So what to do about the smokers who simply can't -- or won't -- quit?

Some people believe now is the time for the next generation of cigarettes -- a "safer", "less toxic" cigarette that could reduce the health risks associated with smoking. It's something tobacco companies have been quietly researching for years, with mixed success.

But even if a safer cigarette can be made -- should it be? Would this lower health risks -- or make things worse by offering smokers a false sense of security, a license to keep on puffing? Most anti-tobacco groups say there is no such thing as "safer" smoking. But not everyone agrees.

Melissa Mowbray d'Arbela is the CEO of Filligent Inc. The Hong Kong-based company recently developed a filter it says can potentially reduce the toxicity of cigarettes. It has licensed this technology to a U.S.-based tobacco company which will soon introduce a new brand, called Fact, to the market. We reached Melissa Mowbray d'Arbela at her home in Hong Kong.

Safer Cigarettes – Pros and Cons

Well as we mentioned earlier, not everyone agrees so-called "safer cigarettes" are possible -- or even desirable. In fact, much of the medical and anti-tobacco community remains firm in their belief that abstinence is the only answer.

Dr. Charl Els is an addictions specialist with the University of Alberta. He works with the group Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, and he shared his concerns.

As controversial as the idea of "safer cigarettes" is, some anti-smoking activists believe they shouldn't be ruled out altogether. David Sweanor is a longtime anti-smoking activist associated with the Non-Smokers Rights Association. He is currently an adjunct professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa.

Factboard – Fire-Safe Cigarettes

There is at least one way to make a safer cigarette... Make it "fire safe".

The idea is to reduce the number of house fires started by lit cigarettes. According to the Canada Safety Council, there were 4,000 of these types of fires in 2000, resulting in 56.7 million dollars in losses, making careless smoking a leading cause of home fire deaths.

This October, Canada will become the first country in the world to mandate that all cigarettes made or sold here meet what's called an "ignition propensity standard." This new breed of cigarette is not 100 per cent fire safe. But it reduces the risk by lowering the amount of heat generated, or using special paper with little "speed bumps" that slows the rate at which the cigarette burns.

This kind of cigarette is already on the market in New Zealand and New York with California and Oregon following suit.

Anti-tobacco critics allege manufacturers have resisted making "fire-safe" cigarettes because they worry consumers won't want to smoke a cigarette that might go out if it's not constantly being puffed.

Listen to The Current: Part 1

(Due to various rights issues some segments may be edited for internet use)

The Current: Part 2

Morality Documentary (Repeat)

Children have no difficulty acting out fantasy worlds and spending whole afternoons in imaginary situations. But it's the kind of thing adults are expected to outgrow. Well, used to be expected to outgrow. Something new called Live Action Role Playing has caught the imagination of many grownups -- and we're not talking about goofy murder mysteries where you discover which of your buddies has murdered Colonel Mustard.

The people who spend time Live Action Role Playing -- or LARPing-- fantasize about much more elaborate worlds where characters can be heroic or murderous, angelic or evil. And this is serious business----people get quite swept up in their characters... living out parts of themselves that might otherwise be repressed in the real world.

But Larping takes place very much in the real world. Last fall our producer Nicola Luksic immersed herself in one game called "Mortality." The event unfolded over the course of an entire weekend on a 5 acre patch of land just north-east of Toronto. The game's creators built up a mini-village for the gamers, complete with sleeping quarters and a tavern. The night began around a campfire in the middle of a dense forest.

This documentary was produced by The Current's Nicola Luksic. And the Live Action Role Playing game of Mortality continues this summer. If you're wanting a plot update we've learned that the mythical town of Epticoira was sacked by raiders and the villagers fled for protection in a monestary of the Oberian Order.

Letters

Sheila Coles and Current producer, Idella Sturino read through our listener mail.

Last Word: Harry Potter

This Saturday at 12:01 am, over 12 million copies of 'Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince' go on sale at book stores around the world. It's the sixth book in the series from author JK Rowling. Although rumours swirl of tragic twists and surprise endings. The one thing not in doubt is the commercial success of the book: It's already breaking the online sales records set by its predecessors.

When the last Harry Potter book was released in 2003, The Current dreamed up its own version of an excerpt from the book. Two years have passed, but The Current's take on the teenage wizard turned entertainment industry darling seems to be just as relevant .

So, once again, The Current joined Harry and his pal Ron Weasley in the hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Listen to The Current: Part 2

(Due to various rights issues some segments may be edited for internet use)

CBC does not endorse content of external sites - links will open in new window