CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Four years ago the tobacco-smuggling situation was so bad that the federal government reduced its tobacco taxes. All provinces in the East save Newfoundland followed suit by lowering provincial taxes as well. ⋯ Today, cartons of cigarettes that sell for $26 in Ontario cost roughly $45 west of the Ontario border. The result, says David Square, is that tobacco smuggling is now a thriving industry in western Canada.
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To validate a score based on clinical symptoms and signs for the identification of group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection in general practice patients with score throat. ⋯ An age-appropriate sore throat score identified GAS infection in children and adults with sore throat better than usual care by family physicians, with significant reductions in unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics. A randomized trial comparing the 2 approaches is recommended to determine the ability of the score approach to reduce unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics during routine clinical encounters.