Tobacco.org

• Housing authorities ban indoor smoking 

Alan Pape doesn't like going into smokers' apartments. But as the maintenance mechanic for the North Bend City/Coos-Curry Housing Authorities, it's part of the job.

"When you have to stand in them for two or three hours at times and breathe in second-hand smoke -- I know it's not good for me," Pape said.

By March, Pape won't have to worry about nicotine-stained walls or smelling like an ash tray at the end of the day.

The two boards of commissioners for the housing authorities adopted a no-indoor-smoking policy for the apartments and buildings they own. The Woodland Apartments Preservation Inc. and Powers Housing Development Inc. -- apartments managed by the housing authorities -- also passed the same policy. The agencies provide section 8 and low-income housing North Bend, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point, Coquille and Port Orford. Woodland and Powers have units in Empire and Powers. Ned Beman, the executive director of the Housing Authorities, said the policy will likely impact 475 residents. He estimated that about 21 percent smoke.

The policy bans smokers from lighting up inside units or other buildings owned by the agencies. Those who smoke will be allowed to -- but outside at least 10 feet from a neighbor's door. It goes into effect on March 1.

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• Cigarette smoke wafting onto neighbor's patio brings lawsuit 

This is the story of two neighbors and a dispute over secondhand smoke in the Sacramento suburb of El Dorado Hills.

It seems like a minor story, especially with everything that's wrong in California: . . .

In short, the state is a disaster. You'd think with all those problems that a dispute between neighbors over cigarette smoke wouldn't generate much interest but it has garnered more response in the local newspaper than anything the paper has reported in recent memory --and frankly, the Sacramento Bee has been doing a bang-up job uncovering all sorts of graft, waste and corruption in state government. Does this story resonate at the national level? Here's the deal:

A California couple has filed a lawsuit seeking relief from their next-door neighbor's second-hand cigarette smoke.

Richard and Donna Ganguet were the first to move into a gated community for people age 55 and older. That was 2006. Today, they claim the cigar and cigarette smoke wafts into their yard from the property of neighbor has caused an intolerable situation. . . .

The responses --over 600 on the newspaper's website-- are all over the board. . . .

I had a problem a few years ago with heavy smoking neighbors. No amount of pleading would get them to take their smoke somewhere other than directly into my windows.

I fixed the problem by putting an old piece of fish in a bowl, hooking up a small, quiet fan right behind it, and placing the rig right next to the fence. Worked like a charm - inside two days, the neighbors moved their smoking area away from my side and didn't come back to it.

Don't get mad, get even.

What do you think? How do you resolve this problem between two neighbors?

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• Apartment building going smoke-free  

Russell Chandler has smoked for more than 50 years, but he is willing to curb his habit to be more neighbourly.

He is one of approximately 90 tenants of the South Chatham Village Apartments who will have to adapt to a smoking ban coming effect at the apartment complex, Jan 1, 2010.

"There's no hard feelings that they're doing that," Chandler said.

Martin Vanderzwan, chairman of the apartment's board of directors, said the smoking ban has been motivated by reducing the risk of fire and reducing the known health effects of secondhand smoke.

He said most of the residents responded to a survey on implementing the ban.

"It was almost unanimous that we should have a nonsmoking policy," Vanderzwan said.

There are 67 units in the building, including seven or eight units occupied by smokers, he said.

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Push to limit smoking rekindled  

The controversial legislation -- first introduced by Supervisor Chris Daly last year and now being pushed by Supervisor Eric Mar -- would forbid smoking in a slew of new settings, adding to existing bans in bars, restaurants, parks, transit stops and taxicabs.

The bill would expand no-smoking zones to include farmers markets and the outdoor seating areas of restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. Smoking would also be prohibited while waiting in lines at ATMs, theaters, athletic events and concert venues.

Apartment buildings and other multiunit residences would also have new areas with no-smoking signs. Smoking would be prohibited in common areas of apartment buildings, including hallways, elevators, parking lots, lobbies, waiting areas, bathrooms, laundry facilities and recreation areas.

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Menlo Park City Council weighs tougher smoking ordinance - 

The City Council may consider a new smoking ordinance as soon as January that could ban lighting up in apartment and condominium buildings.

At a study session last week, council members agreed that the city's existing 16-year-old ordinance needs updating and should likely include more restrictions on smoking. However, most council members said they are not yet ready to go as far as Belmont, where a law banning smoking in multilevel residential buildings went into effect at the beginning of the year.

"I would like to look at that more," Vice Mayor Richard Cline said at the Oct. 27 study session, referring to a total ban on smoking in such buildings. "I think it requires a heck of a lot more work."

Councilwoman Kelly Fergusson, however, said she is ready to support such prohibitions after hearing researchers and community members speak about the dangers of secondhand smoke.

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Agencies ban smoking 

The North Bend City and Coos-Curry Housing Authorities have adopted a no-smoking policy for the apartments and buildings they own.

Also, the Woodland Apartments Preservation and Powers Housing Development adopted a no-smoking policy earlier this month.

The no-smoking policy will go into effect March 1.

Residents will be allowed to smoke outside their units 10 feet from their neighbors' doors. They will not be allowed to smoke inside the units or other buildings owned by the agencies.

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• El Dorado Hills couple sues neighbor over cigarette smoke  

"In a senior community, you think we'll all be compatible and have the same values," said Richard Ganguet, a retired El Dorado County sheriff's deputy.

But three years after settling into their single-family home in El Dorado Hills' Four Seasons development, the Ganguets are suing their next-door neighbor over cigar and cigarette smoke they say wafts into their backyard and house.

Because of the smoke, the couple say, they no longer sit on their patio. They also try to sandwich in swims in the side-yard lap pool between their neighbors' smoking sessions.

Doug Smith, attorney for the neighboring homeowner, Florence Solone, said the issue is a trivial one that should be resolved by neighbors talking with each other, not with a lawsuit in El Dorado Superior Court.

But disputes between neighbors over secondhand smoke are increasingly making their way into courtrooms and city council chambers.

With smoking banned in workplaces, restaurants and bars, Californians are less willing to tolerate the smell of smoke in their houses or backyards, said Robin Salsburg, a staff attorney with the Oakland-based Public Health Institute's Public Health Law and Policy program.

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Menlo Park council considering beefed up smoking ordinance  

The Menlo Park City Council may consider a new smoking ordinance as soon as January that could ban lighting up in apartment and condominium buildings.

At a study session Tuesday night, council members agreed the city's existing 16-year-old ordinance needs updating and should likely include more restrictions on smoking.

However, most council members said they aren't yet ready to go as far as Belmont, where a law banning smoking in multilevel residential buildings went into effect at the beginning of this year.

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Fire deemed an accident 

The fire in a Branford College suite last Thursday was an accident, New Haven fire marshal Joseph Cappucci said Tuesday, and the Fire Department will not pursue legal action against the students involved. Branford Master Steven Smith said any potential disciplinary decisions will be handled by the Executive Committee.

Cappucci attributed the brief blaze to a “carelessly discarded cigarette.” The Yale College Undergraduate Regulations ban smoking in suites. But until Tuesday, a policy on Yale Council of Masters Web site stated that smoking was allowed in an upperclassmen suite if all residents agreed to permit it. Yale College Dean Mary Miller said the posted policy was out of date and did not match Yale College regulations or a 2003 Connecticut statute prohibiting smoking in dormitories.

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• Almost half of all Victorian smokers still light up around children 

Almost half of Victoria's cigarette smokers still light up around children, despite an increase over the last decade in the number of homes that enforce a no-smoking policy.

New research released today by the Cancer Council Victoria found significant improvement in the efforts of parents to keep tobacco smoke away from their kids.

In 1998 just over half of surveyed households had home smoking bans, but in the latest survey just under three quarters of respondents to a phone survey said their household's regular smoker always or usually smoked outside.

If there is a child in the house, it is even more likely (82 per cent) the smoker will go outside.

However the researchers said it was not an even trend. Parents were much more likely to protect their children from cigarette smoke when they were aged under five. There was a belief that as their child gets older they are better able to tolerate or avoid smoke exposure. Also, households in lower socio-economic areas were less likely to enforce home smoking bans.

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Adults still smoking around children 

FOUR in 10 Victorian smokers continue to light up around children, new figures show.

Data released from a Cancer Council Victoria survey of 4,500 people also reveals 11 per cent of regular smokers either usually or always smoke inside the home, even if living with children.

Royal Children's Hospital pediatrician Dr Rob Roseby said smoking increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and elevates the risk of contracting meningococcal disease by a staggering 700 per cent. . . .

A new Quit ad campaign on the dangers of exposing children to secondhand smoke will air in Victoria from Sunday.

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Menlo Park to consider strengthening smoking ordinance  

The City Council is considering changes to its 16-year-old smoking ordinance that would make lighting up more difficult for residents.

The council is expected to discuss restrictions on smoking in apartments and condominiums as well as tougher punishments for those who sell cigarettes to children at a study session tonight.

"The question is really do we want to modify our ordinance to include greater restrictions than are provided by state law?" City Attorney William McClure said. "It could go the whole gamut." . . .

A group of high school students recently came to the council and reported they successfully bought cigarettes at some Menlo Park retailers, Fergusson said.

"We need to give law enforcement the tools to stop these criminals from poisoning our children," she said.

Tonight's study session begins at 7 in the Council chamber at 701 Laurel St.

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• Smoking debate sparks new row 

Smokers are being told to stub it out in their OWN homes before any visit by council staff. The move by Moyle District Council is designed to protect employees from exposure to second-hand smoke.

But it was slammed as "ludicrous" last night by lobby group Forest, who warned other local authorities across Northern Ireland were likely to follow suit.

The smoking ban, introduced in May 2006, covers all enclosed public places as well as the workplace.

But the legislation did not include any reference to extending it to people's homes.

The new policy in Moyle, which covers areas including Ballycastle, Cushendun and Bushmills, stipulates:

"Where council employees are required to work or visit other premises that are not entirely smoke-free, all reasonable arrangements will be made to minimise exposure to second-hand smoke.

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Govt amends 'workplace' clause  

While Government is seeking a complete ban on smoking in public and workplaces, it wants to make sure that private residences are not captured in the Tobacco bill which has penalties ranging from a $10,000 fine to $500,000 fine and imprisonment.

Government has therefore amended the definition of workplace to specify it only includes homes "where such residences or vehicles are also used for commercial purposes".

Speaking in the Tobacco bill in the Senate yesterday, Health Minister Jerry Narace stated: "This amendment is to ensure that the definition of workplace does not capture domestic workers, as our policy is not to make private residents subject to this Bill, other than when such residences are used for commercial purposes". . . .

Under the bill there would be a complete ban on smoking in public transportation terminals, workplaces, retail establishments, including bars, restaurants and shopping malls, clubs, cinemas, concert halls, sports facilities, pool and bingo halls, publicly owned facilities rented out for events; and any other facilities that are accessible to the public.

The bill also prohibits any person from smoking within 15 metres of any place that caters primarily to children, such as schools, children's playgrounds and amusement parks.

The bill also prohibits the publicising of the name of a sponsoring entity where tobacco sponsorships, tobacco advertising and promotion are present. "As such, tobacco companies are permitted to sponsor events but they cannot take any overt credit for such sponsorship," Narace said.

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HILTS: Smoke-free housing complex in Lambton is long overdue  

If you have ever lived in an apartment you know the smell of second-hand smoke wafting into your dwelling can be enough to make you sick.

In fact, second-hand smoke kills.

Lambton County's smoke-free housing proposal got the green light from a standing committee. A decision by council is expected on Nov. 4. It's a project long overdue in this county. . . .

County council needs to approve this non-smoking project to protect the health of its residents. Affordable housing tenants deserve to have a healthy home.

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