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SANTA CRUZ: UPDATE: COUNCILWOMAN SAYS RESPONSE TO SMOKING BAN MOSTLY POSITIVE  

Santa Cruz residents are no longer allowed to smoke outdoors in certain areas of the city under a new ban that took effect this week.

A new ordinance, approved by the City Council on Sept. 22, prohibits smoking on Pacific Avenue, Beach Street between the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Third Street, and West Cliff Drive.

"Research is showing that secondhand smoke is a serious health problem," Councilwoman Katherine Beiers said. "Many, many people from the community have asked for this over the years and finally we have the support to do this."

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Strict New Santa Cruz Smoking Ban Goes Into Effect  

Santa Cruz residents will not be allowed to smoke outdoors in certain areas of the city under a new ban that took effect Thursday.

A new ordinance, approved by the City Council on Sept. 22, prohibits smoking on Pacific Avenue, Beach Street between the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Third Street, and West Cliff Drive.

Smoking is also now illegal in city parks, on the Municipal Wharf and in all outdoor dining areas in the city.

The new rules will also bump up the number of smoke-free hotel rooms

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• ACT govt cracks down on smoking outdoors  

Smokers will be banned from lighting up in outdoor areas where food and drinks are served under new laws being proposed by the ACT government.

It will force smokers to move at least two metres away from eating and drinking areas if they want a cigarette.

The move - mirroring similar measures in Queensland and Tasmania - is about ensuring a smoke-free workplace for waiters and waitresses, the ACT government says.

But Health Minister Katy Gallagher concedes businesses have a tough time ahead should the laws be passed.

Under the draft laws, any outdoor area where food or drinks are served must remain smoke-free, with restaurants, cafes, clubs and pubs - not the smokers - facing fines if they don't toe the line.

Ms Gallagher said she expected opposition from industry groups, but maintained no worker should be exposed to smoke in their workplace.

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The Upside of Outside Smoking at Work 

Today's idea: Lest we go too far in banning outdoor smoking, consider how it promotes cross-departmental camaraderie at work, a columnist suggests.

Work * What's next? "Who Moved My Marlboros?" "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Chimneys"? In his Financial Times column, Michael Skapinker doesn't quite propose a new line of management books. But, frowning at New York's move to ban smoking at beaches and parks, and wondering where this all could lead, the London-based nonsmoker says consider what smokers clustered out at sidewalk entrances or in parking lots contribute to our workplaces -- "apart from killing two people a day," that is.

"They form a particular subculture," Skapinker reasons. "Forced into each other's company, they seem a more congenial bunch than most people at work."

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The Butt Stops Here  

As Montana bars dealt with their first smoke-free weekend since the state's indoor smoking ban went into effect, ingenuity ruled. In Missoula, according to a great piece by Michael Moore in the Missoulian, the Rhino Bar gave smokers their very own place to light up: a Butt Hutt, created by Dave Golden of Well Done Welding and Jim Bell, a general contractor. Moore describes the hut as a 4-by-8-foot "metal smoking dugout" in the alley behind the Rhino in Missoula. . . .

Other bars will almost certainly be devising plans and smoking spots of their own in the coming months. (NewWest.net would love to hear about the solutions you're seeing out there.)

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Entrepreneurs Build 'Butt Huts' as Solution to Montana Smoking Ban  

Two enterprising men think they have a good solution to a new state law prohibiting smoking inside public places.

The two are partnering to build metal smoking dugouts that can be placed outside businesses so smokers have a place to puff without violating the law and without exposing themselves to the weather.

"I call it the Butt Hut, but it's a dugout," welder Dave Golden said.

He and partner Jim Bell have built just one Butt Hut, which is now behind the Rhino Bar in downtown Missoula. But they believe other bars may soon come calling for their own.

The Butt Huts are about 4-by-8-foot and open on both ends, with a solid roof and a Plexiglas front window. It has a bench seat wide enough for five or six people.

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MT indoor smoking ban creates confusion over "smoking shacks" 

Now that the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act is fully implemented, some business owners are employing new ways to accommodate smoking guests - but many proprietors may not know what the state requires when it comes to building "smoking shacks."

Because the law is so new, there's still a lot to learn, so what officials are doing is looking at what state law defines as an "enclosed room" and working from there.

By definition of the law, an enclosed room has a door and walls that reach from floor to ceiling, so an area for smokers outside of a bar or casino needs to be completely open with no door, but officials will need to evaluate each area on a case by case basis.

Alicia Thompson, executive director of the City-County Health Department, noted, "There isn't a real straight, clean answer at this time because there are so many unknowns as to how it's going to be implemented, and we do have to coordinate with the liquor boards and everyone else."

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Smoking laws: thumbs up? 

The National Council Against Smoking says it has received positive feedback from the public about the new anti-smoking laws.

Parts of the Tobacco Products Control Act came into effect six weeks ago.

One of them prohibits smoking in partially enclosed areas such as verandas, patios and balconies.

The council's Peter Ucko said people have been accommodating.

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Great Falls business one step ahead of smoking ban 

Montana bars and casinos will soon be required to go smoke-free, and some businesses are preparing for the big day by taking extra steps to accommodate their smoking customers.

Once the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act goes into effect next week, smoking customers at the City Bar in Great Falls will still have a place to go, thanks to owner Brad Watson.

Watson has commissioned an eight-by-ten foot "smoking lounge" that will be able to house six or seven people at a time. He admits building a new area for smokers outside his bar is a bit of an expense, but he says it's worth it.

Watson noted that he has a lot of regulars that smoke, and reports that they are glad that he's building what some are calling a "smoke shack."

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David Hockney joins smoking debate 

Internationally renowned artist David Hockney has joined East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight's campaign for designated smoking areas in pubs and restaurants.

Hockney, who is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, said he is "angry" and "fed up of being treated like a child" by the law which came into force two years ago.

He also said: "I don't believe the second hand smoke stuff for one bit."

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David Hockney backs calls for smoking rooms and 'loathes' Brown and Blair for banning it 

David Hockney said he loathes the Labour Government for interfering in his life by introducing the smoking ban.

The 72-year-old British artist, who is a lifelong smoker, is backing a cross-party group of MPs who want the ban to be relaxed to allow people to light up in designated rooms in pubs.

Hockney told the BBC's Politics Show that he was appalled to find that his local cafe in east Yorkshire no longer even allowed people to smoke at tables outside because they were frightened that smoke would waft inside and breach the law.

He said Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair were responsible and added: 'I loathe them for it.'

Hockney also took a swipe at the Government's nanny state attitude.

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David Hockney 'loathes' Labour over smoking ban 

The 72-year-old British artist, who is a lifelong smoker, is backing a cross-party group of MPs who want the ban to be relaxed to allow people to light up in designated rooms in pubs.

Hockney told the BBC's Politics Show that he was appalled to find that his local cafe in east Yorkshire no longer even allowed people to smoke at tables outside because they were frightened that smoke would waft inside and breach the law.

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Artist Hockney attacks smoking ban 

Artist David Hockney has said he loathes the Labour government for interfering in his life by introducing the smoking ban.

The 72-year-old, who is a lifelong smoker, is backing a cross-party group of MPs who want the ban to be relaxed to allow people to light up in designated rooms in pubs. . . .

He said Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair were responsible and added: "I loathe them for it." Hockney also took a swipe at the Government's nanny state attitude. He said that if ministers had told the late TV chef Keith Floyd to give up rich food, alcohol and cigarettes in order to live longer "he would have said to them that's not what I call living." "That's what someone should say to Brown, to his face - what on earth are you doing?"

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• VIDEO: Hockney calls for 'smoking rooms' 

British artist David Hockney is backing calls for a review of the smoking ban which he says is destroying "bohemia".

The 72-year-old lifelong smoker is supporting moves by a cross-party group of MPs to amend the UK smoking laws.

They want people to be able to light up in designated smoking rooms to prevent pubs that are losing trade closing.

Mr Hockney told the BBC's Politics Show he missed being able to smoke in his favourite cafe in East Yorkshire while admiring the view.

He accused former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his successor Gordon Brown of interfering in his life and said: "I loathe them for it."

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• Stringent anti-smoking measures needed 

Convincing teenagers to stop smoking is a tough issue for both parents and authorities at their educational institutions. Most of the teens who smoke don't show the habit while in educational institutions or at home; a majority of them smoke in public places where there are no restrictions.

"I have a right to smoke in public places, as do non-smokers to be in those public places," said Khalid Ahmed, a 23-year-old student from India.

"I took up smoking when I was 15. Since I could not smoke at home for fear of getting caught and there is no such places where we can smoke freely near my residence, like the Smokers Area at airports, I have to stick to smoking in public places," said 17-year-old Rizwanur Rahim also from India.

The setting up of smoking zones in public places has also sort of legalized smoking, a situation teenage smokers have taken advantage of, according to 19-year-old Tanweer Chowdhury from Bangladesh.

Smoking places are now located in shopping complexes, restaurants, hospitals and other public places. . . .

Saudi Arabia ranks fourth in the world in tobacco imports and consumption. More than 15 billion cigarettes, worth $168 million, are being smoked by Saudis and expatriates every year, according to figures of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Health Ministers Council.

The Saudi Ministry of Health said that there are currently 35 anti-smoking clinics in the Kingdom

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