Tobacco.org

• Pricey fight over ban expected 

Backers of a statewide smoking ban say they expect to be outspent by opponents in what's expected to be a hard-fought campaign after deciding Thursday not to appeal a judge's ruling. The decision makes the prospect of a November vote more likely.

However, Attorney General Marty Jackley says he and Secretary of State Chris Nelson will meet today to discuss a possible appeal. A decision is likely within a week.

Jackley said the American Cancer Society's decision not to appeal "is certainly a consideration" as he and Nelson decide the state's course. . . .

If, as Don Rose suggests, the state follows the cancer society's lead and decides not to appeal, the 2010 referendum will follow. Opponents of the ban such as Rose say this is what they've wanted all along. Rose owns Shenanigan's Pub, is a district director of the Licensed Beverage Dealers of South Dakota and was a key organizer of the referendum petition drive that ended up before Trandahl after the Cancer Society challenged the validity of thousands of signatures.

"A vote of the people is what they should have done in the first place," Rose said.

"Our deal was we always wanted to be able to let the people vote," added Mark O'Neill, president of the Licensed Beverage Dealers of South Dakota.

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[SLIDESHOW] Students, faculty light up to protest tobacco-ban  

Even on a UK men's basketball game day, the usual chants of students were altered in response to the tobacco-ban—"C-I-G-S, CIGS, CIGS, CIGS!"

Under clouds of smoke, more than 100 smokers and non-smokers gathered to protest the campus-wide tobacco ban UK implemented Thursday by continuously using tobacco products in front of Patterson Office Tower and on the Student Center patio.

The ban prohibits the use of cigarettes, pipes, cigars and chewing tobacco, and extends to all properties owned by the university in Fayette County.

“What are they going to do? Tell me that I can’t smoke?” said Robbie Moore

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Butt out: Health agency kicking smokers out in Tumwater  

Smokers for a long time have been unwelcome in or near the doors of public areas, including state agencies.

But the new decree announced today (Wednesday) means that beginning in mid-May, visitors and state employees cannot use smokeless tobacco, cigarettes and other tobacco products at the state Department of Health's headquarters and campus in Tumwater.

A similar rule is in effect at the state's Public Health Lab in Shoreline, and next year it will apply to DOH's four buildings, parking lot, parking garage and grounds in Tumwater.

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• The science behind moving smoking bans outside  

Reflecting on the existing scientific research on second hand smoke exposure outdoors, William Saletan of Slate.com sifts through the most relevant points from two major studies on the subject (the 2006 California Air Resources Board study, and a 2007 study from Stanford). Among the findings: outdoors, second hand smoke levels vary widely and quickly, depend on the individual's distance from a smoker (farther than 6.5 feet or 2 meters, generally reduces exposure to "background" levels), are influenced by how confined the outdoor space is (if there are walls or fences), and the concentration of smokers in a given area. The data, Saletan concludes, point to the need for a measured approach for crafting policy to reduce second hand smoke exposure outdoors. He writes:

"If you want to argue for parkwide smoking bans based on asthma or on an analogy to noise pollution, go ahead and make that case. But let's not cloud that debate by invoking the general harm of secondhand smoke. Studies of secondhand smoke have indeed moved outdoors. Their findings support restrictions on lighting up within a few feet of other people. But they don't warrant more than that."

A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene may contribute to the debate. Researchers from the University of Georgia measured second hand smoke exposure among people sitting in the outdoor areas of bars and restaurants where indoor smoking was banned in the city of Athens, Georgia. . . .

generally speaking, hanging out in an outdoor smoking area exposes you to less second hand smoke than being in an indoor, confined space with smokers, and the more space you have between yourself and smokers, the lower levels of exposure you will have. So, this particular study doesn't ring the death knell for outdoor smoking. But, the researchers point out, wielding the official trump card of the public health argument:

Although the increment in cotinine concentrations and, thus, the [second hand smoke] exposure levels were relatively low at the sites of interest, the current view is that there is no level of personal exposure to [second hand smoke] that can be regarded as safe. This study demonstrates the ongoing exposure of nonsmokers to [second hand smoke] outside restaurants and bars, and the limitations of indoor smoking bans alone in protecting the public from exposure to [second hand smoke] outside these establishments.

In other words, the movement to ban smoking in outdoor spaces is here to stay.

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Lights out at hospitals  

Hospitals across southwest Florida are banning smoking completely. It's impacting more than just employees, like Adrienne Jones. She used to smoke a pack a day.

"Our lunch hour, smoke as many as you can instead of eating," admits Jones.

That attitude stopped a year ago when her 42-year old husband, also a smoker, suffered a heart attack.

"It was sudden," said Jones. "We didn't expect it, we didn't know he had a bad heart."

Health concerns are the main reason her employer, Lee Memorial Health System, is installing a tobacco ban on all their properties starting November 19.

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SMOKE FREE  

In conjunction with The Great American Smoke Out, an annual event aimed at helping people quit smoking, Westfield Memorial Hospital will become a tobacco-free campus today. According to a press release from the hospital, the new policy will prohibit the use of any type of tobacco product such as cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco anywhere on the hospital's grounds, and the policy will affect all employees, physicians, visitors, patients, volunteers, vendors and other medical staff.

"As a healthcare provider, we were going to do it for a year, but we had so many changes with the Berger Commission that we didn't want to do it until now," said Tina Newell, a community educator at Westfield Memorial Hospital.

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LETTER: Lose the cigarettes, gain more customers  

I find it offensive to enter or exit any building that stinks from smoke. Actually, I won't go into a shop or restaurant if I have to endure the odor. Several years ago Beverly Hills had to make the same decision. Business owners were worried that business would be lost to neighboring cities. There was no negative effect on businesses and it is a pleasure to dine smoke free, both inside and out.

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• American Cancer Society Won't Appeal Smoking Ban Ruling 

American Cancer Society South Dakota Government Relations Director Jennifer Stalley says, “It is appropriate that today, on the 34th annual American Cancer Society Great American Smoke Out—a day dedicated to helping smokers quit—the American Cancer Society, along with more than fifty diverse public health, business and medical groups, will begin in earnest our statewide effort to support the smoke free law on the November 2010 ballot and ensure that no one has to choose between their health and their job in our great state."

“We are confident that the vast majority of South Dakotans support this law and that by this time next year –the 35th annual Great American Smoke Out—South Dakota will be a smoke free state.”

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Bald Head Island considers adding to smoking ban 

Bald Head Island may soon take advantage of the state's new anti-smoking law by putting its own ban into effect.

The state law will forbid smoking in most bars and restaurants and will also allow local municipalities to broaden their own smoking bans. It goes into effect Jan. 2.

The ordinance being considered at Bald Head Island in Brunswick County would ban smoking in any government building and government grounds, in any government-owned or government-controlled vehicle, and in any public place, defined as an enclosed area to which the public is invited or permitted.

Private homes and vehicles, tobacco shops, cigar bars, private clubs, designated smoking rooms of a lodging establishment and actors "portraying the use of tobacco products" would not be affected.

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• Cancer Society says it won't appeal smoking ban appeal decision 

Officials for the American Cancer Society in South Dakota say they won't appeal a court decision that will now send a smoking ban in South Dakota bars, restaurants, casinos and other businesses to the vote of the people in 2010.

The announcement by the Society's government relations director Jennifer Stally came on the 34th annaul American Cancer Society Great American Smoke Out Day. Stalley said in a news release that the Cancer Society "will begin in earnest our statewide effort to support the smoke free law on the November 2010 ballot and ensure that no one has to choose between their health and their job in our great state."

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• University's smoke-free plan first in country 

The University of Auckland will become the country's first smoke-free university next year.

From January 1, smoking will be banned on all Auckland University campuses and outdoor spaces, including places previously designated as smoking areas.

In a revision of its smoke-free policy, the university decided the old policy was not combating risks to non-smokers from passive smoking.

Staff and students were asked for their views on three options - maintaining the status quo, banning smoking within 10m of buildings and facilities or total prohibition.

Seventy-five per cent of those who responded supported total prohibition

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• University's smoke-free plan first in country 

The University of Auckland will become the country's first smoke-free university next year.

From January 1, smoking will be banned on all Auckland University campuses and outdoor spaces, including places previously designated as smoking areas.

In a revision of its smoke-free policy, the university decided the old policy was not combating risks to non-smokers from passive smoking.

Staff and students were asked for their views on three options - maintaining the status quo, banning smoking within 10m of buildings and facilities or total prohibition.

Seventy-five per cent of those who responded supported total prohibition

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UPDATE (9:33 am): Purdue to become smoke free except in limited areas July 1  

Purdue University's West Lafayette campus will become smoke free except in limited areas beginning July 1.

The campus-wide policy was announced Thursday (Nov 19) - coinciding with the 33rd annual Great American Smokeout - following input from faculty, staff and students. The new policy will limit smoking to limited designated campus areas and will prohibit smoking in all vehicles owned or leased by Purdue.

"Following feedback from a campus-wide survey as well as meetings with severalcampus groups, we modified the proposed policy from one that called for a total ban to one that will allow smoking in a few areas," said Al Diaz, executive vice president for business and finance, treasurer. The responsibility for choosing those areas will fall to Diaz.

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Syracuse hospital exteriors appear smoke free during the first hours of ban  

Syracuse, NY -- It appears as if Onondaga County's ban on smoking within 100 feet of hospital property is working at Crouse and Upstate University hospitals, which implemented it this morning.

There are bright yellow signs announcing the ordinance on the sides of the buildings and on fences. While cigarette butts line the sidewalks of those hospitals like the aftermath of long-gone parties, there were no smokers to be found near the hospitals this morning.

A drive around the hospitals at 8:15 a.m. uncovered no smokers. A block away, seven smokers were found an hour later in a private parking lot behind Varsity Pizza on Crouse Avenue. The lot is surrounded by buildings and not visible from the street.

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UK, Louisville Begin Smoking Bans  

Smoking was officially snuffed out Thursday at the University of Kentucky with the start of a strict tobacco-free policy everywhere on the sprawling campus in the heart of burley tobacco country.

The ban includes outdoor areas and applies to chew, pipes, cigars and snuff as well as cigarettes.

Kentucky is the nation's leading producer of burley tobacco, an ingredient in cigarettes, and will keep plenty of ties to tobacco, even with the ban.

Its College of Agriculture offers production advice to tobacco growers and the school is home to a research center that is seeking new commercial uses for tobacco.

The new policy was welcomed by nonsmoker Kelly Stilz, a senior from Louisville.

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