Tobacco.org

Charges tied to smoking in front of children  

A Clarence man was arrested late Monday afternoon after being accused of pushing his wife during an argument over his smoking in front of his asthmatic children.

Erie County Sheriff's Deputies Robert Rine and James Bauer arrived at the Hillcrest Road residence to find Jeffrey Andruschat, 40, smoking in front of the children.

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Coffee shop caters only to smokers 

An entrepreneur in Croatia has opened a coffee shop for smokers to demonstrate opposition to the new anti-smoking law.

Rajko Ivanovic from the eastern town of Djakovo has placed a sign in front of his Pan Coffee Shop saying "For Smokers Only".

He told daily newspaper Vecernji List he wanted to demonstrate his opposition to the new anti-smoking law, which bans smoking in coffee shops.

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Enforcement of underage sales laws as a predictor of daily smoking among adolescents - a national study 

Conclusion

Federally mandated enforcement efforts by states to prevent the sale of tobacco to minors appear to have made an important contribution to the observed decline in smoking among youth in the U.S. Given similar results from long-term enforcement efforts in Australia, other countries should be encouraged to adopt the World Health Organization Framework on Tobacco Control strategies to reduce the sale of tobacco to minors.

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• Cigarette Butts - Tiny Trash That Piles Up 

For her and countless other American smokers, cigarette butts are an exception to the no-littering rule. "Aren't cigarettes biodegradable?" volunteered Libby Moustakas, a co-worker who was enjoying a smoking break with Ms. Scott.

But dozens of municipalities across the nation have had enough. Weary of the butts' unsightliness and the costs of sweeping them up, cities have passed bans on smoking on beaches and playgrounds. In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom said last week that he would go a step further, seeking a 33-cents-a-pack tax to cover the $11 million that the city spends annually to remove cigarette litter.

Nationally, cigarette butts account for one-quarter or more of the items tossed onto streets and other roadways, San Francisco and other cities report.

Nathan Ballard, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom, described this as a predictable outcome of poor product design. "There is no good practical way of dealing with cigarettes," he said. "You have a fiery object in your hand and so you have to throw it down and crush it under your heel. And then we have to clean it up."

In her defense, Ms. Scott, the Chicago executive, pointed out that her city does not provide enough receptacles . . .

For many environmentalists, the problem is not just the litter, but the toxicity.

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• Caterers Will Sue Croatia Over Smoking Ban  

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Since May 6, when the smoking ban was applied in all catering objects, a drastic drop of business has been recorded, the Guild of Caterers and Tourism Employees, as well as the Croatian Chamber of Commerce`s Trade Guild told a press conference, without announcing any specific figures on the drop.

- The law was planning to protect non-smokers, but the legislative body did not have caterers in mind. I do not support violating the law, but I understand the colleague from Slovenia, who paced a sign reading “Smoking allowed” on his cafe – Mato Topic said.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce is preparing a Constitutional lawsuit against Croatia, because the same conditions for all caterers have not been introduced. Those objects which do not have terraces, where smoking is allowed, cannot host smokers.

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• Tough anti-smoking measures split Croatia 

Croatia now has one of the strictest anti-tobacco laws in the Balkans region and not everyone is happy about it.

"I am aware that cigarettes are not good for health and can bother others, but this is my luxury, a moment of relaxation," said Zeljko, a 40-year-old male nurse, sitting outside a Zagreb cafe.

"In the Balkans, it is also a question of mentality," he boasted, brandishing a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

The World Health Organization backs this up. Thirty to 40 percent of all adults in the Balkans are inveterate smokers, its figures show, hooked on a habit the WHO -- which marks "World No Tobacco Day" on Sunday -- considers a major cause of premature death.

But owners of Croatian drinking holes fear the new ban on public smoking has come at the worst possible time for their businesses, with the country already grappling with the global financial crisis.

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New Virginia Poll: 71 Percent of Voters Strongly Support FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products 

A new statewide poll of registered voters finds that 71 percent of voters support Congress passing a bill to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products. The U.S. Senate is expected to debate this issue next week, and Senators Webb and Warner will play a key role in determining whether Congress will finally pass this life-saving legislation.

"Senators Webb and Warner have a critical role to play in ensuring that strong FDA tobacco regulation is enacted into law," said Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "We urge Senators Webb and Warner to vote for the bill when it's on the floor this year."

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Malawi’s Tobacco Price Climbs 16 Percent on Quality (Update1 

The average price of tobacco in Malawi, the world’s largest producer of the burley variety, climbed 16 percent last week on improved quality, the Tobacco Control Commission said.

Tobacco sold for an average of $1.51 per kilogram (2.2 pounds) in the week ended May 22, compared with $1.30 a week earlier, the agency said in a statement handed to reporters on the auction floors of Limbe today. The price is still below the government-mandated price of $2.15 per kilogram, it said.

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• Fast-food restaurants to become smoke-free zones as of June 1 

The Kingdom’s fast-food restaurants will officially become smoke-free zones as of June 1, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

In a statement sent to The Jordan Times, the Health Ministry said the decision was taken in collaboration with the Jordan Restaurants Association (JRA), as part of a plan to declare all restaurants smoke-free by the end of this year.

JRA President Zeid Goussous said the association is still conducting a study on the impact of the law before implementing it in tourist restaurants, noting that they “still need more time to study its effect on business”.

“It is easier to implement the law in fast-food restaurants,” Goussous told The Jordan Times yesterday, adding that the decision and the implementation mechanism will depend on the results of the study.

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• WHO tells governments to put images of 'sickness and suffering' on cigarette packs 

Cigarette packages should include images of sickness and suffering caused by tobacco, along with written warnings, the World Health Organization said Friday.

The U.N. agency urged governments to make people more aware of the health consequences of smoking. It said most countries still do not warn consumers of the risks on packages of cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco.

"Health warnings on tobacco packages are a simple, cheap and effective strategy that can vastly reduce tobacco use and save lives," said Dr. Ala Alwan, a senior WHO official. "Warnings that include images of the harm that tobacco causes are particularly effective at communicating risk and motivating behavioral changes, such as quitting or reducing tobacco consumption."

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Smoking ban bill clears full Senate 

Smoking in bars and casinos would be prohibited under legislation endorsed Thursday by the Senate.

The Senate voted 22-10 for the proposed law after senators rejected separate amendments seeking to remove bars and casinos from the ban.

When the state adopted the Louisiana Smoke Free Air Act in 2006, smoking was banned in restaurants but allowed in bars and casinos.

“This bill puts everyone on equal footing … restaurants, bars and casinos,” said Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Grosse Tete, sponsor of Senate Bill 186. “It’s the right thing to do so one business is not put at a disadvantage over another.”

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OUR VIEW: North Carolina strictly limits smoking, but not Alabama 

maybe it will shame those Alabama lawmakers who have been toadies to the tobacco industry for so long and for no good reason. We won't bet on that one. Our lawmakers have an awfully high shame threshold.

The issue, of course, is a statewide law to ban smoking in public places, restaurants and bars. The need for such a policy isn't punitive. The need is based in scientific research that shows secondhand smoke is dangerous.

The news that should encourage Figures even while it fails to shame Alabama lawmakers is that North Carolina, the nation's largest grower of tobacco, has approved a law that will prohibit smoking in restaurants and bars. The bill was signed by Gov. Bev Perdue just last week.

What North Carolina officials understand that Alabama officials don't is that preventing death and disease from secondhand smoke not only helps North Carolina's citizens, but it saves the state a lot of tax dollars used to treat people injured by inhaling tobacco smoke.

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Outdoor smoking ban may go up in smoke 

Round three of the smoking war on Pennsylvania's state-owned college campuses goes to the smokers, but the fight is not over.

Spokesmen on both sides of the issue says the impact of a May 18 ruling by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board remains uncertain.

Furthermore, a court appeal is probably on the way, according to Kenn Marshall of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

The labor relations board ruling issued last week vetoes a PASSHE interpretation of the state's Clean Indoor Air Act that outlawed smoking outdoors as well as indoors.

The ruling overturns a March ruling by a hearing examiner that dismissed a claim of unfair labor practices by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.

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TBJ poll: Two-thirds favor smoking ban 

Nearly two-thirds of The Business Journal's online readers participating in an unscientific survey said they support the state's ban on smoking in public places.

Out of 312 respondents to the poll, 198 people, or 63 percent, said they were in favor of the state law passed earlier this month that bans smoking indoors, including in nearly all bars and restaurants.

Another 103 readers, or 33 percent, said they opposed such a ban, and 11 respondents, or 4 percent, were unsure.

A sample of comments from readers:

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Puffing Away in Public 

In 2006, the Jakarta administration issued a bylaw banning smoking in public places, such as malls, restaurants, cafes and offices. The bylaw also required building management to provide designated smoking areas. The regulation specifies that violators can face fines of up to Rp 50 million ($4,850), but it appears to have been poorly enforced.

Ridwan Panjaitan, head of the law enforcement unit of the Jakarta Environmental Board, cited a lack of human resources as one reason the ban has not been enforced more effectively.

Johannes, at least, is aware of not forcing his habit on others and considers where he is before lighting up.