Tobacco.org

One tobacco tax bill snuffed out; another smoldering 

One tax bill that will not be facing Gov. Gary Herbert's pen for approval or otherwise is a proposal to hike Utah's cigarette tax to $2 a pack.

SB40, sponsored by Sen Allen Christensen, R-Ogden, is one of two bills this session aiming to up the state's tobacco tax, which is currently among the lowest in the nation.

Christensen unsuccessfully argued the change, which would add $1.30 to the current rate of 69.5 cents a pack, is focused on health issues and could result in helping tens of thousands of Utahns kick the habit or avoid starting.

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• Kansas smoking ban passes, on its way to governor  

In a landmark move, the Kansas House passed a statewide public smoking ban Thursday and sent it to Gov. Mark Parkinson.

If Parkinson signs the legislation as expected, Kansas will join nearly 40 states that have some statewide restrictions on where smokers can light up.

The ban would go into effect July 1.

Today's vote was 68-54. Supporters said they were tired of waiting as ban proposals languished for years on the legislative agenda. . . .

In the end, supporters of the ban used a procedural move to force a vote on the legislation on House floor Thursday. Since the Senate has already passed the measure it now goes straight to Parkinson, who has said he supports a ban.

The proposed ban would prohibit smoking in bars, restaurants, workplaces, 80 percent of hotel rooms and taxi cabs. Casino floors, tobacco shops, private clubs and designated smoking rooms in hotels would be exempt.

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Columbus judge throws out enforcement of smoking ban against bar  

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge David E. Cain in Columbus has ruled that the state health department overstepped its legal authority in enforcing the state's smoking ban against Zeno's, a Columbus bar.

The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law defended Zeno's in the case without charge. Maurice Thompson, center director, said on Thursday, Feb. 25, that he expected the state to stop enforcing the law the way it has been against permit holders across the state, not just in Franklin County.

Attorney General Richard Cordray, however, is appealing the decision and has asked that enforcement of the ruling be delayed pending appeal.

In his ruling, time-stamped Monday, Feb. 22, Cain declined to rule on the constitutionality of the smoking ban but vacated citations issued against Zeno's.

Cain faulted the health department's policy of "strict liability" in enforcing the law against Zeno's. Inspectors cited the bar without taking into consideration "no smoking" signs, removal of ashtrays and requests that patrons stop smoking.

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• Judge rules bar shouldn't be held liable for customers flaunting state's smoking ban 

A Franklin County judge has ruled that the state went too far in punishing a Columbus tavern for violations of Ohio's smoking ban, saying it went after the bar without citing the individual smoker who broke the law.

Common Pleas Court Judge David Cain vacated 10 citations issued against Zeno's, but he stressed that he was not ruling on the constitutionality of the voter-passed law that generally prohibits smoking in indoor places frequented by the public.

Attorney General Richard Cordray has filed a notice of appeal with the 10th District Court of Appeals in Columbus. He has asked the appeals court to issue a stay preventing enforcement of Judge Cain's decision, which was issued Friday, until the appeal can be heard.

Lawyers for the tavern contend the order renders the state's smoking ban against businesses unenforceable and could overturn fines already issued. However, it remains unclear how Judge Cain's decision would apply to cases not in the same situation as Zeno's.

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Mark Daniels: Gillian Merron - You're a bit wrong 

I love it when Government ministers make sweeping statements that have no basis in fact at all.

Today, public health minister Gillian Merron MP made the slightly laughable statement that the smoking ban has not caused any pubs to close. In fact, she hailed the ban as a roaring success with over 80% of the general public actually supporting it.

I'm not a smoker - never even tried it - but I do not agree with the ban at all. I am, however, a big advocate of believing we should move on from it as a trade; sitting around waiting for it to be repealed will just mean that more pubs go under while they hope somebody comes round to see that, while smoking in shopping centres probably should be banned, smoking in public houses should have been thought through a lot more carefully.

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Orchard Park is going smoke-free  

The town is taking a smoking ban a step further by making the town parks tobacco-free, not just smoke-free.

The designation was made in conjunction with the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, which is providing signs for the town areas. The sign was designed by local graphics artist Michael Margolis and entreats park and beach visitors not to smoke or litter.

"We're looking for more opportunities to restrict smoking," said coalition coordinator Anthony Billoni.

Billoni said the coalition is seeking more areas that will be smoke-free to help make smoking less prevalent in the community. It's also trying to help the parks stay clean from dropped cigarette butts, while creating a better space for children.

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More parks face smoking ban  

The smoking ban at select city parks has been a success and city staff is recommending that the ban be applied to other parks in stages.

Smoking was banned in Del Crary Park, East City Bowl and Riverside Park nearly a year ago.

Both the city and the Peterborough County-City Health Unit then launched a public education campaign to make the public aware of the situation. Two "special events monitors" were hired to make sure everyone was following the new rules.

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Town takes 'smoke free' to new level  

Orchard Park is taking 'smoke free' to a whole new level, outside.

The town has now expanded its indoor smoking ban to banning tobacco, not just cigarettes, from its parks, beaches and other public recreation areas as well.

It is the first town to do so in Erie and Niagara Counties.

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Smoking ban request comes before council 

Some Bluffton High School students, making their first steps into the political process, asked the city’s Common Council Tuesday morning to consider banning smoking in public places.

It was a bipartisan effort, to boot. The Young Democrats group at the high school came up with the idea, and the Young Republicans signed on to it. Representatives from both groups presented the request to the council members.

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Smoking ban not on council agenda  

BOROONDARA Council has no plans to follow the lead of Frankston Council and ban smoking along shopping strips.

Frankston Council is introducing a trial of Victoria's first outdoor no-smoking zones.

Smokers defying the ban will be fined $110 during the six-month trial.

Boroondara's Jacqui Briggs said the council had not discussed trialling similar measures, although it was open to the idea if put forward by the State Government.

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• NYU Bans Smoking on Public Sidewalks Outside School Buildings 

NYU is stepping up its war on cigarettes by banning smoking on public sidewalks outside school buildings.

NYU will post notices on campus in the coming weeks about the plan to ban smoking within 15 feet of entrances, exits and air vents of all university buildings, NYU spokesperson John Beckman told DNAinfo.

The ban will be fully implemented by fall 2010 with campus Public Safety officers and school administrators enforcing the rule.

"Students have gotten into the habit of smoking right outside the entryways of buildings, especially Bobst Library," Beckman said. "Based on recent studies and events, we believe it can be dangerous and led us to think we should implement the 15-foot smoking ban across NYU."

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Profits up $17,000  

It's been almost two months since North Carolina went smoke-free, and some bars and restaurants in the East have seen their business increase.

In Morehead City, Ioanni's Grill is seeing green. Owner Jeff Turnage tells us that profits were up by $17,000 this January from last.

Turnage credits most of that gain to the smoking ban that went into effect across North Carolina on January 2, 2010.

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VIDEO: Tobacco Use Banned in O.P. Parks 

The battle for clean air is moving outdoors. Parks and recreation areas are the latest targets for anti-smoking advocates. The Town of Orchard Park is now the first municipality in Erie or Niagara counties to ban all tobacco use in their parks and recreation areas. It's a move some are applauding while others say it goes too far.

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Two more restaurants proposed for Valpo 

VALPARAISO * The city could be getting its second hookah lounge and its first indoor hot dog cart in the next couple of months. . . .

Issa Amer, one of the owners of hookah lounge, said the restaurant would serve minimal food from a variety of cuisines from the Mediterranean area. It would include gyros, shishkabobs, lamb and hummus dishes along with desserts like baklava and soups.

"The price will be the most reasonable restaurant in town because we are dealing with (Valparaiso University) students, and we want to make it affordable for them," Amer said. . . .

"There will be six filtering systems in the ceiling that will be changed every month," he said.

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VIDEO: Tacoma cigar bar back in business, despite state smoking ban  

As it turns out, cigar smokers can pay a price to store their stogies and light up in Tacoma's El Gaucho lounge, in spite of a statewide indoor smoking ban.

The sagging economy took a big bite out of El Gaucho owner Paul MacKay's restaurants.

"I would say 2009 was the worst year of my life of everything going south," he said.

MacKay closed two of his upscale eateries and laid off more than 50 employees. That's on top of losses suffered since the statewide indoor smoking ban forced him to shut his cigar lounges.

"(In) Seattle, we lost a million and a half million in Tacoma," he said.

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