Tobacco.org

• Ban on Shisha Cafes Goes into Effect in Ajman 

The ban on shisha cafes in residential areas in Ajman went into effect on Sunday. The new law also bans smoking in all public areas.

Ajman Municipality has begun implenting the ban and shisha cafe owners have been asked to comply with the law and take necessary actions to ensure the ban is complied with.

Yahay Al Reyaysa, Head of the Trade License Department, said the new law issued by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, prohibited the operation of coffee shops serving shisha and smoking in residential areas.

"The new law also bans smoking in public areas," he said.

The civic body has stopped issuing commercial licences to new applicants and all exiting shisha cafe owners have been notified of the ban and ordered to vacate their premises in accordance with the law, said Al Reyaysa.

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Ajman implements smoking ban in public areas 

Ajman Municipality has begun the implementation of smoking ban in public areas and the ban on issuance of commercial licences to coffee shops in residential areas.

The move is in line with President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's decision on banning smoking and the sale of tobacco and its products in public areas.

Yahya Al Rayaysa, Assistant to Director General for of the Commercial Licensing Department at the municipality, said the department has already started taking the necessary measures to implement Shaikh Khalifa's decision on smoking ban

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Crime in districts on rise 

UNB, Barisal reports that a mobile court in a drive at the Barisal town on Monday fined 14 people for smoking in public places. The mobile court led by Administrative Magistrate Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman launched anti-smoking drive at Fazlul Huq Avenue, Port Road, DC Office, Post Office, land revenue office Court Compound areas of the town on Monday noon. The court fined 14 people Tk 50 each as there were found smoking in public places.

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Our view: Erie needs stop-smoking, anti-obesity campaigns 

Michelle Obama wants America's children to shape up. Erie's largest employer wants workers to quit smoking.

From the White House to GE Transportation, these efforts to improve our health are welcome initiatives in our region, where a recent report found that Erie does not fare well on a nationwide health scorecard.

County Health Rankings, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, examined health factors and outcomes in all 50 states.

Erie ranks 30th out of 67 Pennsylvania counties for overall health, but we're 61st out of 67 counties in the percentage of adults who smoke, the percentage of children who live in poverty, and in the amount of air pollution. . . .

And if more evidence is needed about health and the economy, consider this: A study of GE's smoking cessation program found that the average employee who quit saved $3,400 a year.

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Woman Falls Asleep While Smoking, Lights Apt. on Fire 

PUEBLO - A cigarette butt was the cause of a fire that destroyed a 6-unit apartment building Friday afternoon.

The fire broke out at the intersection of Amherst and Oxford St. in Pueblo, just a couple of blocks from the State Fair Grounds at about 2:00pm. . . .

"She stated she was asleep and had been smoking in bed," he explained. The woman was transported to St. Mary Corwin Hospital with burns. Her condition is unknown.

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Your Views: Smoking tax is a losing battle 

Why is the state broke? It is so easy to put a tax on anything at all, so why don't they tax something else?

If everyone quit smoking, like they want, the state would lose $250 million in taxes. Why don't they go ahead and make them illegal if they are so bad for people?

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Health Minister hosts International, Regional and Local Tobacco Control Organizations 

Senator the Honourable Jerry Narace Minister of Health hosted several representatives of international, regional and local tobacco control organizations at the Ministry of Health’s Head Office on March 03, 2010. Those present at the meeting included Ms Lorraine Fry, General Manager of the Non-Smoker’s Rights Association of Canada, Ms Barbara McGah, Project Manager of the Caribbean Tobacco Control Project, and representatives of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society. The meeting was held to facilitate an exchange of learnings regarding tobacco control, including the achievements made by Trinidad and Tobago in implementing tobacco control legislation. The information shared at the meeting will provide guidance on the way forward to all the parties involved.

Ms. Lorraine Fry took the opportunity to congratulate Minister Narace and the citizens of Trinidad & Tobago on the proclamation of parts of the Tobacco Control Act on February 17, 2010

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Smoking violations dropping steadily since ban enacted 

Warnings and fines for violations of the state smoking ban have steadily declined in Findlay and Hancock County, showing that businesses are complying or smokers are simply getting more savvy about not getting caught.

According to Craig Niese, a Findlay Health Department sanitarian, Findlay has received 161 complaints about smoking violations since the state ban started three years ago. The department has investigated 123 of those. So far, 18 warnings have been issued and 11 businesses have been fined.

Findlay warnings and fines in 2007, the year the law went into effect, totaled 19; eight in 2008 and three last year, Niese said. All fines were issued to bars.

Dave's Hideaway, at 1730 Lima Ave., has been fined four times

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• Smoking ban planned in American Samoa 

Smoking will be banned in workplaces, buses and taxis, restaurants and all public places in American Samoa under planned new legislation.

A person who smokes in a no smoking zone would be subject to a fifty US dollar fine.

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How tobacco shoppers think 

With the shadow of tobacco 'going dark' looming over the grocery sector we know that there are a lot of questions retailers will have about the impact on their sales. But the following information will demonstrate how important the tobacco shopper is to a convenience retailer.

It probably comes as no surprise that the tobacco shopper spends more per trip than the average shopper in c-stores as cigarettes are a high ticket item. However, the difference in spend may shock. HIM's 2009 Convenience Tracking Programme research shows that the average non-tobacco shopper spends nearly £5 a trip but the average tobacco shopper spends more than double that.

CTP 2009 research also reveals that cigarette shoppers spend almost the same on other purchased items as part of the same trip as non-tobacco shoppers spend per trip in total. Not only that, tobacco drives footfall. The average shopper visits their c-store 3.5 times per week on average, but the tobacco shopper visits 4.1 times.

It is also worth remembering that about 20% of c-store shoppers buy tobacco, making it one of the top penetration categories, and that while tobacco is often referred to as a low-margin category in percentage terms, the cash margins earned on it make the category one of the most profitable to the retailer.

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Lily Doesn't Care, She'll Illegally Smoke With A Chest Infection!  

What sort of stupid point was Silly Allen trying to prove?

The hard-pAArtying singer gave the middle finger to the UK smoking ban and lit up a cig during her performance at Manchester's MEN Arena on Friday!

Even though Allen has bronchitis!

Real smart.

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Clearing out the smoke: New law looms as their top project 

Area anti-smoking advocates say promoting Wisconsin's new smoke-free law will be their top project this year, along with discouraging the sale of tobacco to minors and educating the public.

About 25 people from Sauk, Richland, Juneau and Adams counties gathered in a conference room at the Sauk County Sheriff's Department for the kickoff of the South Central Wisconsin Tobacco Free Coalition. The regional group replaces efforts such as the former Sauk County Tobacco Free Coalition.

Those present included public health directors from all four counties, health educators from institutions such as Baraboo and Mauston high schools and Adams-Friendship elementary schools and concerned citizens.

Coalition Coordinator Blair Weyer of Juneau County said their big project this year is helping businesses prepare for the July 5 deadline when most public indoor locations must go smoke free in compliance with state law.

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BUTTERWORTH: Big Tobacco sailing through tax loophole 

A large and looming loophole in Florida's tobacco policy is a goose that's laying golden eggs for the newest member of the Big Tobacco club: Dosal Tobacco. And while Dosal plays politics to protect its golden goose, Florida's taxpayers are paying the bill for Big Tobacco's free lunch. . . .

If Dosal refuses to conduct itself appropriately, perhaps it is time for the state to take the company to court as it did the other faces of Big Tobacco. Dosal markets the same product, creating the same health risks as other cigarette companies, and Florida should hold it to the same standards. It is time to finish the job Florida started in 1997, and make all of Big Tobacco pay.

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Clean Up day targets 'e-waste', smokers 

CLEAN Up Australia Day founder Ian Kiernan has stepped up calls for national laws to crack down on e-waste producers, as more than 1 million Australians rolled up their sleeves for the annual litter bust. . . .

Mr Kiernan said almost 7.2 billion cigarette butts were dropped each year, leaving a "toxic cocktail" that took five years to break down.

And the number is growing, despite a decrease in smoking. Mr Kiernan attributes this to bans on smoking in public areas, which are forcing smokers on to the street. He has called for more facilities to dispose of butts.

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Time to get tougher on smokers? 

What would you think about a total smoking ban in all public places across Spain?

It’s not happened yet but all the indications suggest it will soon become a reality and almost certainly before the end of 2010.

The proposal is already causing controversy but the Government of Spain has reinforced its desire to toughen up the present smoking laws and says it is working hard to achieve political consensus. It was hoped to introduce the new legislation in the first part of this year but a firm date has yet to be announced.

Tenerife would be affected by the new law which would see a total ban on lighting up in public places which would include bars, restaurants, leisure centres etc.

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