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EDITORIAL: Finally, much-needed clarity on smoking ban 

Federal Judge Janice Graham Jack got it right in removing the immediate holdup on the city's smoking ban while giving the opponents of the ordinance that will prohibit smoking in city restaurants the opportunity to make their case later.

The plaintiffs in the case will have to make a more compelling case than they have presented so far. Jack wasn't impressed. The judge, in her order lifting the temporary injunction, noted that other cities have passed similar bans and the legality of all those bans has held up.

But the restaurants will have their day in court to build on their argument that their businesses will be harmed by the ordinance that prohibits all tobacco smoking in any city restaurant. In the meantime, the ordinance will go into effect on Monday as the City Council has ordered and as good public health demands. . . .

Let the opponents have their day before the judge. On Monday, though, the citizens of Corpus Christi will have their opportunity to dine in any city restaurant in a smoke-free atmosphere.

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Tobacco fight back in court today 

The smouldering five-year battle between the province and Canadian big tobacco companies flares up again today in the B.C. Court of Appeal.

The provincial government is appealing a ruling by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ronald Holmes in June of last year dismissing B.C.'s second attempted lawsuit to recover tobacco-related health-care costs from three tobacco companies (Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd., JTI-Macdonald Corp. and Rothmans Benson & Hedges Inc.), the council that represents those companies and five non-Canadian tobacco companies.

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New B.C. government to continue NDP's lawsuit against big tobacco 

British Columbia's new Liberal government will proceed with a lawsuit against tobacco companies to recover the health-related costs of smoking. British Columbia was the first province to sue the tobacco industry for costs in a suit that was launched by the former NDP government.

Attorney General Geoff Plant said Wednesday the government will now forge ahead with the action after the case went into a holding pattern during the recent provincial election.

"We're driving that lawsuit," said Plant.

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Health Groups Applaud BC's Leadership in Tobacco Control 

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