Tobacco.org

LPD soon to be smoke-free 

Soon, Lincoln police officers and department employees who smoke will have to wait until they get home. For years, police officers haven't been able to smoke inside the department, while they're on calls or in their cruisers. But they have been able to have a smoke during their 15-minute breaks and they have been able to chew tobacco.

As of May 1, that will change and officers and civilian employees will not be allowed to smoke or use chewing tobacco while on duty. . . .

Many employees had quit smoking at work long ago, Casady said. He's more worried about those who chew tobacco, some of whom do that instead of lighting up. But there is another solution.

"We're not banning the nicotine patch," he said.

Jump to full article »

We're not banning the nicotine patch.
Police Chief Tom Casady, who has banned on-duty officers in Lincoln, NE, from smoking and tobacco-chewing.

Bars attack smoking bill 

But if the state of Illinois has its way, he might no longer enjoy all three at the same time. The Senate this week pushed along a bill that would allow municipalities to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

Keys thinks do-gooders are sticking their noses where they don't belong. For the past 10 days, the 39-year-old salesman has been tirelessly spearheading a tavern petition drive hoping to persuade lawmakers to stop the fast-track legislation.

"I just don't understand it," Keys said while sipping a beer at the Trolley, an old shot-and-beer joint on Farmington Road. "It just doesn't pass the common-sense test."

The bill seeks to change the Illinois Clean Indoor Air Act of 1989. Though the act limits smoking in government buildings and workplaces, it also prohibits municipalities from setting more stringent rules on bars, restaurants and bowling alleys.

Jump to full article »

EDITORIAL: Widen the effort to ban smoking 

The effort to snuff out smoking in Kansas City area workplaces will require bold leadership on both sides of the state line. The progress so far is somewhat encouraging, but the effort is not widespread enough to protect public health.

In good news Friday, a Lawrence Municipal Court judge ruled that the city's smoking ban is constitutional. . . .

A report released this month by the Harvard School of Public Health concisely explains the health and economic effects of smoking laws. An evaluation of the Massachusetts ban concluded that average levels of indoor air pollution had dropped by 93 percent in restaurants and bars, while patronage and sales-tax revenues went up slightly.

These results support a comprehensive ban that would protect the health of Kansas City area residents but not undermine the economic vitality of restaurants and bars.

Jump to full article »

ORGAIN: Don't let Illinois tobacco settlement cash go up in smoke 

The Master Settlement Agreement is a dedicated funding stream for tobacco education, prevention and cessation initiatives. Even in difficult times of budget deficits, Illinois and other states have a moral obligation, especially to our children, to use a reasonable portion of this money for this purpose.

Because the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians believes that there is no better investment than the future health and economic well being of our state, we urge Governor Blagojevich to create a fully funded, comprehensive tobacco-use-reduction program in his next budget and for the General Assembly to approve it.

Jump to full article »

Smoking bans making headway 

Efforts to adopt legislation to ban smoking in restaurants is making headway in some of our communities.

In Auburn, the DeKalb County seat is in the midst of a spirited debate over a smoking ban. A community forum on the subject was held on Thursday and another session on the proposal will be held on April 21.

In Steuben County, two Angola women proposed a restaurant smoking ban for the entire county, not just Angola or any of the towns in the county.

In Noble County, there is a polite way of telling restaurant owners and managers one doesn't appreciate smoking in their particular establishment.

Jump to full article »

• To smoke or not to smoke... 

Although no course of action has been yet implemented under 'The Smoking and Tobacco Control Act- 2005' since the law came into effect on March 26, it is alleged that a few police officers harass smokers citing the law.

As three young boys, puffing cigarettes, were taking a rickshaw ride along Elephant Road last week, a patrol police officer stopped them and demanded Tk. 50 each as fine for violating the law although smoking in non-motorised vehicles is no violation.

The boys, however, managed to get out of the situation by paying Tk.100 in total but the officer did not give them any acknowledgement. . . .

The law imposed a ban on smoking in public places, public transport and on the advertisement of tobacco products. Common people expressed mixed reactions about the law and it is observed that smoking in public places has reduced dramatically.

Jump to full article »

City inspectors enforce smoking ordinance 

HARLINGEN -- City inspectors have not dealt with many fuming business owners since a much-debated no-smoking ordinance went into affect April 2.

Environmental Health Director Dan Serna said three city health inspectors have already started to enforce the no-smoking ordinance, but have yet to find any violations.

"My inspectors haven't come back indicating that anyone has been in violation," he said. "They have been doing health inspections of food establishments and have been letting owners know that the ordinance is in place and that it will be enforced."

Jump to full article »

A light between flights going up in smoke 

Starting April 14, popping out of the airport for a quick smoke during a layover may be a thing of the past.

That's when the Transportation Security Administration will start enforcing a new rule that bans airline passengers from having lighters in their pockets, purses or carry-on luggage.

Jump to full article »

Preston woman works to prevent tobacco addiction 

On Dec. 22, 1997, Brenda Sanchez lay in a hospital bed, promising God she would quit smoking if she lived through the night. . . .

Sanchez has terminal Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is any combination of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.

Before diagnosis, she swam six days a week, boated, and danced. When she was 53, she developed a terrible morning cough. . . .

She continued to smoke for two years after her diagnosis, until the heart attack opened her eyes. . . .

Soon, she became involved with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the Prince William County, Va., school system. She spoke to classes one day a year. She learned even the rowdiest students calmed down to listen to her. Students hugged her, and sent her thank you cards.

Public speaking is not easy.

Jump to full article »

LETTER: Abuse of anti-smoking law 

I bring to your kind notice the extreme abuse of anti-smoking law by a section of police and mastans at various places. I was abused a few times though I was smoking in an open space or road, not near any human being. I showed two newspaper cuttings, one English and one Bangla but without any success. It is clearly written what is meant by 'public places' and where smoking is allowed. A few Bangla newspapers are misinterpreting the meaning of 'public places' by translating it into 'Prokashshey' which is absurd.

I hope your newspaper will publish clear write-ups on the anti-smoking law to remove any misunderstanding on it, which will be a very good effort and will help chain smokers like me to cut down gradually without being harassed here and there.

Jump to full article »

• WHY IS PREGNANT DEMI SMOKING? IS ASHTON UPSET? 

According to an eyewitness, on March 27, Demi and Ashton stepped outside while attending a get-together and headed to their car for a nicotine fix. "Demi walked out of the party with a lighter and cigarette, and Ashton followed, carrying a beer," says the source. "Demi looked like she was sneaking her cigarette since she and Ashton made such an effort to hide by their car."

Friends of the couple say that Ashton has tried to convince Demi that smoking may not be good for her but his own inhaling habit hasn't made it any easier for Demi. In addition, studies show his secondhand smoke could be harmful to a baby as well (see sidebar, in current issue). "Ashton is upset that Demi continues to smoke," says a source. "But Demi is having a difficult time quitting altogether especially since Ashton still smokes." So why would Demi -- a mom already of three girls with her ex-husband Bruce Willis -- be smoking if she's pregnant? One source close to Ashton says she thinks that Demi is deathly afraid of getting fat and that's why she is smoking up to a half-pack of cigarettes a day.

Jump to full article »

Woman injured when cigarette ignites fire 

A 25-year-old woman suffered serious burns to her head and arms when she tried to put out a fire caused by a cigarette she was smoking while driving Thursday, authorities said.

Kristina Flores of Ojai was driving north on Highway 33 south of Stanley Avenue about 8:45 a.m. when she dropped her cigarette inside the car, said Steve Reid, a spokesman with the California Highway Patrol.

Jump to full article »

• Smoking ban debate heats up 

Lincoln would lose about $1.5 million in state funding because of the city's total smoking ban, under an amendment offered to a statewide no-smoking bill.

If the Lincoln City Council and voters want to ban smoking in bars and restaurants then it only seems fair to Omaha Sen. Pat Bourne that the city shouldn't be benefiting from the cigarette tax.

After all the federal government withholds federal highway funding when states refuse to go along with specific speed limit or seat belt laws, Bourne pointed out.

The Lincoln City Council disregarded the economic impact on individual business when it enacted a total smoking ban in both bars and restaurants, Bourne said.

Perhaps his amendment, which would affect the city's budget, will give Lincoln leaders "pause and make them mindful of the impact this action has on businesses," Bourne said.

Jump to full article »

• US District Court has Denied R.J. Reynolds' Motion to have Patent Infringement Suit by Star Scientific Dismissed and Clears Way for Discovery 

Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI) announced today that the United States District Court for the District of Maryland has rejected R.J. Reynolds' motion to have Star Scientific's patent infringement case against Reynolds dismissed on the basis that the Court lacked jurisdiction.

Star Scientific filed suit against Reynolds in May, alleging that Reynolds was infringing Star Scientific's patented method to substantially prevent the formation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) during the tobacco curing process. Reynolds had argued that the Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case because Reynolds contended that infringement had not occurred between the issuance of Star Scientific's patent and the filing of the lawsuit. In an opinion dated November 19, the Court ruled that Reynolds' argument that the Court lacked jurisdiction was "specious."

The Court also rejected R.J. Reynolds' request that certain allegations in the complaint be stricken. The Court found that Star Scientific's allegations that Reynolds and others in the tobacco industry have long known the potential significance of TSNAs in cigarettes, but have made no serious attempts to prevent them until Star Scientific's breakthrough technology, "directly relate to RJRT's motivation to infringe" the patent.

As a result of the Court's decision, Reynolds will be required to respond to the complaint within ten days and discovery in the case will proceed.

Jump to full article »