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Springfield smoking ban targeted by group hoping for repeal 

Opponents of the expanded smoking ban that took effect in June say they've gathered more than enough signatures to put a repeal of the ordinance before Springfield voters.

The group Live Free Springfield, which campaigned against the smoking ban before it was passed in April, has been circulating petitions seeking a repeal since November.

"As of right now we have over 4,000 signatures," said spokesman Dave Myers. "That shows a lot of support from a lot of people that are really seeing the effects of this ban."

According to City Charter, signatures from 2,101 registered Springfield voters -- 10 percent of the vote total in the most recent mayoral election -- are needed to send the initiative petition to City Council.

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Mo. AG says tobacco payment loophole causing big problems 

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster says the state legislature's inaction on a tobacco payment loophole has placed the state in "terrible and unnecessary peril."

For a third time, Koster is asking the legislature to repeal a flaw in the state's tobacco escrow statute, writing to each member of the Legislature on Jan. 25. Koster says a state law related to the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement allows companies that pay concentrate their sales in Missouri to recover almost the entire amount they put into an escrow fund designed to help with medical costs caused by smoking.

The other 45 states that signed the MSA have taken care of this issue, Koster says. Tobacco companies must either sign the MSA or put funds in escrow accounts.

"Missouri stands alone in its coddling of these non-signatory cigarette producers," Koster wrote.

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Missouri Attorney General Calls on Legislature to Pass Bill Closing Tobacco-settlement Loophole  

For the third consecutive year, Attorney General Chris Koster is calling on the Missouri General Assembly to pass a law to close a critical loophole in the tobacco master settlement agreement Missouri and 45 other states signed in 1998. Missouri is the only state left that has not closed the loophole – a situation that could potentially cost Missouri past and future settlement funds of more than $1 billion.

A state law related to the settlement agreement requires tobacco companies that did not participate in the settlement to set aside funds in escrow each year that could pay states’ claims against the companies in the future. But a gap in the law’s drafting led to unintended consequences, allowing companies that concentrate their sales in Missouri to recover almost the entire amount of the money they put into escrow at the end of each year. While every other state of the 45 states participating in the settlement has corrected this error, Missouri’s legislature has failed to act year after year

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Mo. AG urges changes to tobacco escrow law  

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster is renewing a call for lawmakers to change a state law related to a 1998 settlement with big tobacco companies . . .

At issue are state laws that require companies not participating in the settlement to pay money into escrow funds based on the amount of cigarettes they sell.

The escrow accounts are intended to cover any future lawsuits. But Koster says Missouri's law contains a loophole that allows much of the escrow money to be refunded to the tobacco companies.

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• Areas with most smoking-related illness have most exemptions to smoking ban 

Many establishments that are exempted from St. Louis County's public-smoking ban are in areas with the highest incidences of smoking-related illnesses, according to an analysis by Tobacco-Free St. Louis. It also argues that the exemptions could undo the health benefits of the Clean Air Act and that they are unfair to the majority of county establishments that have banned smoking.

According to the group, 56 of the exempted establishments are in north county. Another 41 are in south county, 29 are in west county and the remaining 20 are in the mid-county region, including the smoke-free communities of Clayton, Brentwood and Kirkwood.

Dr. Stuart Slavin (right), a member of Tobacco-Free St. Louis, stressed that the group isn't arguing that illnesses related to smoking would vanish without the exemptions.

"But what's striking to me is that if you look at illnesses that may be smoking related, whether it is heart attacks or hospitalization for chronic lung diseases, you will find significantly greater risks and rates in north county," Slavin said.

He also said that many residents of north county may lack adequate access to health care and "can least afford to suffer from these problems."

He added, "We aren't saying this is the cause of health disparity. But it certainly is one that's contributing, and it's easy to fix. It simply requires an act of the County Council, and these exemptions would disappear."

No council members were available to comment on the analysis, which shows that the 56 exemptions are in districts represented by Democrats Hazel Erby of University City, Kathleen Kelly of Overland, and Council Chair Michael O'Mara of Florissant. Kelly and O'Mara have raised questions over the years about the ban.

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STILL: Cigarettes, Internet can help fill gap 

I urge all area legislators who care about the University of Missouri and all university leaders to join in support of legislation I will be filing to raise the cigarette tax. This proposal would add about $396 million to the state’s budget for education and would go to a vote of the people for ratification because of our state’s strict Hancock law. Missouri has the lowest cigarette taxes in the country, the fourth-highest rate of lung cancer and more pregnant women who smoke than any other state. Research indicates a higher tax on cigarettes reduces the number of teenagers who start this deadly habit, and my proposal would bring our rate closer to the tax rates of surrounding states but still well below the national average. I urge MU leaders to speak up on this issue for the sake of the university and the health of our citizens.

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Tobacco Free St. Louis Pushes for Complete Smoking Ban  

Tobacco-Free St. Louis will push the St. Louis County Council to expand the current smoking ban in the county to eliminate exemptions to the 2011 Clean Air Act.

Businesses eligible for smoking bans include casinos, Lambert International Airport and bars where food makes up a small percentage of sales. The airport later went smoke-free despite its exempt status.

The group made the announcement during a press conference Thursday morning at Three Kings Public House in University City.

The group said there are currently 145 exemptions to the ban with the majority of those (56) coming in the North County area. There are 20 exemptions in mid-County, 41 in South County and 29 in the West County area.

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Bar exemption sought on Indiana smoking-ban bill 

Haggling over whether to allow exemptions for bars and more smoking areas at casinos as part of a statewide smoking ban in Indiana has pushed back debate among House members, the bill's sponsor said Thursday.

Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, said he's trying to work with fellow legislators, adding that debate on possible amendments will begin Friday or Monday.

"We're trying to reach a conclusion on minimizing the number of exemptions and still passing the bill," Turner said.

The current bill would prohibit smoking in nearly all public places and workplaces, including bars. It would continue to allow smoking on casino gambling floors and at fraternal and veterans clubs, cigar and hookah bars and retail tobacco shops.

Some House members plan to seek additional exemptions for bars and all buildings on casino property.

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St. Louis County Council open to changing exemptions to smoking ban 

St. Louis County Council Chairman Mike O'Mara said Thursday that the county's year-old smoking ban ordinance "needs to be tweaked" and that he's open to suggestions for eliminating exemptions to the ban.

"A year has gone by, and there are still small neighborhood businesses being hurt by it — and we need to sit down come up with something better," O'Mara said. "It's not an even playing field for all small businesses. Part of the solution is eliminating some exemptions."

O'Mara, D-Florissant, made his comments in response to a call Thursday morning by community leaders working with the Tobacco-Free St. Louis Coalition to eliminate exemptions.

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Maryville University bans smoking on campus 

Maryville University's main campus became a smoke-free environment beginning this month.

The university, located in Town & Country, has not allowed smoking in buildings on the main campus for some time. Now, it is not allowed on the grounds of the main campus.

Smokers may have a cigarette in their cars or off campus.

The university has put several programs in place to encourage students and employees to quit their tobacco use.

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Fight Over Missouri's Cigarette Tax Heats Up; Lung Association Gives State Failing Grade  

The state earned an "F" for tobacco prevention and control (spending just $58,693 last year to prevent tobacco use statewide); an "F" for smoke-free air (with legislators refusing to pass a statewide smoking ban and prohibitions in St. Louis and St. Louis County allowing people to continue to light up in bars and casinos); an "F" for its 17-cent per pack cigarette tax (the lowest in the nation) and an "F" for it cessation efforts with Missouri spending 53 cents per smoker when the CDC recommends at least $10.53 per smoker.

For those keeping score at home, that's an "F" in all four categories, earning Missouri the worst marks possible. Yet just like those New Year's resolutions to quit smoking, hope springs eternal in Jefferson City. And in the past six weeks, the Secretary of State's Office has approved wording for some 14 different ballot initiatives that -- if they get enough signatures by May -- could land on the November ballot. . . .

It's worth noting that Missouri voters rejected similar ballot proposals in 2002 and 2006 that would have raised the state's cigarette tax. Could 2012 be the year those same voters finally break the habit and move from the back of the class?

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Mo. Gets Another F For Anti-Smoking Work  

For the fourth straight year, the American Lung Association for Tobacco Control has given Missouri a failing grade for its efforts to get people to stop smoking.

The organization's report said that the state isn't funneling enough of its tax dollars toward anti-smoking efforts. It said that despite receiving $40 million in tobacco settlement money, Missouri has allotted only about $58,000 to pay for tobacco control programs.

Missouri is widely considered one of the most tobacco-friendly states. Last week, Mo. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan approved a ballot referendum petition from the American Cancer Society that asks voters to support a tax of 3.65 cents per cigarette to fund anti-smoking education programs. It also wants to levy a tax of 25 percent on roll-your-own tobacco and 15 percent on other tobacco products.

Experts argue that states can save significant amounts of money in health care by investing money in programs that fight smoking.

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Missouri senator seeks older age limit on tobacco sellers  

A Missouri senator wants to bar stores from letting clerks younger than 18 sell tobacco products.

Sen. Shalonn "Kiki" Curls, a Kansas City Democrat, told a Senate committee Wednesday that allowing teens under 18 to sell tobacco could make it easier for minors to start smoking or chewing at a young age.

She said clerks younger than 18 also have a difficult time turning down buyers who are also younger than 18, potentially allowing minors to purchase tobacco products.

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Report focuses on secondhand smoke 

A Clean Air St. Joe study found that on average, bars and restaurants in St. Joseph that allowed smoking registered an EPA Air Quality rating of "unhealthy." Smoke-free facilities registered "good" air quality.

Volunteers with the smoke-free organization measured the amount of fine particulate matter air pollution at 18 St. Joseph public locations on June 17, and again on Dec. 9. They stayed for a meal or a drink on a Friday or Saturday night at each spot and used a SidePac device to measure the quality of the air. The devices were then sent to the University of Missouri's Campus-Community Alliance for Smoke-Free Environments (CASE) group for analysis. . . .

Members of Clean Air St. Joe, Dr. Robert Stuber and Stanley Cowan, a research aide for CASE, used the results of the study at a luncheon Tuesday at Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art to re-emphasize the harm of secondhand smoke.

"If this were just an array of eye, ear, nose and throat irritations, we wouldn't be here," Mr. Cowan said. "It's a real threat to nonsmokers."

Sitting in a restaurant that allows smoking for two hours produces the same effect on your lungs as smoking four cigarettes, Dr. Stuber said during his health presentation. Sit for four hours, and that increases to a half-pack of cigarettes.

St. Joseph's results proved typical for cities without a ban

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• Missouri secretary of state approves tobacco tax increase petition 

The heat is on to increase Missouri's relatively low tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan approved a ballot referendum petition for circulation by the American Cancer Society.

Although several draft petitions have already been approved by the secretary of state for possible inclusion on next November's ballot, cigarette tax increase proponents are trying to hedge their bets in 2012 by circulating multiple proposals.

The latest petition asks voters to support a tax of 3.65 cents per cigarette to fund anti-smoking education programs. The same position would also levy a tax of 25 percent on roll-your-own tobacco and 15 percent on other tobacco products.

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