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Committee releases anti-smoking plan 

The cost of a pack of cigarettes could increase, more cities could enact smoke-free policies for public places and more schools could ban smoking on campus under a five-year anti-smoking plan unveiled today.

The plan was drafted by the Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Committee, which organized six months ago after voters approved its creation and funding last November under Measure 3.

Kathy Mangskau, who chairs the nine-member committee, said the five-year plan will seek to reduce youth smoking and prevent more from picking up the habit while helping addicted adult smokers to quit.

North Dakota levies a 44-cent excise tax on packs of cigarettes, which is about a dollar less than the tax levied in surrounding states. The committee is looking for support to raise that tax to $2 per pack by June 2013.

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Action for a Tobacco Free North Dakota 

Quick review of Tobacco related bills voted on during 2009 ND Legislature

SB 2063 Measure 3 Appropriations Bill which will set up a comprehensive statewide tobacco control and prevention plan and fully fund the program as recommended by the U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention Bill Passed

HB 1368 Fire safe cigarettes- Reduced ignition propensity standards for cigarettes; to provide a penalty; and effective date Billed Passed

HB 1213 Amends 23-12-10 relating to smoking restrictions in public places and places of employment. As written this bill will not allow smoking in hotel/motel rooms or bars. Billed failed

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Details of N.D. tobacco panel’s plans to cut smoking 

TOBACCO TAX: North Dakota’s tax on a pack of 20 cigarettes would rise from 44 cents to $2, with a proportional increase in state taxes on other forms of tobacco, including smokeless, pipe and chewing tobacco. The tobacco tax has not increased since 1993. If the Legislature declined to approve the tax increase, it could be offered to voters directly as an initiated measure.

SMOKING BANS: The North Dakota Legislature and local communities will be pushed to ban smoking in all workplaces and places of public assembly, including bars and outdoor arenas. The plan sets a goal of having five communities with comprehensive smoke-free ordinances by June 2013.

LOCAL SCHOOLS: At least half the North Dakota’s school districts would not allow tobacco use within school buildings or on school grounds at any time. . . .

COLLEGES: Eleven North Dakota colleges would have tobacco-free policies. Eight already do, according to Kathleen Mangskau, chairwoman of the anti-tobacco advisory board.

HELP IN QUITTING

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Tobacco tax jump proposed 

The advisory board also wants to ban smoking in businesses and places where people gather. Smoking in bars and outdoor stadiums would be outlawed. The board wants to meet those goals within five years.

North Dakota voters approved the board’s formation last November. It is financed by money from a state lawsuit settlement against tobacco companies.

Former state Health Department tobacco prevention director Kathleen Mangskau chairs the board.

Mangskau says North Dakota is known as the “ashtray of the upper Midwest”

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ND tobacco board to outline no-smoking plan  

A North Dakota advisory board is outlining its plans to cut tobacco use in the state.

The proposal is likely to include suggestions for raising North Dakota's tobacco tax, and a ban on smoking in bars.

North Dakota voters approved the board's formation last November. It is independent of the state Health Department, and it is financed by money from a state lawsuit settlement against tobacco companies.

Board members are holding a news conference in the Capitol on Tuesday to discuss their proposals.

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Ordinance would mean butts out for smokers  

Hettinger is considering an ordinance that would not allow smoking in public places.

Since last year, City Council members have discussed snuffing out smoking in bars, truck stops and motels.

Mayor Gary Friez said residents called concerning smoking in such places, prompting the council to look into the idea.

“There was a state deal that was going to be in effect that would say you could not smoke in bars,” Friez said. “That didn’t pass so now we’re looking into doing it ourselves.”

The state bill would ban smoking in public places statewide but was killed in late February.

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Smoke-free advocates urge statewide ban 

Area health professionals and smoking ban advocates celebrated a full year of clear air in Fargo and West Fargo bars and restaurants by urging a statewide smoking ban.

“It’s a big deal. It gives us a milestone,” said Dr. Byrum Cartwright, chairman of the Smoke-free Air for Everyone coalition, during a news conference Wednesday at Labby’s Grill and Bar in north Fargo.

Cartwright said that he was embarrassed that the state Legislature “has dragged its heels” on enacting a comprehensive statewide indoor smoking ban.

“Cities in North Dakota are lining up to say this is what we want,” Cartwright said. “We don’t want our state to become the ashtray of the Northern Plains.”

SAFE announced that a study completed Monday found that 76.6 percent of those polled in Fargo and Moorhead favored the smoke-free ordinances that are now in effect.

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Most tobacco law changes start next year 

Within the next 12 months, larger warning labels will be required on all smokeless tobacco packages and advertisements, and descriptors such as "light" or "mild" will be prohibited. Tobacco manufacturers can no longer sponsor athletic or cultural events, and advertising in most magazines and at the point of sale must be printed in black and white.

But the law is giving some of the more intense efforts at anti-smoking marketing - such as larger, graphic warning labels that cover the top half of the cigarette box - up to three years to go into effect. Despite the delay, some health officials are glad action was taken.

"If everything can fall into place like it's designed to, there will definitely be some excellent results from this," said Jason Bergstrand, tobacco prevention coordinator for Richland County Health Department. "The concern is that Philip Morris planted too many loopholes, so this particular law is susceptible to challenge."

He said the other concern is the "mobsters" on board, referring to the three positions that Philip Morris representatives will hold on a non-voting scientific advisory committee.

"They've already been convicted of racketeering,"

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Committee pushes for increase in tobacco tax 

A committee working to curb tobacco use in North Dakota recommends a steep rise in tobacco taxes in four years coinciding with a total ban on smoking in public places and workplaces.

The Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Committee is seeking public comment on its proposal in meetings across the state, including one at 7 tonight at the Fargo Public Library.

The plan advocates increasing the state excise tax on cigarettes from 44 cents to $2 a pack by June 2013, with comparable increases for other tobacco products.

Studies show that increasing the price of cigarettes reduces smoking, especially for teenagers, said Pat McGreary, a Bismarck nurse who works in tobacco prevention and a member of the committee.

A 10 percent increase in taxes reduces adult smoking by 2 percent and teen smoking by 7 percent, she said.

“So it impacts teens even greater than adults, and that’s what we want,” McGreary said.

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LETTER: Smoking ban does more harm 

While the Fargo smoking ban has not been much on people’s minds since it was passed, consider the following:

In the studies I have seen referenced regarding results of the smoking ban, they lump restaurants and bars together. . . .

One argument I heard during the initial debate about the ban was that nonsmokers would go out more often once they didn’t have to worry about coming home smelling of smoke. That may be the case in some places (such as Big D’s, Bucks, etc.), but other places relied heavily upon their smoking patrons for revenue. . . . that’s $16.24 million in tax revenue just from cigarettes. As that number dwindles, that revenue is going to have to come from somewhere else – property tax, income tax, sales tax, etc.

I say, revoke the smoking ban. With the current recession, it’s only going to do more harm than good.

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Tobacco Control 

It was just defeated in the legislature, but anti-smoking advocates have picked up the issue again.

The Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Committee wants to ban smoking in public places and work areas and raise tobacco taxes.

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Comedian Ron White plays down hubbub in N. Dakota over cigar smoked onstage 

Comedian Ron White is breaking his silence about authorities giving him grief for puffing on a cigar during his act last month in North Dakota.

White, speaking with the TMZ gossip TV show Monday outside a Beverly Hills restaurant, called the ash-clash in Bismarck "a little cigar incident, no big deal."

White said that cities on his tour know "that I am going to smoke on stage. It's really considered a stage prop, as much as I hate to say it."

Online notices promoting the April 30 show said: "Caution: This show is for mature audiences only. Artist smokes a cigar and drinks scotch onstage." . . .

Smoking in public places is punishable by fines of up to $500.

Now it's up to the city attorney about whether to pursue White for the violation.

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Committee pushes for increase in tobacco tax  

A committee working to curb tobacco use in North Dakota recommends a steep rise in tobacco taxes in four years coinciding with a total ban on smoking in public places and workplaces.

The Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Committee is seeking public comment on its proposal in meetings across the state, including one at 7 tonight at the Fargo Public Library.

The plan advocates increasing the state excise tax on cigarettes from 44 cents to $2 a pack by June 2013, with comparable increases for other tobacco products.

Studies show that increasing the price of cigarettes reduces smoking, especially for teenagers, said Pat McGreary, a Bismarck nurse who works in tobacco prevention and a member of the committee.

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House GOP blinks on Measure 3 

As negotiations went down to the wire Monday night over an anti-smoking initiated measure, House lawmakers approved 86-7 the original ballot language that was approved by voters last fall.

The decision was among the last controversial items keeping lawmakers up late Monday night, ending a legislative session that has been defined by large state reserves and natural disasters.

Legislators still had more work to do as of press time, including voting on the attorney general's budget, another Measure 3-related constitutional amendment.

Lawmakers did not come to a decision over the funding for Measure 3 lightly, which passed last November with 54 percent of the vote, creating an anti-smoking executive committee funded by a new wave of tobacco settlement dollars coming to the state.

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Senate proposes solution to tobacco stalemate  

A resolution was in the works Monday evening on the Legislature's tobacco control stalemate, but is expected to drag the session to the 80th day, Senate Majority Leader Bob Stenehjem said.

Stenehjem told GOP senators that he would propose a floor amendment tonight that fully funds the Measure 3 tobacco program voters approved.

He expects the House to reject the plan and that it will extend the session into Tuesday.

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