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Editorial: N.J. should restore funds for anti-smoking programs to save lives, cut healthcare costs 

Here's a suggestion for the state Legislature's #8220;to do" list: Restore the state's commitment to anti-smoking programs that have the potential to save lives and healthcare costs.

The recent report "Up in Smoke" from the American Cancer Society found the state has raised about $5 billion in tobacco revenues over the last five years, yet has spent just 0.08 percent of that on programs to help smokers quit.

The vast sum stems from New Jersey's taxes on tobacco products, including a $2.70 levy on each pack of cigarettes, as well as revenue from a 1998 settlement with big tobacco companies that lied for decades about the dangers of smoking. The money distributed annually to 46 states was intended for investment in tobacco-control efforts . . .

If taxes the state already collects on tobacco products are not enough to pay for the comprehensive programs and outreach, the Legislature must consider increasing those taxes.

Increasing the cost may convince smokers who are on the fence that it's time to stop; the extra revenue certainly will aid those who have made up their minds and just need some help to quit.

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• Cape May rejects smoking ban on public beaches after opposition from businesses  

City Council rejected a smoking ban on public beaches Tuesday but did agree to set up a committee to look into the idea for the 2013 season.

A 2-2 council vote in November killed an earlier proposal to ban smoking on beaches, public parks and the oceanfront Promenade.

Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman on Tuesday proposed just banning smoking on the beaches. This had been his original proposal last year, but other members of council expanded the ban before it came to a vote.

That proposal came under strong attack from the business community amid concerns it would hurt the tourism industry. President John Cooke of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May said it could hurt the Canadian tourist trade.

“My main concern is litter on the beach and smoke on the beach. John Cooke was afraid it may offend the Canadians. I’ve since found out 17 percent of the Canadians smoke compared with 21 percent in the U.S.,” Wichterman said.

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EDITORIAL: Smoke free 

In Los Angeles and New York, Paramus and Clifton, it's also illegal to smoke in public parks and recreational areas. Prospect Park in Passaic County is considering a similar ordinance, after residents complained of smoke in Hofstra Park. Last year, the proposed ban was part of an initiative to increase borough fees. This year, there's still no ban.

The council's ordinance committee is looking at it. There seems to be a need to figure out the fee scale. We agree the borough should be able to raise money through fines to help offset expenses, but the ordinance should already be in place. We urge the borough to adopt it before the warm weather arrives, and kids take to the parks. . . .

Babies under 18 months who inhale cigarette smoke contract as many as 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections a year. Other people's smoke also causes an estimated 46,000 adults to die from heart disease every year, and about 3,400 people who don't smoke to die from lung cancer annually. The statistics go on, but the lesson is short: No smoking in public.

Adopt the ordinance.

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• N.J. files suit against N.Y. roll-your-own tobacco seller 

The state Division of Consumer Affairs has filed suit against a New York-based company, alleging that the firm violated the state’s Consumer Fraud Act through its advertisement and sale of roll-your-own tobacco to New Jersey residents.

American Thrust Tobacco of Plattsburgh, N.Y. allegedly told consumers it was legally permitted to sell roll-your-own tobacco in New Jersey when, in fact, the firm was in violation of the federal “Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (‘PACT’) Act” of 2009 and on the federal non-compliant list, according to the three-count lawsuit announced by Consumer Affairs on Tuesday. The suit was filed in state Superior Court in Newark.

“We allege that the company misled consumers into believing that they could legally purchase roll-your-own tobacco from the defendant,” state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “We’re asking that the court put a permanent stop to the company’s illegal activities and impose civil penalties for the violations it allegedly has committed.” . . .

The alleged violations committed by American Thrust Tobacco include:

• Misrepresenting that roll your own tobacco may be sold to New Jersey consumers and delivered through the United States Postal Service, FedEx, and/ or UPS while it was included on the non-compliant list;

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Careless smoking blamed for fatal Glassboro fire although officals could not locate cigarette that sparked blaze  

Authorities are almost certain that careless smoking was the cause of a fatal fire that killed an occupant of the Royal Inn here on Christmas morning.

One piece of evidence is missing.

"They could not locate the cigarette," Bernie Weisenfeld, spokesman for the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, said Monday.

Borough and county fire investigators, local police and detectives from the prosecutor's office found cigarettes in the second floor room where the body of Walter White, 52, was discovered about 8:30 a.m. Sunday. They just -- as of Monday -- could not locate the cigarette that is believed to have claimed White's life, Weisenfeld said.

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School bus driver faulted for violating smoking ban 

A school bus driver was singed after being caught on a security camera smoking a cigarette aboard his empty bus.

District officials launched an investigation upon hearing rumors, which turned out to be false, of a school bus driver "smoking and drinking a beer while driving the children," Superintendent John Alfieri said in a statement posted Dec. 8 on the K-12 district's website.

Alfieri said school officials reviewed security cameras aboard the bus of the driver, who is not a district employee but works for Havens Bus Co. Children on his route include those attending grades two through four at the Cedar Mountain Primary School and Rolling Hills Primary School.

The purported beer can, as it turned out, was a water bottle. The driver was not seen smoking on the video when children were present, Alfieri said in an interview Tuesday.

"However, we have come to learn that on one occasion, he did smoke a cigarette after all of the children were dismissed for the day," Alfieri said in his Dec. 8 website statement.

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BERLIN: N.J. man accused of shipping $79k in untaxed smokes 

BERLIN--Police charged a New Jersey man with possession and transportation of unstamped cigarettes after they found more than 1,300 cartons of untaxed cigarettes in his vehicle.

On Dec. 10 police arrested New Jersey resident Charles H. Davis Jr., 49, after 1,324 cartons (13,240 packs) of cigarettes were found in his Chevrolet van.

A Maryland State Trooper had stopped Davis’ vehicle for negligent driving when he detected a strong odor of tobacco coming from the van.

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Summit Mulls a Smoke-Free Policy  

The department of community programs is leading an effort to ban smoking in in public areas, although the extent of a ban is at the early stages of discussion.

According to Summit’s Director of Community Programs Judith Leiblein Josephs, Summit is still in the “research phase.”

“Over the next six months to a year we will be looking at what others have done and we are researching the pros and cons ” Josephs said. “We don't want to be proposing ordinances without understanding the long-term impact.”

Chatham Township and Chatham Borough both have no smoking policies in force and have serve as a model for neighboring towns.

Josephs said Summit’s main considerations are whether to propose a blanket policy or propose the establishment of designated non-smoking areas.

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Cape May to consider less-restrictive smoking ban on beaches  

A proposal to ban smoking on all beaches, public parks and the oceanfront Promenade was defeated last month but a committee will now look into a scaled-back proposal.

Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman, who initially proposed a smoking ban, on Tuesday announced he will chair a committee looking at banning smoking on some of the beaches. Wichterman noted the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May opposed a complete ban but would likely accept a partial ban.

"Scaling it back might make it more palatable to the chamber, who I disagree with by the way," Wichterman said at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

The city has 28 beaches and Wichterman suggested a smoking ban on about 75 percent of them since about 25 percent of the people in the country smoke.

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States that help smokers beat addiction blow away N.J.  

President & CEO of the Mid-Atlantic American Lung Association Deb Brown says it is unfortunate New Jersey does not do enough to help its residents quit smoking.

The American Lung Association’s “Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2011” report ranks New Jersey 41st among states in offering help in beating the habit. In fact, the Association ranks New Jersey as the fifth-least quit friendly state in the U.S. . . .

According to the New Jersey Quitline site, counseling services became available to smokers who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid in September. Quitline callers speak to a coach with years of counseling experience who talk to them about the hardest parts of quitting, their past smoking, how to deal with things that make them want to smoke, 
• and avoiding slip-ups and relapses.

The Augusta Chronicle reported that Georgia came in first on the “least quit-friendly states” list. Second is Louisiana, then Alabama, Maryland, and fifth, New Jersey. Georgia is one of only two states who do not offer tobacco cessation coverage for Medicaid patients who are not pregnant.

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EDITORIAL: State must invest more in anti-smoking efforts  

A report released last week by the American Cancer Society and other organizations concluded the state ranks 43rd in the nation in funding anti-smoking programs. That's pathetic, especially in light of the master 1998 settlement agreement that requires large cigarette companies to pay billions annually to 46 states as compensation for Medicaid-related health care costs attributable to tobacco. This must change.

New Jersey has earned about $5 billion in tobacco revenues over the past five years, but only 0.8 percent of it was directed to prevention programs. Gov. Chris Christie this year budgeted a paltry $1.2 million for the effort . . .

It could be argued that New Jersey has already made strides in reducing the rate of smoking. It has the third-lowest adult smoking rate in the nation, 14.8 percent, well below the national rate of 18.4 percent.

But that isn't good enough, given the health and financial toll smoking takes on people in this state. Even the progress that has been made will not be maintained if anti-smoking programs continue to be cut. Restoring funding is not only an economic no-brainer, but a moral imperative.

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NJ Is A Tough Place For Smokers Wanting To Quit  

New Jersey ranks 41st worst in the country for the lack of help it offers citizens to quit smoking according to the American Lung Association’s “Helping Smokers Quit: Tobacco Cessation Coverage 2011” report that cites the five least quit-friendly states in the nation.

“It’s unfortunate the state of New Jersey has failed to help its smokers quit,” said Deb Brown, President & CEO of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic. “It’s imperative New Jersey policymakers step up and provide access to comprehensive, quit smoking treatments and services that will immensely save lives and money.”

Helping Smokers Quit contains original data on coverage of tobacco cessation treatments in Medicaid and state employee health plans, as well as laws requiring this coverage in private insurance plans.

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Anti-smoking efforts go up in smoke 

Even as it charges among the highest cigarette taxes in the U.S. and collects millions from an ongoing tobacco company settlement, New Jersey is stingy when it comes to anti-smoking efforts.

A report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and four other organizations concluded the state ranks 43rd in the nation in funding anti-smoking programs.

"A Broken Promise to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 13 Years Later" comes just two months after a separate September study on the state's anti-tobacco efforts. It concluded New Jersey has earned about $5 billion in tobacco revenues over the past five years, with only 0.8 percent of it directed to prevention programs.

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Fire caused by cigarette displaces three families in Jersey City 

Three families in Jersey City were displaced Saturday by a one-alarm fire at their three-story Ocean Avenue building, officials said.

There were no injuries and the blaze at 713 Ocean Ave. near Virginia Avenue was caused by a cigarette that wasn't put out, Fire Director Armando Roman said.

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2 Franks disagree on tobacco news  

That’s “welcome news,” according to a statement issued by four Democratic senators, including New Jersey’s Frank Lautenberg. Or it’s a disappointment, according to Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch.

“It doesn’t go far enough to ban smokeless tobacco entirely from baseball. The fact is that smokeless tobacco use by baseball players will still appear on television screens across the United States,” Pallone, the top-ranking Democrat on the House health subcommittee, said in a statement.

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