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Ohio may ban smoking in cars 

Hoping to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and other childhood illnesses linked to secondhand smoke exposure, Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in vehicles when young children are present.

Some local residents say the bill, recently introduced into the Ohio Senate, is too invasive, while others say it doesn't go far enough because it would only protect children who are younger than 6.

Anthony Azzi, 21, of Marietta, said he smokes, but that he would never smoke with a child in the car.

"It should be illegal to smoke with children in a car with you," he said. "But if they're going to do this, they should look out for kids until they're at least 16...At that age, they should have the ability to drive themselves or commute some other way."

Kim Reinhold, of Cincinnati, was in Marietta visiting family on Monday. She said the proposed bill seems invasive, but that she would probably be in favor of such a law.

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Hookah is ‘still smoking poison’  

However, hookah has the same affect on your lungs as smoking cigarettes, according to Director of the Miami University Student Health Center Dr. Gregory Calkins.

"The water in the hookah does cool down the tobacco smoke, and the pipes might remove some tar from the smoke, but it is certainly as harmful as smoking cigarettes and cigars," Calkins said. The Oxford Hookah Lounge has taken steps to prevent disease from spreading; however, with a tobacco product, disease could be inevitable. How detrimental is hookah to a person's health? Riahi gave his own opinion. "My opinion is that it is not as bad as smoking a cigarette because smoking out of a hookah has less tar and less nicotine," Riahi said. Declining to give information specific to Hookah, Karen Vaught, store manager of Wildberry, said that all tobacco use is harmful to a person's health.

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VIDEO: Proposed Legislation Would Ban Smoking In Car With Kids 

New proposed legislation would ban smoking in cars when kids under six are riding in the vehicle. Backers say the ban would safeguard youngsters from the dangers of secondhand smoke and is similar to bans elsewhere.

"An infant or minor who is a passenger in a car is not making the decision to smoke. However, they can potentially suffer significant consequences," Sen. Charleta Tavares (D), the legislation's sponsor, told a Senate committee.

Ohio bans smoking in most indoor public places through a law that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2006 and took effect the following year. Smoking in vehicles while children are passengers has been outlawed in Canada and Australia, and in other states including Louisiana, Maine and California. Under California's ban, the children may be as old as 17.

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State senate considers limiting smoking in cars  

Ohio's prohibitions on smoking would extend to cars with children younger than 6 on board, under an Ohio Senate bill that backers say would safeguard youngsters from the dangers of secondhand smoke and is similar to bans elsewhere.

Washington C.H. city council considered such a ban, but the motion failed in July 2010.

Washington High School government teacher Jon Creamer's class brought the initial idea of the law before council in May 2010.

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Early findings blame smoking for fatal fire at West Park apartment in Cleveland  

CLEVELAND A fatal fire last week at a Rocky River Drive apartment appears to have been the result of a smoking accident, according to early findings by fire department officials.

However, no final, official rulings were issued as of news deadline on Jan. 31. Residents reported hearing an explosion moments before the fire broke out.

Killed in the fire was resident Elizabeth Stegman, 49. Her father-in-law Charles Stegman, 91, suffered burns over 25 percent of his body and remains in MetroHealth Medical Center. Her husband Chris Stegman and neighbor Charles Dove suffered smoke inhalation in rescuing the elderly man.

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Small child in car? Bill would prohibit lighting up 

Smokers would be banned from lighting up in cars with young children and face hundreds of dollars in fines if they were caught doing so, under legislation being considered in the Ohio Senate.

Sen. Charleta Tavares offered Senate Bill 27 to protect youngsters from the effects of secondhand smoke.

"Individuals should have a right to decide when and where to smoke, as long as it does not put others in danger," Tavares told the Senate's Highways and Transportation Committee. "An infant or minor who is a passenger in a car is not making the decision to smoke. However, they can potentially suffer significant consequences."

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Bill would restrict smoking in cars  

Arguing that a child has no way to escape the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, a Columbus Democrat told a Senate committee yesterday that it’s time for Ohio to ban smoking in vehicles with passengers younger than 6.

“Smoking is especially dangerous in cars because the toxic air is much more concentrated and smoke fumes in vehicles pose a greater risk for children,” said Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, the bill sponsor.

The bill likely will get more hearings, and the committee chairman, Sen. Tom Patton, R-Strongsville, said he supports the idea.

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Smoking bill being considered in Senate 

Smokers would be banned from lighting up in cars with young children and would face hundreds of dollars in fines if they were caught doing so, under legislation being considered in the Ohio Senate.

Sen. Charleta Tavares offered Senate Bill 27 to protect youngsters from the effects of secondhand smoke.

“Individuals should have a right to decide when and where to smoke, as long as it does not put others in danger,” Tavares told the Senate’s Highways and Transportation Committee. “An infant or minor who is a passenger in a car is not making the decision to smoke. However, they can potentially suffer significant consequences.”

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For casino workers, smoking is no dice  

Ameet Patel, general manager of the Hollywood Casino Columbus, said applicants who test positive for nicotine will be disqualified, and workers will be subject to random tests during employment.

Penn National’s policy will mean no tobacco use on or off the job for its 3,200 workers, and Ohio’s indoor smoking ban means customers will have to step outside before lighting up.

Penn National is joining the ranks of thousands of companies and hospitals that refuse to hire smokers in the hope of curbing medical costs and encouraging a healthier work force.

Patel, a 22-year veteran of the casino world, called it an unusual if not unprecedented step in an industry where a vast majority of customers are smokers. “It is a very, very big change,” he said.

The Toledo and Columbus casinos will be the only two of Penn’s 21 properties that ban tobacco use among employees, Patel said.

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Two new casinos in Ohio say they won't hire smokers 

Smokers won't be hired at new casinos in Columbus and Toledo, a ban that's been adopted in other industries as employers try to hold down health care costs.

Job applicants for 3,200 positions at the two casinos being developed by Penn National Gaming Inc. will not be considered if they smoke, chew tobacco or use nicotine patches, according to the company.

Applicants will be screened, and any testing positive for nicotine will be disqualified. Random nicotine testing will be done on workers after they are employed, but the policy on that phase is still being developed, Bob Tenenbaum, Penn National's Ohio spokesman, told The Associated Press.

Ohio state law prohibits any smoking in public places, including casinos, but Penn National's policy will mean its Ohio casino workers will not be allowed to use tobacco on or off the job.

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Tobacco trouble  

Both Ohio and West Virginia scored poorly in terms of protecting people from tobacco smoke and other tobacco-related issues in a recent report issued by the American Lung Association.

A critical concern of the association is the amount of money - or the lack of money - being used to fund tobacco prevention and cessation efforts. . . .

"Ohio collects more than $1 billion in tobacco revenues. Tough financial times don't justify a retreat in efforts to fight the leading cause of preventable death," Shelly Kiser, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association of Ohio, said in a statement.

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• Smokers not eligible for jobs in some Ohio casinos 

Job seekers who smoke, chew tobacco or even use nicotine patches won't be considered for the 3,200 casino jobs in Toledo and Columbus when Penn National starts filling positions later this year.

Hollywood Casino Columbus General Manager Ameet Patel said applicants who test positive for nicotine will be disqualified and workers will be subject to random tests during employment.

Penn National's policy will mean no tobacco use on or off the job for their 3,200 workers and Ohio's indoor smoking ban means customers will have to step outside before lighting up.

Penn National is joining the ranks of thousands of companies and hospitals that refuse to hire smokers in the hopes of curbing medical costs and encouraging a healthier workforce.

Patel, a 22-year veteran of the casino world, called it an unusual if not unprecedented step in an industry where a vast majority of customers are smokers. "It is a very, very big change," he said.

The Toledo and Columbus casinos will be the only two of Penn's 21 properties that ban tobacco use among employees, Patel said.

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State's prisons study link between violence, tobacco  

Ohio's top prison official has asked his department to investigate whether an increase in violence is linked to a tobacco ban and the subsequent use of contraband tobacco as a commodity among inmates.

"Tobacco has become a currency that's used in our prisons," with a hand-rolled cigarette valued at up to $5, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Gary Mohr told the Dayton Daily News.

The department's chief security-threat investigator, Vinko Kucinic, said gangs can gain power in prison by controlling the trade of contraband goods that can be sold or used to barter, such as the tobacco, illegal drugs and weapons. Officials are concerned the fight to control the flow of such goods has stirred more violence.

Mohr is looking into whether disturbances involving at least four inmates were connected to illicit tobacco. Those incidents happened on average once every 28 days in 2008 and once every two weeks by 2010, the year after the ban took effect, Mohr said.

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Prison violence driven by recent tobacco ban?  

Ohio’s top prison official has asked his department to investigate whether an increase in violence is linked to a tobacco ban and the subsequent use of contraband tobacco as a commodity among inmates.

“Tobacco has become a currency that’s used in our prisons,” where a hand-rolled cigarette is valued at up to $5, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Gary Mohr said.

The department’s chief security-threat investigator, Vinko Kucinic, said gangs can gain power in prison by controlling the trade of contraband goods such as the tobacco, illegal drugs and weapons that can be sold or used to barter. Officials are concerned that the fight to control the flow of such goods has stirred more violence.

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Richland County smoking statistics take turn for worse  

MANSFIELD -- An estimated 19 percent of Richland County residents are smokers and 23 percent are former smokers, according to a new survey.

Local public health advocates say they're using the limited resources they have to try and put a dent in those statistics.

"Smoking is related to a number of diseases and it is a huge cost to people in Richland County, Ohio and the United States," said Stan Saalman, health commissioner at the Mansfield/ Ontario/Richland County Health Department.

He said a local survey scheduled to be released next month shows the importance of targeting youth when it comes to tobacco prevention.

Saalman said research shows the average age of kids starting to using tobacco in Richland County is 11.8 years old. Ten percent of children 12 to 18 are smokers.

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