http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/exceptions.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://northernstar.info/city/dekalb/article_160c1134-52cc-11e1-b570-0019bb30f31a.html http://tobacco.org/news/333572.html In Jan. 2011, State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, introduced legislation that would amend the Smoke-Free Illinois Act. The legislation would allow municipalities the choice to offer smoking licenses to eligible establishments. According to the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2008, smoking in virtually all public places and workplaces is prohibited, including educational institutions, restaurants and bars. Even if this legislation was to pass, DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen said he would not be in favor of offering licenses. "It's probably the most irresponsible piece of legislation introduced by a legislator," Povlsen said. Northern Star editor@northernstar.info Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.kansas.com/2012/02/08/2206733/ban-smoking-in-casinos.html http://tobacco.org/news/333501.html Don't treat the health of some Kansans as more worthy of protection than that of others. It was bad enough that the Legislature exempted state-owned casinos from the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act in the first place, worse when it let another session go by without righting the wrong. The hypocrisy should stop this year. . . . State Sen. Roger Reitz, R-Manhattan, a physician who led the fight for the smoking law, expressed uneasiness last week with breaking the state’s “promise” to casino operators. But there is no honor in upholding a promise that never should have been made because it compromised public health. If imposing a smoking ban on private businesses was a hard call for a Legislature that prizes property rights, extending the ban to state-owned casinos should not be – the key words being “state-owned.” Wichita Eagle Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/07/3738396/smoking-ban-wouldnt-include-casinos.html http://tobacco.org/news/333473.html Those who want smoking banned in all public places in the city and those who said a smoking ban would be bad for business and personal freedom presented their arguments Tuesday to the Biloxi Council, which took no action. Councilwoman Lucy Denton, who proposed the ordinance, said it combined points from smoking bans in Gulfport and Jackson but would need to be “tweaked” to fit Biloxi. “It’s just a starting point,” she said. Biloxi casinos would be exempt from the smoking ban, she said, including their restaurants and hotels. “We just chose not to include them because that would be instant death to them,” she said. Biloxi Sun Herald meperez@sunherald.com (MARY PEREZ) Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/feb/05/smoking-ban-debate-might-benefit-from-a/?partner=yahoo_feeds http://tobacco.org/news/333331.html The Evansville City Council has before it a long-sought amendment to its public smoking ban; it would add a prohibition against smoking at bars, restaurants and Casino Aztar inside the city. . . . If there is a compromise to be had, it might be to allow smoking on the casino's gambling floors only. Shaw has said Aztar took smoking off a gambling floor, but that it underperformed by 50 percent. Look, if a council majority is opposed to any toughening of the ordinance, this issue will die for another year, and that would be unfortunate. But if a compromise might sway some members, then that approach might be worth the gamble. Evansville Courier & Press Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/03/3730620/councilwoman-wants-to-clear-the.html http://tobacco.org/news/333296.html On Tuesday, Councilwoman Lucy Denton will propose an ordinance that would make smoking illegal in most of the city’s public places. Casino gambling areas and bars would be exempt, but the ordinance would prohibit smoking in bingo halls, private offices, employee lounges, private social clubs, convention facilities, jails, sports venues and outdoor dining decks. The special meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, Biloxi Sun Herald meperez@sunherald.com (MARY PEREZ) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.kansas.com/2012/02/02/2198958/house-committee-hears-bill-to.html http://tobacco.org/news/333181.html Lawmakers gave state-owned casinos a pass on Kansas’ 2010 Clean Indoor Air Act, which bans smoking in indoor settings except private residences, adult care homes, up to 20 percent of the rooms in a hotel, some private clubs, tobacco shops and casino floors. Now, some opponents of smoking want to ban it on casino floors as well. But casino managers say that could cost the casinos — and the state — millions of dollars. The debate played out Thursday before a legislative committee in Topeka. Smokers will go to tribe-owned casinos and cross state lines if Kansas bans smoking while gambling, Richard Klemp, a lobbyist for the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, told the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. And that could lead to a 20 to 33 percent decline in revenues, he said, because a large number of gamblers also smoke. “It’s almost like popcorn at the movies,” he said. “It’s one of the things smokers like to do while they gamble.” But tobacco smoke has dangerous chemicals that pollute the air in casinos, said John S. Neuberger, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Kansas. Banning smoking would cut down on the health risks — including those that contribute to lung cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and asthma — for patrons and employees. Neuberger advocated for lawmakers to remove most other exceptions to the smoking ban as well, although the bill — called the substitute for HB 2340 — doesn’t include other exemptions. Wichita Eagle bwistrom@wichitaeagle.com (BRENT D. WISTROM and FRED MANN * The Wichita Eagle) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://cjonline.com/news/2012-02-02/casino-smoking-ban-exemption-target http://tobacco.org/news/333137.html Health advocates and gambling executives vented Thursday about a bill repealing an exemption held by casinos from the statewide indoor smoking ban. Kansas lawmakers two years ago adopted a sweeping prohibition on smoking inside buildings accessible to the public that specifically exempted state-operated casinos opened in Dodge City, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kan. Favoritism shown these new gambling venues has been ridiculed as unfair by owners of other businesses, but also touted as a necessity if the casinos are to be economically competitive. The statute allows smoking on casino floors, but prohibits consumption of tobacco products in restaurants and other casino areas. Apprehension exists in the Statehouse review of this exception could open up messy debate on a wide range of gambling and tobacco policies. Topeka Capital-Journal Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012202010309 http://tobacco.org/news/333112.html After years of stalling, the Indiana General Assembly and the Indianapolis City-County Council both took important steps forward this week on enacting comprehensive workplace smoking bans. But there's always a hang-up it seems between taking incremental steps forward and actually accomplishing the goal of clearing the air in all restaurants, nearly all bars and most other workplaces. In Indianapolis, that hang-up is Mayor Greg Ballard, who has long made clear his opposition to including American Legion halls and other veterans clubs in the ban. Democrats who control the council ignored the mayor's objections Monday night when they pushed through an ordinance that would force private clubs to choose between admitting children and allowing members to smoke inside the club. Ballard is likely to veto . . . The key point for all sides to remember is that when it comes to private clubs we're talking about relatively small numbers in a state of 6.6 million people. Is it important to protect workers, including those who work in service clubs, from smoking? Yes. Should children be shielded from secondhand smoke? Of course. But lawmaking is the art of the possible, and the possible in this instance may require anti-smoking forces to accept the less than perfect for the sake of protecting the health of most Hoosiers. Indianapolis Star Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.indystar.com/article/20120131/LOCAL18/201310319/1008/NEWS05 http://tobacco.org/news/332901.html The City-County Council passed a stronger smoking ban covering most bars Monday night, but the mayor's opposition to one key provision could keep it from becoming law. Applause greeted the 19-9 vote -- one vote shy of the 20 that would be needed to override a potential veto. Anti-smoking advocates planned to rally supporters and put pressure on Mayor Greg Ballard to sign the measure. But Ballard has vowed a veto. His sticking point: The measure's exemption for nonprofit private clubs and veterans halls, which Ballard insisted upon, would make those places pick between retaining smoking or allowing children on the premises. He sees that choice as unfair. Indianapolis Star jon.murray@indystar.com ( Written by Jon Murray) Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.videtteonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35947:ill-considers-loosening-smoking-ban-in-bars-restaurants&catid=60:newsstate&Itemid=53 http://tobacco.org/news/332882.html If the ban is loosened, individual bars, restaurants, and other facilities hosting events with tobacco products will be able to apply for a smoking license that would exempt them from the no smoking ban. “We think this is a terrible idea,” Katie Lorenz, American Lung Association communications manager, said. “The Smoke Free Illinois Act promotes public health and protects workers from disease and death caused by secondhand smoke,” Lorenz added. This new legislation would require all public places applying for a smoking license to have an air filtration system, which is not always effective at eliminating smoke. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, it was estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke kills at least 65,000 people a year in the United States who do not smoke, including 2,900 in Illinois. The Daily Vidette Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.indystar.com/article/20120130/LOCAL18/201300319/Indy-Mayor-Greg-Ballard-threatens-veto-smoking-ban-set-council-vote-tonight?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CIndyStar.com http://tobacco.org/news/332870.html Members of American Legion Post 64 have struggled on the smoking issue. The crux is this: Aging members are more likely to enjoy a cigarette at the post's bar, but leaders are trying to attract young veterans with families, who tend to be averse to smoke in the air. One idea gaining support, says Kenny Cooper, the Westside post's adjutant, is to restrict smoking to a few areas of the building. But when the City-County Council votes tonight on a bipartisan smoking ban proposal, elected officials may make the decision for Post 64. The proposal's effect on veterans halls and private clubs has become a focal point of debate and has raised the likelihood of a mayoral veto. As written, the proposal would give those places an exemption from the smoking ban but only with a hard choice: Keep smoking, or allow children on the premises. But not both. Indianapolis Star jon.murray@indystar.com ( Written by Jon Murray ) Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/smoking-ban-changed-to-give-bars-time-to-comply/article_cc2c6a35-2e7f-5390-9f76-f86c9107e021.html http://tobacco.org/news/332828.html The Indiana House agreed Friday to give bars 18 months to go smoke-free if a proposed indoor smoking ban becomes law. State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, co-sponsor of House Bill 1149, said he believes the change will ensure the smoking ban receives enough votes in the Republican-controlled House on Monday to send the measure to the Republican-controlled Senate. "This was a defensive move because of the fact there were a couple of amendments out there that wanted to totally exempt bars," Brown said. "So we said, why not outflank them?" At the same time, Brown was unable to stop a House amendment exempting a casino's entire property from the smoking ban. In the original proposal, smoking only would have been permitted on the gaming floor. The Times of Northwest Indiana dan.carden@nwi.com (Dan Carden ) Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/exemptions-added-statewide-smoking-ban-26068/ http://tobacco.org/news/332819.html The Indiana House has added more exemptions to its statewide smoking ban-but supporters still think the bill can pass the General Assembly. The bill originally exempted the gaming floors of gambling facilities, cigar and hookah bars, tobacco shops and social clubs. But in order to help facilitate its passage, bill author Eric Turner expanded the gambling facility exemption to incorporate the entire property, including any bars, hotels or restaurants. “It’s not something necessarily that I would like to see but I’ve agreed to it," he said. "I think there’s another day that we can fight that battle to make Indiana totally smoke free.” Indiana Public Media - WFIU / WTIU Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.indystar.com/article/20120128/NEWS05/201280313/1001/NEWS http://tobacco.org/news/332788.html Bars would get a short breather under a statewide smoking ban proposed in the Indiana General Assembly. The House on Friday voted in favor of an amendment to give taverns 18 months before they have to remove the ashtrays and post no-smoking signs. The body could vote on the full measure Monday. The legislation's author, Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, hopes the move makes the smoking ban more palatable to skeptical lawmakers. And he said the delay would give bar owners plenty of time to make the switch. "We've tried to find that sweet spot that minimizes the number of exceptions but maximizes the number of places in Indiana that are smoke-free," Turner said. "There are several people (in the House) and in the Senate that are concerned about bars, and this might be a reasonable compromise." The House vote, though, has almost become a formality. After all, House lawmakers have approved a smoking ban the past five years only to see it quickly extinguished in the Senate. Indianapolis Star chris.sikich@indystar.com ( Written by Chris Sikich) Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://wentzville.patch.com/articles/tobacco-free-st-louis-pushes-for-complete-smoking-ban-9659fce3 http://tobacco.org/news/332775.html 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. Patch.org brianf@patch.com (Maggie Rotermund wentzville.patch.com) Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT