Tobacco Articles: category ventilation

Public place smoking: Air filtration systems offer a less expensive alternative to built-in air ventilation

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

We know many people don’t want to breathe second-hand smoke, dislike the smell of tobacco smoke and avoid smoky places. That’s why we support restrictions on smoking in indoor public places including offices, restaurants and bars. . . . Air filtration systems can also make a room more comfortable, although they too cannot completely remove the smoke. They do offer a relatively inexpensive alternative where built-in fresh air ventilation systems are less feasible, perhaps because of the size and complexity of a building. For example, in Rome’s Fiumicino airport, British American Tobacco has provided comfortable enclosed smoking lounges with air filtration to demonstrate what can be done. Feedback from smokers has been very good. Many of our companies also support a Respecting Choices campaign which aims to help the hospitality industry accommodate all its customers in restaurants, convention centres, cafes, bars, clubs and hotels, and involves technical analysis of ventilation and owners allocating flexible smoking and non-smoking areas.

BAT Egypt, Egyptian Hotel Association sign public place smoking MoU: Hotels in Alexandria and Hurghada to feature non-smoking and smoking areas

salah@promoseven.com (submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right,) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:00:00 GMT

British American Tobacco, Egypt (BAT), together with the Egyptian Hotel Association (EHA) in Alexandria and Hurghada, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing hotel guests in both cities with designated non-smoking and smoking areas. Signed in both Hurghada and Alexandria in late 2009, the program has taken immediate effect, and is in place in hotels in both Hurghada and Alexandria. Building on a similar MoU signed with the South Sinai Governorate in February 2009, the initiative has been developed under the framework of BAT's global "Respecting Choices" program, which ensures that both non-smoking and smoking customers are equally catered to through a mutually beneficial solution. . . . The "Respecting Choices" project, implemented by BAT in many countries worldwide, targets ETS through two methods: Segregation, which features both smoking and non-smoking areas in the same room, using airflow to limit the spread of smoke; and Separation, which features smoking rooms or lounges, using walls along with airflow techniques to prevent the smoke from spreading.

VIDEO: Grassroots meeting pushes for Indiana smoking ban

cfrench@wsbt.com (Clifton French WSBT News1 ) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

A group of people met in South Bend Saturday to push for a state wide smoking ban. It's a part of a grassroots movement that started a few years ago, but the proposal is not popular with everyone. "My feelings are, from a business perspective, I don't think it's really needed," owner of Pitt Stop Bar and Grill, Bill Pitt said. Only the bar portion of Pitt's restaurant allows smoking. He said a statewide smoking ban would hurt business. "I don't know if a ban on the whole establishment is necessary," Pitt explained, "I think it caters already to smoking and non-smoking." St. Joseph County already mandates that restaurants separate smoking sections by enclosing them and adding an air filtering system. Bill Pitt said that three years ago he spent thousands of dollars to get his business up to code. A project that he is still paying for. "Which was a big undertaking and a big expense, but we did it to cater to the public," Pitt said.

RUTHERFORD: Huntington's Smoking Ain't Allowed in Bars, Parlors Stirs Ballot Protest Threat(s)

Proctorlaw@wvdsl.net ( Tony Rutherford Huntingtonnews.net Reporter) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

The Cabell-Huntington Health Department voted to ban smoking in bars and video gambling establishments 4-0 at the Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 meeting, but opponents to the smoking ban have begun to express their constitutional rights --- they plan to do so in May at the election booth. And, the word is spreading. Amongst several unhappy smoking ban players, the word does not signal an immediate court challenge. The West Virginia Supreme Court essentially decided the question, leaving only a narrow legislative window that exempts bingo halls with 100 or more card players. However, the issue may be legally settled but smoking and on-smoking individuals see it as a call to arms as the ante increases in the smoking wars. Councilwoman Frances Jackson cast a vote for freedom of choice. . . . The American Legion within the last few months installed stronger so-called smoke eater air purifiers. One website, The Wisconsin Initiative on Smoking and Health, acknowledges that , "while we recommend 100%, even without going totally smoke free bar owners can improve the situation by separating the bar into smoking and nonsmoking sections and EXHAUSTING the smoke from the smoking section and drawing the fresh air into the nonsmoking section. This will increase heating and ventilation costs, but the increased nonsmoker marketplace should more than offset these costs. Everybody will be pleased, even the smokers," stated Jack Lohman, founder and director of the Wisconsin Initiative. As Jackson noticed at the Legion, "the smoke was going right up to that smoke eater." (Editor's Note: The Wisconsin Initiative indicates that without any air protection, a University of California study of restaurant environmental smoke from typical employee exposure "eight to twenty times higher than at home exposure." It said that waitresses "have the highest mortality of any female occupational group (with almost four times the lung cancer mortality and two and a half times the expected heart disease mortality rate. The Wisconsin site theorizes that smoke exposure in a bar would be triple. The California study did not include bars. But, HNN found the abstract of Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Restaurants without Separate Ventilation Systems for Smoking and Nonsmoking Dining Areas by Farhang Akbar-Khanzadeh A of the Medical College of Ohio Department of Public Health, Toledo , Ohio. The abstract concludes that air purifica tion and ventilation devices do improve air quality in restaurants: . . . Instead of debating data, for the purpose of this article we note that Kanawha County instituted a similar ban. Debate still rages on the economic impact, depending upon whom you speak. But, their neighboring county and ours as well, Putnam --- one of the fastest growing in the state --- initially adopted an ordinance. They repealed it due to impact on county business.

LETTER: Bandito’s Owner Fires Back Against “Ghost Tribe” Leader

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

The gist of “Slash” Coleman’s letter was that he is happy that a law was passed banning smoking in restaurants and that it upsets him that, as he put it, “ignorant restaurant and bar owners such as Sean McClain” (that’s me) are trying to sidestep the law out of some sort of fear (“Smoking Renegades: Meet the ‘Ghost Tribe,’” Letters, Jan. 6). Coleman pontificates on, using many insulting, self-righteous phrases to make his point that he and his “thousands of nonsmoking friends” would make much better clientele than the smokers that frequent our “nasty hovels,” and that we don’t seem to understand that with time, we’ll all make more money than we ever fathomed. . . . Like it or not, people in bars often like to smoke. If they can, they will. Until this law is rectified, there will be unrest among some owners, and polarizing opinions by people who probably don’t know the whole story. We owners didn’t make this law, but we must do what we can individually to be competitive. It’s easy to call out the restaurant owners for not catering to the self-righteous desires of one particular group, but this is business. My business is to create equal accommodations for as many kinds of people as I can within the parameters of the law. The “stupid wall” we built, as Coleman calls it, allows us to offer a smoke-free environment and a place for smokers as well. At least we put forth an effort. If Mr. Coleman and his “Ghost Tribe” (self-titled group of people that don’t smoke) want to begrudge a business for catering to everyone, so be it.

Total ban on smoking in public places from 2013

websales@timesofmalta.com ( Claudia Calleja ) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Smoking in public places will be completely banned within three years and lighting a cigarette will no longer be allowed in designated rooms. As from January 2013, it will be illegal to smoke anywhere inside public places and this includes all enclosed areas such as clubs and restaurants, according to a legal notice. "While it is commendable that health authorities carry on with their campaign against smoking, one cannot neglect the fact that such decisions will have a negative impact on business," said Philip Fenech, president of the hospitality section within the Malta Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU. He explained that when the original smoking ban was introduced in April 2004, several establishments had invested heavily in smoking areas according to the law's specifications. Then, the law allowed smoking areas indoors so long as they were ventilated and totally cut off from the rest of the establishment.

Research and Markets: Air Purification Equipment - North American Market Trends

press@researchandmarkets.com — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Market for air purification equipment has been gaining momentum as a result of rising concerns over indoor air quality and increasing health consciousness among consumers. Products within this group that until recently had been viewed as a luxury, are now found in a large number of residential homes and commercial workspaces. Growing media focus on poor indoor air quality, health-related issues, and outbreak of epidemics, have played instrumental roles in stepping up consumer awareness, and have steered up the importance of indoor air quality in commercial buildings, homes, and schools. . . . REGIONAL MARKET OVERVIEW The Unites States * A Market Primer * Anti Smoking Law: A Peek Into Its Implications

Grace period for tobacco sellers

info@cfp.ky (Norma Connolly) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Sellers of cigarettes and other tobacco products are likely to be given a 10-month grace period to stock up on packaging with required health warnings and display signage, the Ministry of Health has confirmed. The new Tobacco Law comes into force on 31 December, banning smoking in public places, bars and offices. Under the new law, cigarettes must carry large graphic health warnings and signage outlining the dangers of smoking must be erected at points of sale in stores and outlet. Minister Mark Scotland said the ministry had initially envisioned a timeframe of 1 May next year for tobacco dealers to fully comply with display and packaging requirements and for cigar bars to install required ventilation systems, but was aware that they may have difficulty meeting this deadline.

Statewide smoking ban OK'd

cbehnan@gannett.com (Christopher Behnan DAILY PRESS & ARGUS ) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Livingston County's three state lawmakers voted against a long-delayed statewide smoking ban that passed the Michigan Legislature on Thursday. The Democrat-led House agreed Thursday afternoon to slight changes made by the Republican-led Senate earlier in the day. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who has said she'll sign it. The ban would take effect in May 2010. It applies to all bars, restaurants and work places, except for the Detroit casinos, cigar bars, tobacco specialty stores, home offices and motor vehicles. State Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Marion Township, and state Reps. Cindy Denby, R- Handy Township and Bill Rogers, R-Genoa Township, said the choice to allow smoking in bars and restaurants should be left to business owners. Garcia said many restaurants that allow smoking are investing in ventilation systems to prevent smoke from permeating buildings.

EDITORIAL: Clean air on the menu : Virginia implements a modest new law on smoking in restaurants.

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:00:00 GMT

There is an exception: Restaurants may maintain separately ventilated smoking rooms, even though the surgeon general's report concluded that air-filtration devices and separate ventilation systems can't protect people from secondhand smoke. Undoing that exception is a good idea, though probably not a politically feasible one. So more important for now is that the law be strictly enforced. The measure leaves that to local authorities, and the $25 fine for violating it is low. Peter Fisher of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids argues that state authorities should at least query local health departments about their enforcement habits. Three-fourths of restaurants in Virginia have gone smoke-free, many in anticipation of the new law. With luck, most of the rest will refrain from installing separate ventilation systems and embrace the law. If they do, Virginia's diners will be healthier for it.

Restaurant Owner Refuses to Go Smoke Free For Now : The owner of Caddy's in Midlothian says until she has the money to build a non-smoking section at her restaurant, patrons can still smoke.

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

A local restaurant owner says she's refusing to go smoke free, even though state law is about to require her to do so. Judy Maxi runs Caddy's, a restaurant lounge in Midlothian. She says smoking has been part of the culture there for 25 years, and until she gets the money to add a non-smoking section, it's not about to change any time soon. "The governor does not pay my bills. In fact, I pay his bills and his paycheck", says Maxi. Maxi says 95% of her customers smoke. She's got seven ventilation units throughout the bar, and believes that should be enough for now. Besides, it's a lounge, she says, a place where people come to unwind around 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., listen to music, have a drink and smoke. "I want to be one of the restaurants that people can come into and still smoke and have a good time and not have to worry about it", says Maxi

Statewide restaurant smoking ban takes effect Tuesday

ggentry@newsadvance.com (Bryan Gentry) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Mary Jane Abbott is spending about $4,000 at her bar to create a new room that most of her customers might not step foot in. It's a non-smoking section that, after Monday, will be separated from the bar area by a sliding-glass door. Abbott has met with Lynchburg health department and building inspection officials to make sure it meets Virginia's new regulations on restaurant smoking so that her customers can still smoke. Most of her customers light up. If they don't, they sit at the bar next to smokers anyway, she said. "The room probably will never be used," Abbott said. "I have a lot of people that come in here and drink and don't smoke. I tease them and say they have to go into the back room. And they say, 'I'm not going back in there.'" Abbott, a nonsmoker who says cigarette smoke does not bother her, is one of a few restaurant owners in the Lynchburg area making structural changes so that smoking can still be allowed.

Smoking ban forum discusses air filtration: | Political Fix |

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Air filtration systems to curb second-hand smoke got an airing Monday night. Bill Hannegan, a major opponent of banning smoking in indoor public places, suggested that air filtration systems could be alternative. He and St. Louis County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, D-University City, the sponsor of the ban on the Nov. 3 St. Louis County ballot, spoke at a forum of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Effective air filtration systems “produce air cleaner than outdoor air,” Hannegan said. The filtration systems, Fraser said, “get at the issue of smell, but are not effective in eliminating fine particle concentrations and gases.” . . . Hannegan said second-hand smoke is a significant health concern. He said supporters and opponents could have worked out a compromise on a smoking ban that would both protect the public and not hurt businesses. Some alternatives could involve air filtration systems and limiting smoking to areas that only would admit people more than 21 years old, Hannegan said. Fraser said studies and experiences of businesses in Ballwin, which fully implemented a smoking ban in 2006, show that bans help rather than hurt businesses. Hannegan pointed to businesses in Ballwin that suffered since the smoking ban.

LETTERS: Proposition N:Save jobs, tax dollarsand freedom: Vote No

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The editorial "Their smoke, your health" (Oct. 25), in favor of the St. Louis County smoking ban, did not provide all the reasons why people are opposed to Proposition N, which will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. The ban is unfair, isn't needed and could cause a loss of jobs and tax dollars for St. Louis County. Perhaps the most obvious reason to oppose the smoking ban is that it needlessly would infringe on the freedom of those who want to enjoy a cigarette in places where smoking is allowed. Any person bothered by such establishments has the freedom to not patronize them. And modern filtration systems have all but eliminated the dangers of secondhand smoke. . . . On Nov. 3, St. Louis County voters can save jobs, save tax dollars, save freedom and help many small businesses stay in business by voting "no" on Proposition N. Bill Hannegan -- St. Louis

Missourians are ready for a smoke-free state Regarding "Smoking ban is in hands of a few" (Oct. 28): I am quoted briefly about Proposition N on the Nov. 3 ballot in St. Louis County. Without additional information, my quote is open to misinterpretation. . . . Strong and comprehensive smoke-free policies prevent sickness and death, and Missouri would save millions in state spending on tobacco-related illnesses. I believe Missouri is ready for a smoke-free policy, but, because key leaders stand in the way, this is a case in which the people will have to take the power into their own hands through local ordinances. When a critical mass of local ordinances has been reached, a statewide law will become inevitable. I wish the policy being considered for St. Louis County was stronger, but it is a good beginning. People who care about public health should vote yes Proposition N (St. Louis County) and Proposition I (Kirkwood) on Nov. 3 in order to move the state forward. State Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford -- D-St. Louis

Editorial: 'Option 2' best proposition for Waco smoking ordinance

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The Waco City Council is voting on a prospective smoking ordinance on Tuesday. The council will vote on whether to add additional restrictions to the current policies or to ban smoking altogether except in private locations and retail tobacco stores. Through either method, the council hopes to lessen secondhand smoke to non-smokers. Waco's current smoking ordinance generally forbids smoking at indoor workplaces but allows smoking in bars, small food establishments and small businesses. While The Lariat supports council's valiant effort to reduce secondhand smoke, passing an ordinance that completely removes the ability to smoke from every place except for homes, tobacco stores and outdoor areas would be too large of a detriment for some businesses. Those that smoke have every right to patronize the same businesses as non-smokers. Instead of banning smoking altogether, council should take a closer look at what the council is calling "Option 2," an ordinance that is less strict in that it would ban smoking in restaurants and other businesses that do not have separate ventilation for its smoking parties.