http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/category/workplaces.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/10/08/news/z00smoking1008.txt http://tobacco.org/news/272300.html A countywide smoke-free workplace ordinance will go the La Crosse County Board next week. The county's Health and Human Services Board approved the ordinance Tuesday on a 7-1 vote, but the proposal could look a bit different before the full board meets Oct. 16 to set a public hearing. The ordinance would ban smoking in all workplaces and public places, including taverns and bowling alleys. The proposal as passed excludes nursing homes, county facilities and health care facilities. Those facilities were exempted from the ordinance for now until the county's lawyers and the board can decide whether Lakeview Health Center should allow smoking for residents, who often end up staying for 10 to 15 years. La Crosse Tribune trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com (TERRY RINDFLEISCH) Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Cigarette-work-costs-boss-1-200/article-373828-detail/article.html http://tobacco.org/news/271977.html THE boss of a Port Talbot company is more than �1,200 out of pocket after council chiefs prosecuted him for failing to stop himself smoking. Peter Morgan, who runs Timbertech Flooring Systems, had been caught lighting up at work during a routine inspection by the council. He was puffing away indoors, in breach of the smoking ban, and didn't stub the cigarette out when told he was breaking the law, Neath magistrates heard. This is South Wales UK Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/ET/Artwin.asp?From=Archive&Skin=ET&BaseHref=ETD/2008/10/02&EntityId=Ar02400&ViewMode=HTML&AppName=1 http://tobacco.org/news/271948.html INDIAN tobacco companies, who have unsuccessfully fought the ban on smoking in public places at different courts, are slowly getting ready for life after the no-smoking ban which comes into effect from today. Cigarette makers, including big boys ITC and Godfrey Phillips India, have put up ‘no-smoking’ boards across all their offices, removed ashtrays and have sent a notification to every employee that the no-smoking ban is here to stay. “Whatever is required under the new rules... we have done it,” an ITC spokesperson said from Kolkata. A no-smoking ban was already in force in ITC’s headquarters and its offices across the country for the last five years. With the new rules, the ban has been extended to the entire office, the spokesperson said. The company, which earned 48% of its net sales from tobacco, has diversified into hotels, consumer products, information technology and paper business to de-risk its “cigarette only” business strategy. Others like Mumbai based GTC Industries have diversified into real estate. The Times of India India Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-smoke-without-ire-in-gurgaon-corporates-say-stub-it-or-face-wrath/367984/ http://tobacco.org/news/271913.html Gurgaon, September 30 After the Centre’s announcement of a ban on smoking in all public places from October 2, corporate offices in the Millennium City seem to be taking no chances. Major firms like IBM, Ogilvy and Mather, Ernst and Young, Google and many others have issued advisories to all their employees, asking them to abstain from smoking within office premises. As per the new order, in case anyone is caught smoking inside one’s office premises, the employer could also be fined. Indian Express India Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Tobacco_cos_kick_the_butt_in_offices/articleshow/3551605.cms http://tobacco.org/news/271864.html Cigarette-makers including big boys like ITC and Godfrey Phillips India have put up ‘nosmoking’ boards across all their offices, removed ash trays and sent notifications to every employee that the no-smoking ban is here to stay. “Whatever is required under the new rules... we have done it,” an ITC spokesperson said from Kolkata. In the past five years, a no-smoking ban is already in force at ITC’s headquarters and its offices, except in certain areas like canteens. With the new rules, the ban has been extended to the entire office, the spokesperson said. The Times of India India Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/sep/24/workplace_smoking_barred55559/ http://tobacco.org/news/271563.html Isle of Palms City Council voted 7-2 Tuesday to approve a smoke-free workplace ordinance that would go into effect Jan. 1. Council members Marty Bettelli, Dick Cronin, Brian Duffy, Mike Loftus, Ralph Piening, Carol Rice and Mayor Mike Sottile voted in favor. Councilmen Ryan Buckhannon and Dee Taylor voted against. Council members in favor of a ban said they wanted to protect the health of employees, falling in line with other communities east of the Cooper, such as Mount Pleasant and Sullivan's Island Charleston Post & Courier jjohnson@postandcourier.com (Jessica Johnson The Post and Courier ) Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/ramadoss-smokes-out-smokers-from-public-private-places_10094134.html http://tobacco.org/news/271084.html Come Oct 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and smoking in public places and even private buildings anywhere in the country will become a punishable offence.Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Tuesday said the government is committed to curb tobacco consumption among the people and has set the deadline of Oct 2 to ban smoking in public places. “If you want to smoke, go out to a street where there are no people,” Ramadoss told reporters. Earlier, smoking was only banned in government buildings but as per the new rules, all buildings, including private ones, will be smoke-free zones. Thaindian.com Thailand Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14755134 http://tobacco.org/news/271071.html Smoking in public places will now come for a price from October 2 with those puffing away to be fined Rs 200 which may increase to Rs 1,000. And there is bad news for employers too. They also could be fined if someone is caught smoking on their premises. Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said on Tuesday that the ban from the day coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary would also cover hotels, restaurants and offices. Sify.com India Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10427456 http://tobacco.org/news/271070.html A state senator who helped win passage of a new state law banning most indoor smoking in public places vowed Wednesday to fight to plug the loopholes that remain. Sen. Stewart Greenleaf said he plans to introduce a bill in January to amend the law that takes effect Thursday and make the ban complete. The law forbids lighting up in most workplaces and public spaces, including restaurants, train stations, office buildings and sports arenas. But it also authorizes the state to grant exemptions for certain operations, including private clubs; casinos; nursing homes; bars where food accounts for no more than 20 percent of annual sales; and as many as 25 percent of the rooms in hotels and motels, AP Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10427456 http://tobacco.org/news/271069.html A state senator who helped win passage of a new state law banning most indoor smoking in public places vowed Wednesday to fight to plug the loopholes that remain. Sen. Stewart Greenleaf said he plans to introduce a bill in January to amend the law that takes effect Thursday and make the ban complete. The law forbids lighting up in most workplaces and public spaces, including restaurants, train stations, office buildings and sports arenas. But it also authorizes the state to grant exemptions for certain operations, including private clubs; casinos; nursing homes; bars where food accounts for no more than 20 percent of annual sales; and as many as 25 percent of the rooms in hotels and motels, AP Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Blanket_ban_on_indoor_smoking_from_Oct_2_Ramadoss/articleshow/3437448.cms http://tobacco.org/news/270607.html Private offices and other establishments can no longer take the cover of having designated rooms for puffing cigarettes with the government sticking to plans to strictly enforce the ban on smoking indoors from October two. And if the smokers cannot resist the urge to have a puff they will have to come out to the streets. "From October 2, the government would introduce the no smoking policy in all indoor establishments," Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday. The "workplace smoke-free policy" is coming into effect to coincide with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "Smoking will not be permitted in any private or public building. Companies can no longer have designated smoking rooms. The Times of India India Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/south-wales-news/neath/2008/08/28/company-car-smoke-threat-91466-21605143/ http://tobacco.org/news/270467.html SMOKING in your company car could land you in court. That was the stark warning from environmental health bosses. The ban on smoking inside public buildings and work vehicles took effect in Wales in April 2007. But officers in Neath Port Talbot are still finding individuals and companies who risk being fined. The law requires vehicles to be smoke free at all times if they are work vehicles or used to transport members of the public, either as part of paid or voluntary work by more than one person - regardless of whether they are in the vehicle at the same time. WalesOnline UK-Wales Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10382459&u_rss=1& http://tobacco.org/news/270427.html The City of Ralston intends to fight a lawsuit that would snuff out the exemptions to its smoking ban. Attorney Christopher Jerram, on behalf of Ralston resident Mary Foster, said the lawsuit was brought against the city seeking "fairness, public health and economic opportunity on a level playing field." The City Council went into a closed session to discuss the lawsuit Tuesday night. An informal vote was taken during the session. City Attorney Mark Klinker said after the closed session that he and the city's elected officials do not think Foster has standing to bring the suit because the city's law does not harm her economically or inconvenience her in any unique way. The lawsuit was filed July 8 in Douglas County District Court. A motion for a temporary injunction is scheduled to be heard Aug. 8. In November, Ralston adopted an ordinance that banned smoking in workplaces but gave a reprieve to keno outlets, bars with limited food service, tobacco-only retail outlets and private clubs, such as the Ralston American Legion Post 373. Omaha World Herald Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://online.indianagazette.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36332&Itemid=52 http://tobacco.org/news/270337.html Pennsylvania’s smoking ban becomes effective Sept. 11. Maybe you’ll breathe a sigh of relief. Or maybe you’ll breathe a sigh of despair. Either way, maybe you’ll breathe easy, which is what the state legislature intended when it passed the ban, officially the Clean Indoor Air Act, that was signed into law in June. The law makes it illegal to smoke inside public places. So having a cigarette inside shopping malls, stores, schools, gymnasiums, ice skating rinks, airports, bus terminals, train stations, hospitals, restaurants — especially ones that don’t serve alcohol — will not be permitted. The law also makes it illegal to smoke anywhere inside at work, no matter whether the work is in a high-rise office building, a store, a machine shop or an enclosed construction site. It sounds pervasive, but given 12 exceptions to the rule and given that many places decided to prohibit smoking well before the state did, smokers and nonsmokers alike may not notice much of a difference, if Indiana and White Township establishments are any example. Indiana County Gazette webmaster@indianagazette.net (Written by Sam Kusic, Gazette Staff Writer ) Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.usnews.com/blogs/the-inside-job/2008/08/20/vote-does-smoking-hurt-your-career.html http://tobacco.org/news/270255.html Over at Jobacle today, Andrew G.R. details "the perils of smoking at work": • Smoking can be a sign of weakness to management. • It creates a certain perception at work. Smoking is a controversial topic these days, and it depends which person is making the perception whether it is good or bad. Regardless, there is always a stigma attached to the title of "smoker." • You smell. Sorry, I don't have a nice way to say it. U.S. News & World Report theinsidejob@usnews.com (Liz Wolgemuth) Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT