http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/18.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/3-noINBan/prweb3743514.htm http://tobacco.org/news/298693.html The Indiana General Assembly adjourned last week before acting on a proposed statewide smoking ban that would have cost the state untold jobs and tax revenues, said the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association. Our Indiana association members and their customers had a lot to do with effectively defeating this proposed legislation They contacted their state representatives and senators in opposition to the bill because it was discriminatory, unnecessary and it would have cost jobs and tax revenues. . . . In response to Brown's claims that smoking bans do not hurt revenue at bars and restaurants, McCalla cited the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis regarding the proven negative effects on businesses from legislated smoking bans. "The Fed has found that, based on impartial data generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, significant employment declines result from forced smoking bans, especially in bars and restaurants due to lost revenues," he said. PR Web Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/17/no-headline---171/ http://tobacco.org/news/298689.html How is it that six or seven people on a council can tell you where you can and cannot smoke? Telling people who own a business that they can't allow smoking inside? What's wrong here people? You just want to sit back and let a few people tell you what to do. Sounds like Big Brother. How many people are out of work because of this? They have never proven tobacco causes cancer. It is time to take the power from these little demigods. Evansville Courier & Press Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?ID=508208 http://tobacco.org/news/298652.html Knowledge Empowering Youth are joining thousands of kids across the country taking part in Kick Butts Day, a youth-led anti-tobacco initiative. Elkhart Truth Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/17/smoking-ban-aztar-entwined/ http://tobacco.org/news/298622.html Some Evansville City Council members think they would improve the chances of passing a stricter local smoking ban by eliminating exemptions for Casino Aztar, private clubs and other organizations. But others don't want to gamble with one of the city's most important revenue sources. Every year, the casino gives about $11.8 million to the city in both taxes and payments for leasing ground. Councilman Dan McGinn, R-1st Ward, noted the council has pledged to spend revenue collected from Casino Aztar on the arena going up Downtown. Evansville Courier & Press Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=12151775 http://tobacco.org/news/298583.html A tie vote at Monday night's Evansville City Council meeting means an immediate no to a smoking ban at city bars and restaurants, but council member Curt John was missing. How would he have voted? John is a restaurant-bar owner. He co-owns Nick's Pizza and Wings, the Main Gate Sports Bar, and Showme's on the east side. So, John has a stake in the outcome of any smoking ban vote, and said his vote would have been against it. 14 WFIE bgraham@14wfie.com (Becky Graham) Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/16/support-tepid-evansville-smoking-ban-without-exemp/ http://tobacco.org/news/298582.html Some on City Council think they would improve the chances of passing a stricter local smoking ban by eliminating exemptions for Casino Aztar, private clubs and other organizations. But others are adverse to gambling with one of the city’s most important sources of revenue. Councilman Dan McGinn, R-1st Ward, noted the council has pledged to spend revenue collected from Casino Aztar on the arena going up Downtown. Every year, the casino gives about $11.8 million to the city, in both taxes and payments for leasing ground. McGinn voted in favor Monday of extending Evansville’s smoking ban to bars, restaurants and taverns, but still to exclude Casino Aztar, private clubs, hotel rooms set aside for smoking and other places. Shortly after that proposal hit an impasse in a 4-4 vote, several council members suggested bringing it back without exemptions. Evansville Courier & Press Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/16/john-would-have-voted-no-tighter-smoking-ban/ http://tobacco.org/news/298563.html If City Councilman Curt John had been at the council’s meeting Monday, his vote wouldn’t have helped to tighten Evansville’s smoking ban. John said today he planned to oppose an amendment that would have banned smoking at local bars, restaurants and taverns. John said he wanted to attend the meeting Monday but was prevented because he was in Indianapolis, trying to secure a liquor permit for a Show-Me’s restaurant he wants to open there. “I’ve not shied away from any controversial issue since I have been on the council,” he said. “I’ve always been there to vote.” If he had followed through with his stated intention, the final vote Monday would have come out 4-5, enough to defeat the ordinance officially. As it was, the vote was 4-4, which has the same effect as a defeat. Evansville Courier & Press Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wthitv.com/dpp/news/local/indiana-smoking-ban-bill-dies http://tobacco.org/news/298516.html The Illinois smoking ban has been in effect since 2008. Ohio's ban has been in effect since 2006. But after several attempts, Indiana hasn't passed it's own ban. Indiana's most recent proposal made it through the Indiana House but didn't even get a hearing in the Senate. Some feel the language in the House version was too lenient, a smoking bill that didn't really ban smoking. One such group is CHANCES for Indiana Youth, a healthy living organization. "It came out of the House laden with loopholes that were the size of a Mack Truck," WTHI-TV Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/15/anti-smoking-ordinance-vote-looks-likely-fail/ http://tobacco.org/news/298492.html The City Council reached a stalemate tonight on a proposal to tighten Evansville’s smoking ban. But members left open the possibility of eliminating bans for Casino Aztar and private clubs and returning to the issue at a later meeting. The amendment considered tonight would ban smoking in restaurants, bars and taverns. The council’s vote came out 4-4, not enough either way to pass it or defeat it. Councilman Curt John, D-at large, was not in attendance. Councilman John Friend, D-5th Ward, was one of the members who voted against the amendment, saying he couldn’t stomach the exemptions it contains for Casino Aztar, private clubs and other organizations. “It appears to me we are being hypocrites if we think: These people we should exempt and these people we shouldn’t exempt,” he said. Asked if he would support a measure without exemptions, Friend said he would like to study the likely economic effects of such a strict ban before deciding. Evansville Courier & Press Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=12146963 http://tobacco.org/news/298491.html A tie-vote Monday night came after the council heard impassioned arguments for and against the smoking ban proposal. Monday night's challenge, at least for two city council members, was the special exemptions that allowed smoking to continue at places like Casino Aztar, private clubs and tobacco shops. Once at capacity inside the Evansville City Council chambers, a large crowd looking to voice their opinions about a stricter smoking ban spilled out into the hallway of the Civic Center Monday night. Public comment took more than an hour, ranging from worker's rights to the economic impacts on local businesses. 14 WFIE nryder@14wfie.com (Nathan Ryder ) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/15/evansville-city-council-takes-stricter-smoking-ban/ http://tobacco.org/news/298471.html The Evansville City Council will consider banning smoking at local restaurants, bars and taverns when it meets tonight. Council members will take up the ban in a committee hearing, starting at 5:10 p.m., and then put the matter to a vote during their regular meeting, starting at 5:30 p.m. The council meets in Room 301 of the Civic Center. If passed, the stricter rules will take effect July 6. Councilman Dan Adams, who proposed the amendment to the city's current smoking ban, said he chose that date to avoid harming restaurants and bars over the July 4th holiday. Opponents of the stricter rules fear local restaurants and bars will lose customers who insist on being able to smoke inside. Evansville Courier & Press Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/15/smoking-ban-would-provide-economic-benefit-to/ http://tobacco.org/news/298455.html I travel to Evansville on business at least once a month, but find myself limiting my support of local business due to cigarette smoke. Coming from Bloomington, a town that has a comprehensive smoking ban, I am always amazed at the difference when I visit a city or that does not have one. . . . And if the five gentlemen from different parts of the Midwest who sat with me at the Holiday Inn bar (which is smoke free) this past Tuesday night lamenting the lack of smoke free adult alternatives are any indication, it would also help the Evansville economy. I urge Evansville to do the right thing for both workers and businesses. Evansville Courier & Press Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wfie.com/Global/story.asp?S=12140324 http://tobacco.org/news/298454.html A push to make Evansville bars, restaurants and clubs smoke free goes before the city council Monday night. Some even say a stronger smoking ban would improve the health of the community. "I guess it is somewhat infringing on people's rights to smoke," smoker Curtis Atkinson said. Atkinson has no problem stepping outside to smoke. "If it's a fun place to be or if it's a place I want to be, I will go there regardless of whether it is smoking or not," Atkinson said. Atkinson said non-smokers have the same choice at smoking bars, restaurants, and taverns, so why then are city council members trying to ban smoking all together? 14 WFIE bgraham@14wfie.com (Becky Graham) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/14/public-smoking-the-issue-ban-to-be-considered/ http://tobacco.org/news/298436.html No doubt, council members are hearing from constituents who own bars and restaurants, and about an exemption that would be included for private clubs and Casino Aztar. There is no easy way to address the casino issue except to say, as Adams has, that it competes against other casinos rather than local bars, and its success is critical to the success of the local economy. This is the point at which we might suggest that it takes political courage to adopt this tough standard. But it doesn't take courage. This is a matter of doing what is right for your community, of protecting your constituents while projecting the image of a healthy place to live. Please, City Council, pass this amendment and help bring Evansville into the 21st century. Evansville Courier & Press Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/mar/13/smoking-ban-to-get-medical-support/ http://tobacco.org/news/298430.html * The City Council will consider giving final approval to a stricter smoking ban at Monday's meeting * Health professionals from St. Mary's and Deaconess are expected to speak for the ban Evansville Courier & Press Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT