http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/AR.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aID=106232.54414.118374 http://tobacco.org/news/267868.html Arkansas' largest university will rely on common courtesy when its new campuswide ban on cigarettes, cigars, pipes and tobacco use of any kind goes into effect Tuesday. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville announced the tobacco-free policy in May 2007 and began a marketing campaign called "Fresh" that includes a Web site, banners, decals and notices to sell the ban to the college community. Arkansas Business Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/13089.htm http://tobacco.org/news/267505.html The University of Arkansas will become one of the first major universities in the country to be completely tobacco-free when the policy prohibiting use of all tobacco products goes into effect on July 1. . . . The University of Arkansas' tobacco-free policy was developed by Mary Alice Serafini, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and director of the Pat Walker Health Center. She used a model provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control. Students in a substance-abuse prevention class made several suggestions; campus administrators and other student groups were consulted; and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' College of Public Health and the Northwest Arkansas Tobacco-Free Coalition provided support information. The policy is clear and states: * Smoking and the use of tobacco products (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products) by students, faculty, staff and visitors are prohibited on all University of Arkansas properties. University of Arkansas urelinfo@uark.edu Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=66577&catid=2 http://tobacco.org/news/266082.html There could there be a ban on smoking in Little Rock parks. It's a topic of discussion at a public hearing Wednesday. Kids and teens seem to be the most frequent visitors at Little Rock's 55 parks. And it's concern for their health that brought the idea of banning smoking to the forefront. The Parks and Recreation Department wants to explore the issue. "I think it might become a law," says park goer Sharon Niemcyzk. Niemcyzk comes to Burns Park regularly with school groups. "It is a dirty smell," she describes. Having a safe environment she says is a number one priority. KTHV-DT CBS ablackstone@todaysthv.com Thu, 29 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=70932 http://tobacco.org/news/266076.html Could there be a ban on smoking in Little Rock parks? It's a topic of discussion at a special meeting Wednesday. KARK-TV Ch. 4 Tue, 27 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/?cid=70852 http://tobacco.org/news/265944.html The Parks and Recreation Dept. is considering knocking out smoking in its parks, leaving some people happy and others frustrated. If you want to voice you opinion on this ban, the Parks and Recreation Dept. is hosting a public input meeting Tuesday at Southwest Community Center at 6 pm. KARK-TV Ch. 4 Sun, 25 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.picayune-times.com/showstory.heitml?show=t&k.number=20378&pubname=times&headline=Smokers+to+pledge%2C+%22no+smoking+in+home%2C+cars%22 http://tobacco.org/news/262844.html The Gurdon School District Coordinated School Health will be sending home "Smoke-free Home and Car" pledges to the parents of students in grades K-8 next week. "In recognition of the National Kick-Butts Day on April 2, 2008, we are asking for parents to join us in the fight against second-hand smoke by committing to be a smoke-free home and car family." said Lisa Turner, Gurdon Coordinated School Health Coordinator. When the student returns the pledge card to their teacher their name will be entered into a drawing for a $25 and $50 Wal-Mart gift card. The deadline for the pledge cards is April 11, 2008. Nevada County Picayune nevadacountypicayune@yahoo.com Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EXECUTIVE_VANISHES?SITE=WSAW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://tobacco.org/news/261384.html John Glasgow had a healthy salary, with an opportunity to pick up stock in the construction company where he worked. He was the kind of guy who paid back a $500 bonus he got for completing an anti-smoking program because he started to light up again. But now Glasgow has been missing since Jan. 28, with his car was found abandoned the next day, and family and police say it's impossible to tell whether he killed himself, was abducted or left to start a new life elsewhere. His family said the easygoing 45-year-old felt overwhelmed and anxious about a company audit, but the company says no money is missing. AP Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/219871/ http://tobacco.org/news/261322.html A Little Rock Parks Commission panel is exploring the idea of restricting tobacco use in city parks. Depending on the rule's final form, smokers could find themselves with fewer locations to light up, and nonsmokers could see a concert or watch children play without breathing in fumes. "Smoke-free facilities are important, and we want to be a proactive group for Arkansans and their families," said Scott Daniel, a parks commissioner serving as a spokesman for the advisory committee. The group also is troubled by the time and money spent picking up cigarette debris Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/310310 http://tobacco.org/news/260944.html Premier Dalton McGuinty is following former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee's lead on banning smoking in cars carrying children. In welcoming Ontario's move, Arkansas officials yesterday offered some free advice on how the province should implement the law. The southern U.S. state, which proudly claims to be the first jurisdiction in the world to ban smoking in vehicles carrying kids, has found Arkansans welcome the prohibition. Huckabee, who abandoned his run for the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, enacted the historic legislation in 2006. Toronto Star Canada Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.4029tv.com/news/15438457/detail.html http://tobacco.org/news/260571.html The University of Arkansas will impose a campus-wide smoking ban starting July 1. The university is already smoke-free inside buildings, but starting July 1, 2008 smoking will be banned outside as well. "We actually have had a lot of complaints about tobacco use outside the stadium, lots and lots of complaints," Serafini said. All sports facilities will be part of the smoking ban, even for people not affiliated with the university, including sports fans who are on campus just to attend games. KHBS/KHOG 40/29TV.com webstaff@4029tv.com Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=15178 http://tobacco.org/news/258944.html Mike Huckabee Although he is sometimes pegged as a one-dimensional "evangelical Christian," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has lived his faith in ways that confound stereotype. To do this he has fought-and beaten-some in his own party. Huckabee's "heart and soul" legislation centered on children's' health care and education. In 1997, Huckabee introduced ARKids First, a health-insurance program for poor children. This was surprising enough in a state dominated by paleoconservatives, but he raised the stakes a year later, deciding that all the state's proceeds from its tobacco-industry lawsuit settlement should go to health education, anti-smoking campaigns, and Medicaid expansion, a Republican bugbear. When his own party blocked the tobacco plan in the state legislature, Huckabee put it before voters, and the referendum passed-two-to-one-in 2000. Baltimore City Paper Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/214733/ http://tobacco.org/news/258670.html The American Lung Association has awarded Arkansas with A's for its tobacco prevention and control spending and its smokefree air laws. The association's report, "State of Tobacco Control: 2007," tracks progress on tobacco control guidelines at the state and federal levels and assigns grades to policies on smoke-free air, cigarette taxes, tobacco prevention spending and youth access to tobacco products. Arkansas received a D for its cigarette taxes and a C for youth access. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/214399/ http://tobacco.org/news/258445.html For the first time since Fayetteville voters authorized a smoking ban in February 2004, the city's prosecutor expects a court battle with businesses ticketed for violating the ordinance. City Prosecutor Casey Jones said Evelyn Longstreth, a bartender at Art's Place, 2530 N. College Ave., and Mark Wright, the owner of On the Mark, 2588 N. Gregg Ave., will be arraigned Feb. 1. "I think these are going to be trials," Jones said. . . . "I think there are a few folks who don't understand or pretend they don't understand, but by and large, people are adhering to the ordinance," Coody said. "I haven't heard any complaints since a week after the law went into effect.&#8221 Fayetteville, Fairfield Bay, Pine Bluff and Highfill have smoking ordinances, and a statewide ban against smoking in public places took effect in July 2006. The Fayetteville law bans smoking in enclosed public places, except stand-alone bars that only serve alcohol. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.examiner.com/a-1151049~McFadden_Handcuffed_in_Bar_Incident.html http://tobacco.org/news/257947.html Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden was handcuffed by police and then released without charges after being involved in a "pretty rowdy scene" at a piano bar early Thursday. Arkansas' All-America running back and at least four others were at the downtown bar, called Ernie Biggs, when a disturbance broke out shortly after midnight . . . The Little Rock bar also allows smoking, and state law allows smoking in only certain establishments, but does not allow those businesses to admit anyone under 21. Ed Barham, a spokesman for the state Health Department, which enforces the smoking ban, said the agency will look into the disturbance after hearing about it through the media. He said if it appears the club violated the law, the agency will refer the matter to the state Board of Health. AP Nic@TimelapseProductions.com Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/60480/ http://tobacco.org/news/257070.html As students at one of the few high schools in the state that allows an open lunch, Fayetteville High School pupils are not confined to a cafeteria and designated areas of the campus during lunch time. They can use the 46-minute lunch break to eat out at nearby restaurants, run errands or study. Some students use it for another opportunity - a chance to walk off campus and take a cigarette break. One of the popular areas to go smoke in the recent fall semester was on the west side of the campus' Garland Avenue border near the University of Arkansas nowdemolished Carlson Terrace apartment complex. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT