http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/IA.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012302040020 http://tobacco.org/news/333306.html In 2001, in response to the millions of dollars flowing to the state from the Tobacco Master Settlement, legislation was passed that established the Division for Tobacco Use Prevention and Control, with a full time director, a citizen commission to manage and coordinate funding and a youth program "directed by youth for youth." . . . In the past year, we have seen major attempts to disembowel one of the most successful tobacco control programs in the nation: * The director of the Division of Tobacco Control, a nationally recognized leader in the field, was let go. . . . Yet tobacco use remains the most preventable cause of death and disease and will kill more than 4,000 Iowans this year unless we do something about it. The tobacco industry spends more than $100 million a year in Iowa marketing its products and they never quit. This state of affairs make the governor's aspirations to become the healthiest state in the nation quite absurd. But the circus continues. A recent bill to address the increasing use of smokeless tobacco products -- such as snus, candy containing tobacco and "dissolvables" -- by creating tobacco-free schools, a bill supported by school superintendents across the state, was passed out of the Senate and the House Education Committee and was then sidelined by the House majority leadership. Joe Camel seems to have got his nose back under the Iowa House tent! Iowa City Press-Citizen Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20120126/NEWS01/301260025/Businesses-fail-tobacco-check http://tobacco.org/news/332777.html The Iowa City Police Department conducted tobacco sales law compliance checks on Jan. 18-21 at 61 businesses licensed to sell tobacco products. Working with plainclothes officers, underage patrons entered the businesses and attempted to illegally purchase tobacco products. Police said 54 businesses refused to sell to the underage buyers. Seven businesses failed the compliance checks. The businesses that failed the compliance checks are: Iowa City Press-Citizen Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.wxow.com/story/16562240/smoking-ban-iowa http://tobacco.org/news/332428.html Iowa's House Education Committee has unanimously approved a bill banning the use of all nicotine products on school property. State law already allows school boards to suspend or expel a student for the use or possession of tobacco, alcohol or controlled substances on school grounds. The bill, approved Thursday, expands those rules to include all nicotine products except those to help people quit smoking. WXOW 19 ABC Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://easterniowagovernment.com/2012/01/16/nicotine-right-here-in-river-city-draft/ http://tobacco.org/news/332110.html The Ariva tablet is “the future of tobacco,” according to its maker. A proposal in Linn County to regulate the sale of the dissolvable product may be the future of public-health efforts to restrict access to nicotine. “These products are popping up more and more,” said Jill Roeder, Linn County Public Health healthy behaviors branch manager. “This is just to set the stage so when they come our kids can’t buy them.” At least one retailer doesn’t care to be caught up by the new rules. “I’m just confused on why I need a permit to sell tobacco when I never have and never will sell tobacco,” said Jake Barnes, Marion, owner of the Electracigz kiosk at Lindale Mall. “It just concerns me.” The agenda for this morning’s county board work session includes the second reading of a proposed ordinance to require a tobacco sales permit for “the sale of nicotine delivery systems and unregulated products containing nicotine.” Last August, supervisors voted down an outright ban on dissolvable tobacco products. The new measure, which received supervisors’ unanimous support in its first reading last week, would be the county’s first under a 2009 federal law that extended local regulation to new products that contain nicotine but not tobacco. Eastern Iowa Government Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://easterniowagovernment.com/2012/01/09/linn-may-require-tobacco-license-for-esmokes-nicotine-products/ http://tobacco.org/news/331748.html Sellers of products containing nicotine would be required to get a tobacco-sales license under a proposed new county rule. Supervisors gave initial approval this morning to the ordinance banning "the sale of nicotine delivery systems and unregulated products containing nicotine" without a retail tobacco permit. The new rule would also ban the sales of those products to minors. Jill Roeder, healthy behaviors branch manager for Linn County Public Health, said the proposal was prompted by the local sale of "ecigarettes," products containing dissolvable tobacco, snuff, and nicotine-infused gels and drinks. Roeder said at least one local retailer sells nicotine dissolvables, and ecigarettes are sold through unlicensed kiosks at malls. Ecigarettes are electrical devices that simulate smoking with an inhaled mist that often contains nicotine. The products aren't legitimate aids to smoking cessation but "bridges between cigarettes," said Tim Boyle, board chairman of the Linn County American Cancer Society. Eastern Iowa Government Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20111209/OPINION04/312090023/-1/gallery_array/Shame-Iowa-diverting-tobacco-money http://tobacco.org/news/330197.html The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids just came out with a report, "A Broken Promise to our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 13 Years Later." This report details how much each state received in the tobacco settlement and how little of that money actually goes toward tobacco prevention. I am appalled to learn that in Iowa, only 1.1 percent of this settlement money goes to tobacco prevention. The rest of it is put in the general fund. With Big Tobacco pouring millions into our state daily to market its deadly product to youth, our elected officials should be ashamed that not only have they been cutting the tobacco prevention and education funding, but that they also don't use the settlement money as it was intended. Des Moines Register Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.radioiowa.com/2011/12/01/advocate-says-report-on-state-anti-smoking-campaigns-is-troubling/ http://tobacco.org/news/329793.html A new report shows state programs designed to reduce tobacco use have been cut by 12% in the past year. The report by the Coalition of Public Health Organizations, says 36% of the funding has been cut in the last four years. Peggy Huppert of the American Cancer Society says that's disappointing in the wake of Iowa's 65% funding cut. "We knew what the situation was here in Iowa, now we see that we are part of a very troubling national trend," Huppert says. All states have faced budget troubles, but Huppert says Iowa's cut is linked more to politics. Huppert says,"No other state program suffered a similarly sized cut, it really wasn't so much the budget as it was objections to what the programs were doing." Lawmakers were not happy with the way the youth-led "Just Eliminate Lies" anti-tobacco program was run. One billboard that drew the ire of a legislator showed a sign for Lakeview Iowa and said "Tobacco can kill this town in one day." Senator Steve Kettering, a Republican from Lake View, says the sign made the town which relies on tourism look like it was dead. (Lakeview story). Radio Iowa Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://qctimes.com/news/local/davenport-parks-might-be-smoke-free/article_04802f44-101a-11e1-84a4-001cc4c002e0.html http://tobacco.org/news/329248.html The Davenport City Council will consider an ordinance change at its meeting tonight that prohibits tobacco use - smoking or otherwise - from its public parks. The change would not include Modern Woodmen Park where smoking is partially banned under the Iowa Smokefree Air Act. A violation would be a simple misdemeanor. The ordinance change discussion is part of the committee of the whole agenda. It wouldn't get a first vote until next week and would require three votes to amend the ordinance. Quad-City Times Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Davenport-Turns-Down-Proposed-Smoking-Ban-134029073.html http://tobacco.org/news/329131.html The Davenport City Council has failed to approve a proposed ban on smoking in city parks. The council discussed the proposed smoking ban Wednesday night but decided to table the plan indefinitely. KCRG-TV9 ABC newsroom@kcrg.com (Lisa Kunkel) Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?s=16060876 http://tobacco.org/news/329056.html Davenport city leaders have tabled a controversial plan that would ban smoking in city parks. Some say the state ruling four years ago banning smoking in bars and taverns is vague when it comes to public places. And Wednesday night they fought to change that. "The vast majority of taxpayers and kids are non-smokers," says Alderman Jason Gordon. He says, "The issue becomes, where does the smoker's right to smoke butt up against my right to be in a public space with clean air and not have to be subject to second-hand smoke?" Gordon spear-headed the effort to ban smoking and tobacco in the city's public parks. He says that will cut down on litter, and on the unhealthy behaviors our kids see. KWQC TV 6 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://clintonherald.com/local/x869149594/Casino-won-t-join-smokeout-on-Nov-17 http://tobacco.org/news/329022.html The Great American Smokeout will not be coming to Wild Rose Casino floors on Nov. 17, according to Casino Manager Tim Bollmann. The push by anti-tobacco groups to include Iowa casinos in this year's annual Smokeout, during which Americans are encouraged to refrain from smoking for 24 hours, has so far failed to gain traction. Following the passage of the Smoke-Free Air Act in 2008, nearly all businesses and public buildings were forced to prohibit indoor smoking. However, gaming floors were deemed exempt from the no-smoking laws, and casino visitors are still allowed to puff away in certain areas. Bollmann, who attended an Iowa Gaming Association meeting earlier this week, said Wild Rose had no plans to participate in the event. He said that the topic had been discussed at the IGA meeting, and the general sentiment was dismissive. Gaming floors are open only to those 21 years old or older, well above the age necessary for legal tobacco use. Bollmann said individual choice should be respected. Clinton Herald news@clintonherald.com ( Ben Jacobson Herald Staff Writer The Clinton Herald) Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://globegazette.com/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/smokers-join-the-smokeout-editor-s-inbox/article_94776b30-1006-11e1-8331-001cc4c002e0.html http://tobacco.org/news/328987.html November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and on Thursday people all over the country will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout. With the passage of the tobacco tax increase and the Smoke-free Air Act, Iowa has seen the adult smoking rate drop from 22 percent to 14 percent, making Iowa a healthier state. Fewer people will have to hear those frightening words, “You have cancer.” We can do better, though. Let’s start with eliminating smoking on casino floors and protecting those workers from secondhand smoke. Mason City Globe-Gazette Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/543932/Illegal-sales-of-tobacco-a-target--of-effort.html http://tobacco.org/news/328909.html The Fort Dodge Police Department has taken a pledge to make sure tobacco doesn't get in the hands of the city's youths. The Iowa Pledge, which is a partnership with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, aims both to educate local retailers on what could happen if they sell tobacco to minors and enforce Iowa's tobacco laws. The department has participated in the program for the past several years, according to Assistant Police Chief Kevin Doty. Fort Dodge Messenger Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20111117/NEWS/311170026/1029/BUSINESS02/?odyssey=nav%7Chead http://tobacco.org/news/328842.html The American Cancer Society encourages smokers to pick today to give up the addictive habit as part of the 34th Great American Smokeout. But in the United Kingdom, doctors want to take things a step further: They've asked the British government to ban smoking in cars at all times. The 2008 Iowa Clean Air Act banned smoking in most buildings, workplaces, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. Six states -- Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine and Oregon -- and Puerto Rico ban smoking in cars with children present. But the prospect of taking away smoking in the car at all times burns smokers who say that any such proposal infringes on individual rights. Des Moines Register dafinney@dmreg.com ( Written by DANIEL P. FINNEY) UK Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45233232 http://tobacco.org/news/328601.html The Iowa Tobacco Prevention Alliance is leading the effort with help from the American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Cancer Society. The alliance sent letters to the casinos asking them to snuff out cigarettes on November 17th, the day of the Great American Smoke Out. MSNBC Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT