http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/MO.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2008/06/23/daily5.html http://tobacco.org/news/267592.html A Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court decision last week put Kansas City's smoking ban into effect Saturday, but the attorney for the anti-ban plaintiffs said the case isn't over. Judge John O'Malley denied a preliminary injunction in the case, which challenges the constitutionality of a ban the Kansas City Council approved in March and a stricter measure that voters approved in April. "The judge made no ruling as to whether anybody wins or loses," said Jonathan Sternberg, a lawyer representing the nine plaintiffs in the case. "The plaintiffs were asking that the ban not go into effect during our case. But the case absolutely continues." Wichita Business Journal Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/676161.html http://tobacco.org/news/267541.html Smokers -- a pretty rebellious lot by nature -- weren't taking Kansas City's new smoking ban in stride over the weekend. The voter-approved smoke-free law took effect at midnight Friday, officially banning smoking in restaurants, taverns and tobacco stores -- and that had many who embrace the habit riled up. "I kind of feel like a minority now. Having to go outside to smoke in a public bar is just silly," groused James Hyde, who even wore a T-shirt protesting the ban with a big 'No' on front as he puffed away outside Kennedy's Bar in Waldo. Smokers like Hyde have withstood increasingly aggressive complaints over smoking's effects on their health and those around them. But at their neighborhood tavern they weren't beat up for their habit. Indeed, often they were in the majority. Kansas City Star jsmith@kcstar.com ( JOYCE SMITH The Kansas City Star ) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/340/story/673924.html http://tobacco.org/news/267406.html In addition to Kansas City, strict measures are in place in Overland Park, Olathe, Independence, Lee's Summit, Lenexa and other cities. There's still more work to be done. Unified Government Mayor Joe Reardon recently has pledged to bring the topic to his commissioners, and he should move quickly to do so. In Missouri, Kansas City Health Director Rex Archer vowed his agency would enforce the new law. The city needs to make sure establishments know what's required. The department should quickly investigate complaints and take appropriate action against violators. Kansas City Star Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/440769.html http://tobacco.org/news/267384.html A Jackson County judge this morning lifted his temporary restraining order on Kansas City's smoking ban, meaning it will take effect at midnight. Smoking will be prohibited in all bars and restaurants but still allowed on gaming floors in Kansas City's two casinos. Up until this point, smoking has been allowed in Kansas City's bars and taverns and in restaurants with liquor licenses after 9 p.m. Wichita Eagle lhorsley@kcstar.com (LYNN HORSLEY The Kansas City Star ) Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/06/20/news/062108mosmokingban.txt http://tobacco.org/news/267373.html A Jackson County judge is lifting his temporary restraining order on Kansas City's smoking ban. The ban starts at midnight. Smoking will be prohibited in all bars and restaurants. But it will be allowed on gaming floors in Kansas City's two casinos. Judge John O'Malley ruled Friday in a lawsuit filed by nine establishments that challenged the constitutionality of the smoking restrictions. He lifted a temporary restraining order, saying he'll allow the voter-approved ordinance to take effect, pending the outcome of the lawsuit. Morning News of NW Arkansas nwaonline@gmail.com (The Associated Press) Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/Business/Detail?contentId=6811325&version=7&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=4.1.1 http://tobacco.org/news/267362.html For smokers: the puffing ends Saturday in bars and restaurants in Kansas City, Missouri. The city's voter-approved smoking ban goes into affect. The ordinance does allow for smoking in open-air areas. But everywhere else like indoor workplaces and bars and restaurants - it's lights out. On Friday, a group of business owners asked a Jackson County judge to stop the smoking ban. The owners said they'd suffer damages they wouldn't able to recover. The judge did not side with the business owners' request to stop the smoking ban. Their lawsuit will continue however until a trial. So without a judge's ruling, Kansas City, Missouri's voter approved smoking ban goes into affect at midnight on Saturday morning. "We knew this would probably turn out this way," business owner Jeff Martin said. "We're not finished yet." WDAF-TV Fox 4 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://voices.kansascity.com/node/1490?destination=%2Fnode%2F1490 http://tobacco.org/news/267361.html After a brief detour to court, Kansas City’s voter-approved smoking ban took effect at midnight Friday. It’s a great step forward that will protect the health of all those who work in public places, eat in restaurants or drink in bars. It’s a victory worth celebrating for thousands of Kansas Citians who worked hard to place the smoke-free law on the ballot through the initiative petition process — and to persuade voters to endorse the measure in April. Midwest Voices spider@tobacco.org Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/673295.html http://tobacco.org/news/267360.html A Jackson County judge Friday lifted his temporary restraining order against Kansas City's voter-approved smoke-free law, letting it take effect at midnight last night. Until now, smoking had been allowed in Kansas City's bars and taverns at all hours, and in restaurants with liquor licenses after 9 p.m. "This is obviously good news," city health director Rex Archer said of the ruling. "The public will be protected." Judge John O'Malley's decision Friday came in a lawsuit filed by nine smoking establishments that challenged the constitutionality of the restrictions that Kansas City voters had approved April 8. That suit continues through the court process, and the plaintiff bar owners are vowing to press their case. They argue the law is particularly unfair because smoking is still permitted on the gaming floors of Kansas City's two casinos. Kansas City Star lhorsley@kcstar.com (LYNN HORSLEY and JOYCE SMITH The Kansas City Star ) Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Jun/20080617Comm007.asp http://tobacco.org/news/267262.html The city has singled out a business, The Tiger Club, and recommended that its business license not be renewed. The reasoning is that The Tiger Club has not complied with the smoking ban. There are a number of little "hole in the wall" bars in town that this smoking ban has hurt tremendously. I would guess these "complaints" that the city gets about smoking at The Tiger Club are from the Columbia-Boone County Health Department itself and not people who regularly go the bar. . . . for these little bars where people go there to have a beer and smoke, it just does not make sense. To force these places to shut down by either kicking out their paying regulars or stealing their business licenses for noncompliance is just plain ignorant. Columbia Tribune Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kccommunitynews.com/articles/2008/06/19/sun_tribune/news/doc48593fd5b3680957976730.txt http://tobacco.org/news/267211.html Although North Kansas City staff was directed by the City Council to mirror its smoking ban ordinance after the language in Kansas City’s in an attempt to create a level playing field for its businesses, the enforcement in North Kansas City will differ a bit when compared with enforcement in Kansas City. The ordinance in North Kansas City designates enforcement responsibility to the “Chief Code Official.” That title goes to Fire Chief Dave Williams, who will be in charge of enforcing the ordinance once it takes effect 60 days from the council’s approval. Kansas City enforcement will come from its health department, which is something North Kansas City lacks. For the most part, Williams does not expect too many problems with enforcing the smoking ban. Johnson County Sun jeffsalem@npgco.com (Jeffrey M. Salem) Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/670168.html http://tobacco.org/news/267173.html The Kansas City Zoo has joined the restricted-smoking trend. The Friends of the Zoo board on Wednesday approved a policy asking patrons to smoke only in six designated areas. Kansas City Star mcampbell@kcstar.com Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/660206.html http://tobacco.org/news/266815.html The pint-sized 7th Street Casino in downtown Kansas City, Kan., could thwart a metrowide effort to ban smoking on casino floors. Here's why: Bans approved by Kansas City voters in April and the North Kansas City Council on Tuesday evening don't take effect until "all" surrounding casinos also are covered by similar laws. The language in the two city-approved ordinances appears to cover the tribal 7th Street Casino owned by the Oklahoma-based Wyandotte Nation. Billy Friend, second chief of the tribe, said Wednesday, however, that the tribe had no plans to snuff out smoking there. Kansas City Star ralm@kcstar.com (RICK ALM The Kansas City Star) Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/658597.html http://tobacco.org/news/266804.html A smoking ban similar to one passed by Kansas City voters in April won approval from the North Kansas City Council on Tuesday night. It would ban smoking in restaurants, bars and other businesses beginning in August. "I want to thank the council for making a tough decision," Mayor Gene Bruns said after the 7-1 vote. "We have received phone calls on this issue both pro and con, but nothing really negative. I think history will show the ban will have no negative impact on businesses." Councilman Chris Hertling cast the only dissenting vote. Kansas City Star Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/columnists/hearne_christopher_jr/story/657453.html http://tobacco.org/news/266708.html Kansas City lawyer Jonathan Sternberg wasn't looking for a job when he warned the Kansas City Council about the Missouri Constitution regarding smoking-ban ordinances -- one council-approved, the other narrowly approved by voters. . . . That would be bar and restaurant owners challenging the smoking ordinance approved by voters. Sternberg's arguments netted a temporary restraining order preventing enforcement of the ban until a hearing on the lawsuit June 20. "My concern is completely legal," Sternberg says. "I'm mainly concerned that the city doesn't think they have the right to usurp the Missouri state constitution." It's like this, Sternberg says: "Missouri has a state law that I've known about for a long time," he says. "So I looked up the Missouri Clean Indoor Air Act, and there are eight areas listed in that act that are exempted that are not considered public places: (including) bars and restaurants that seat less than 50 people, bowling alleys, billiard parlors, private residences, tobacco shops and sports stadiums that seat more than 15,000 people. "The obvious intent is to allow those establishments to establish their own tobacco smoking polices without limitations. And I don't like the idea of cities overriding state law because public health is not an excuse for tyranny." Kansas City Star hearne@kcstar.com Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://stcharlesjournal.stltoday.com/articles/2008/06/04/news/sj2tn20080603-0604stc-ban0.ii1.txt http://tobacco.org/news/266483.html A smoking ban for bars and restaurants proposed by the St. Charles Wellness Commission during a work session May 27 received little support from members of the St. Charles City Council, many saying they would prefer to see the ban addressed on a statewide level. The St. Charles Wellness Commission asked the council to consider putting the issue on a city-wide referendum ballot on Nov. 4. City Council members previously had said they would not support a smoking ban. St. Charles Journal Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT