http://www.tobacco.org/newsfeed/state/WV.rss Latest top tobacco news headlines en-us http://www.fayettetribune.com/local/local_story_184172136.html?keyword=topstory http://tobacco.org/news/268138.html At the behest of several affected business owners, Fayette County's Board of Health voted last Thursday to extend by three months the implementation of an enhanced smoking ban. The stringency of the county's anti-smoking regulations was originally scheduled to ratchet up a notch July 1. Business owners will now be allowed until Oct. 1 to comply with the new rules, the board announced Tuesday. Fayette Tribune mhill@register-herald.com (Matthew Hill) Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_184230736.html http://tobacco.org/news/268122.html At the behest of several affected business owners, Fayette County's Board of Health voted last week to extend by three months the implementation of an enhanced smoking ban. The stringency of the county's anti-smoking regulations was originally scheduled to ratchet up a notch July 1. Business owners will now be allowed until Oct. 1 to comply with the new rules, the board announced Tuesday. Beckley Register Herald mhill@register-herald.com (Matthew Hill) Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wvva.com/News/index.php?ID=24062 http://tobacco.org/news/268013.html Business owners in Fayette County still have a few more months to brace themselves for changes in the smoking ban. The Fayette County Health Department says the Clean Air Ordinance was supposed to take effect today, but due to some complaints from business owners an extension was granted. They've been given until October first to comply. WVVA-TV NewsChannel Six sales@wvva.com Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=40706 http://tobacco.org/news/267880.html A clean air ordinance will also go into affect tomorrow in Fayette County, and, health officials say there are no "butts" about it. The rule makes it illegal for people to smoke in bars and outdoor eating areas. The ordinance strengthens what's already in place, but business owners in the county say the ban is a devastating blow. Business owners who want to continue allowing smoking have been given until October 1st to come up with dimensions for a smoking room. WVNS-TV CBS 59 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/508261.html http://tobacco.org/news/267739.html Nearly a year has passed since the Randolph County smoking ban went into effect. The regulation that prohibits smoking in most public places has had a tremendous affect on revenue at the H.W. Daniels American Legion Post 29 - so much that the organization may not remain open for another year, according to Carman Metheny, who addressed the County Commission Thursday on behalf of the American Legion board of directors. Metheny told commissioners that in the last year, the American Legion has dipped into its savings to meet regular expenses and borrowed from a line of credit to help with a community project. "We can't support the community or ourselves," Metheny said. "I can't believe how drastically things have changed since the ban." . . . If the Legion continues to loose money, it will likely be unable to sponsor a baseball team in 2009 and without the Post 29 team, the Hillbilly Hardball Classic will be affected, Metheny explained. Elkins Inter-Mountain Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://exponent-telegram.com/articles/2008/06/22/news/02.txt http://tobacco.org/news/267671.html It has been two weeks since Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health members voted to put the controversial, proposed 100-percent smoking ban out for public comment. And so far eight written comments have been received. While Health Department Executive Director Chad Bundy would not release what the comments said, he did confirm that all comments were in favor of the ban. The official 30-day public comment period did not officially begin until June 17 and will not close until July 17, but all comments received prior to June 17 will be counted, Bundy said. Clarksburg Exponent Telegram cwright@exponent-telegram.com (Colleen Wright, staff writer) Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=40388 http://tobacco.org/news/267660.html In just over a week, a Kanawha County smoking ban will get a little tougher. People will no longer be allowed to light up in bars, gambling parlors or the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center. Many are fuming about the regulations. Bar owner Brent Mallory built an outdoor area for his patrons who want to smoke, but was shocked to learn his waitresses and bartenders wouldn't be allowed to serve them. WOWK-TV CBS 13 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-herald.com/archivesearch/local_story_168222359.html http://tobacco.org/news/267655.html Inmates at two West Virginia prisons say the smoking ban imposed March 1 as a means of lowering health costs associated with nicotine abuse has triggered a black market to peddle cigarettes at exorbitant prices to convicts. Corrections Commissioner Jim Rubenstein acknowledged Monday that some staff have been reprimanded for allowing contraband into prisons, but wouldn't say if the infractions directly entailed tobacco. Beckley Register Herald mannix@register-herald.com (Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter ) Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-herald.com/archivesearch/local_story_165220759.html http://tobacco.org/news/267653.html Come July 1, the stringency of Fayette County’s anti-smoking regulations will ratchet up a notch. The Fayette County Board of Health voted late last month to prohibit smoking in any free-standing bar and also in any place where a non-smoker might visit. Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Don Newell explained that the amendments to the Clean Indoor Air Regulation of 2005 were approved by the board April 30. A 30-day notice was then published in local newspapers and posted in public areas. Beckley Register Herald mhill@register-herald.com (Matthew Hill Register-Herald Reporter) Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=40388 http://tobacco.org/news/267512.html In just over a week, a Kanawha County smoking ban will get a little tougher. People will no longer be allowed to light up in bars, gambling parlors or the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center. Many are fuming about the regulations. Bar owner Brent Mallory built an outdoor area for his patrons who want to smoke, but was shocked to learn his waitresses and bartenders wouldn't be allowed to serve them. Charleston State Journal Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.herald-dispatch.com/opinions/x1692743415/Keep-your-butts-off-city-streets-sidewalks http://tobacco.org/news/267429.html In Cabell County, cigarette butts rank at the very top of our litter problem. Not only do they destroy the natural beauty of our area, but also they are toxic and non-biodegradable. So, No. 1 littered item and non-biodegradable equals disaster. I do not know if smokers feel that throwing a cigarette out of a car window or flicking a cigarette butt on the street or sidewalk does not count as littering, or if they simply do not care. Either way, this is a major problem that results in 1.7 billion pounds of trash every year . . . It is our hope that every business in that area will buy into the idea that, since folks cannot smoke inside any longer, providing equipment for stowing butts will eliminate 90 percent of litter in the downtown area. Huntington Herald-Dispatch Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_168222359.html http://tobacco.org/news/267080.html Inmates at two West Virginia prisons say the smoking ban imposed March 1 as a means of lowering health costs associated with nicotine abuse has triggered a black market to peddle cigarettes at exorbitant prices to convicts. Corrections Commissioner Jim Rubenstein acknowledged Monday that some staff have been reprimanded for allowing contraband into prisons, but wouldn't say if the infractions directly entailed tobacco. "Could be," he said. "Certainly, we realized that with this tobacco ban, sort of what was going to jump to the top of the list as far as a contraband item is tobacco." Beckley Register Herald mannix@register-herald.com (Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter) Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://wvgazette.com/News/200806160836 http://tobacco.org/news/267053.html Just as it did last year, the state Attorney General's Office has sued a Greek company for improperly selling cigarettes in West Virginia. In a lawsuit filed last week in Kanawha Circuit Court, the state alleges that SeKap S.A., a cigarette company based in Piraeus, Greece, failed to put money into an escrow account as required of "tobacco product manufacturers" by state law. The suit alleges that SeKap sold 1,040,400 units of Marathon brand cigarettes and 367,600 units of GR brand cigarettes in 2007. As a cigarette maker that has not registered with the state, those sales would require the firm to put $35,348.97 into an escrow account. Charleston Gazette Greece Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_165220759.html http://tobacco.org/news/266943.html Come July 1, the stringency of Fayette County's anti-smoking regulations will ratchet up a notch. The Fayette County Board of Health voted late last month to prohibit smoking in any free-standing bar and also in any place where a non-smoker might visit. Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Don Newell explained that the amendments to the Clean Indoor Air Regulation of 2005 were approved by the board April 30. A 30-day notice was then published in local newspapers and posted in public areas. At a subsequent May 29 meeting, only two people were on hand to speak about the measure, and they both spoke in its favor, he added. Beckley Register Herald mhill@register-herald.com (Matthew Hill Register-Herald Reporter) Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/510640.html?nav=515 http://tobacco.org/news/266928.html Mercer celebrated a victory for public health this week in Pennsylvania. State legislators there passed a law to restrict smoking in enclosed public places, which made Mercer a happy doctor. The legislation, Senate Bill 246, includes some exemptions related to casinos and bars, but Mercer said it is just a matter of time before every state in the nation has a smoking ban on the books. And, he said, it’s just a matter of time before the world is smoke-free. At least 22 states don’t allow smoking in public places, with no exemptions, and entire countries are denying public smoking indoors, too, he noted. SB 246 was signed into law Friday by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, according to published reports. It will take effect in 90 days and will be enforced by the state’s county health departments. “They’ve been working on it for a year. It provides some exemptions, but I think it protects 95 percent of people,” Mercer said. A West Virginia smoking ban law was introduced this year, but it never moved out of committee. Mercer still sees it as a step in the right direction, though some are concerned it will include more exemptions than some counties already grant, he said. Much like Pennsylvania’s legislation, the Wheeling-Ohio County Board of Health’s smoking ban also has exemptions related to slot machine areas in small gambling parlors and bars, and to gambling sections at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. Track officials and some workers there objected to the facility going completely smoke-free, saying it would ultimately hurt their bottom line. Wheeling Intelligencer Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT