An Alabama Senate committee has approved a bill to ban smoking in restaurants throughout the state.
Democratic Sen. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile guided her bill through the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
Figures has tried for several years to pass bills restricting smoking in public places, but she has not had success. She said she decided to try again this year with a simpler bill that only applies to restaurants.
The government of Hong Kong has hired a team of ‘tobacco inspectors’, who will patrol public transport centers ensuring that no one is smoking. The step is intended to reinforce Hong Kong’s ban on smoking in public places.
Almost 100 enforces will be on the lookout for smokers. Culprits will face a 1,500 Hong Kong dollar ban (approximately £130).
Supporters of further limits on smoking in public have relaased anew poll indicating most Oklahomans favor banning smoking in bars and restaurants.
The poll commissioned by the Smoke Free Oklahoma coalition found 71 percent of Oklahomans favor eliminating indoor smoking in public places. It also found 94 percent of Oklahoma voters believe secondhand smoke is a health hazard.
The Stark County Board passed an update to their food ordinance during last Monday’s regular meeting in order to help add some teeth to the no smoking ban passed in Illinois last year.
“The State of Illinois passed a law, but gave no direction on how to enforce it,” said Health Department representative Kurt Kuchle “With this addition, the county can now make an even playing field of all businesses in Stark County.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his aides are stepping up efforts to force nightclubs to comply with the city’s tobacco smoking ban, according to a report in The New York Times.
The report said city officials have targeted the M2 UltraLounge on West 28th Street in Manhattan via proceedings in a special administrative court. Most city businesses have complied with the 2002 law outlawing smoking in clubs and bars, but a few clubs seem to be promoting a smoke-friendly atmosphere to market themselves.
Kansas – The governor will sign a statewide smoking ban into law on Friday. It’s a law that bans smoking inside and even some places outside.
The ban has some businesses trying to figure out how they’ll accommodate their smoking patrons. It’s especially difficult for some bars as the law prohibits smoking near a business entrance.
“I think it’s a bit confusing,” said Ben George, owner of the Anchor in downtown Wichita.
George joins other business owners across the state in wondering just how the statewide ban will work. Of course, everyone knows there will no longer be smoking allowed inside. But the ban goes beyond that.
San Francisco officials have moved one step closer to expanding the city’s smoking ban to include numerous outdoor areas.
The board of supervisors Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution making it illegal to light up at sidewalk cafes, restaurant patios, movie and ATM lines and the common areas of housing complexes. The resolution also bans smoking near doorways and windows of offices, shops and restaurants and at bingo halls.
Nicotine builds up gradually in smokers’ brains rather than spiking after each puff, according to a study that might help point to new ways to help people quit smoking.
Dr. Jed E. Rose of Duke University reports in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that nicotine buildup in the brain is gradual over several minutes. Scientists have theorized there is a spike of nicotine about seven seconds after each puff, but almost no measurements had been taken until now, Rose said.
Rick Bender’s message to area students was clear: learn from his mistakes.
Bender began chewing tobacco at 12. By 26, he was diagnosed with cancer, which claimed a third of his tongue, half his jaw and left Bender with limited use of his right arm.
Bender, 47, told his story to freshmen at Piedra Vista High School Wednesday in an effort to help students learn from his mistakes. He also spoke at Hermosa Middle School and Navajo Preparatory School.
Despite otherwise first-rate health it appears that President Barack Obama is still having difficulties in giving up smoking. He has been attempting to kick the habit for a while now and according to reports is still struggling with it.
After his first medical examination since becoming president, at the Navy Hospital outside Washington yesterday, his doctors confirmed that he needed to carry on with “smoking cessation methods” as he had not yet managed to get the habit under control.