New Jersey Residents Remain Skeptical about Raising Tobacco Age Restriction
05-20-2013 | New Jersey | 
State Senator Richard Codey plans to propose an increase to the legal age to buy tobacco from 19 years to 21 with hopes to reduce the incidence of addiction among people between the ages of 18 and 21....
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Council to discuss definitions of bars, restaurants for possible smoke ban
05-19-2013 | Missouri |
The City Council of Sedalia will meet on May 20, 2013 to discuss the classification of bars and restaurants as regards smoking prohibitions or allowances....
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Smokers may soon get to light up in beaches and parks again
05-18-2013 | North Carolina |
Local governments are at odds with backers of SB 703, which would nullify current anti-smoking laws pertaining to publicly owned open spaces. The bill prohibits regulation of outdoor smoking by community colleges and local governments....
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FDA’s top tobacco regulator pledges ‘fair’ enforcement of products
05-16-2013 | Virginia |
Mitch Zeller, director of the Center for Tobacco Products--the new regulating arm for the manufacture and marketing of U.S. tobacco products, established by the FDA--delivered remarks at the Tobacco Merchants' Association annual meeting in Williamsburg....
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FDA’s top tobacco regulator pledges ‘fair’ enforcement of products
05-16-2013 | Federal |
Mitch Zeller, director of the Center for Tobacco Products--the FDA's new regulating arm for the manufacture and marketing of U.S. tobacco products--delivered remarks at the Tobacco Merchants' Association annual meeting in Williamsburg....
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FDA tobacco chief says health community grappling with idea that some products are less risky
05-16-2013 | Virginia |
Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's agency for tobacco manufacturing and marketing, spoke about 'harm reduction' at the TMA meeting in Williamsburg. The Center is evaluating the health risk of products like e-cigarettes compared to other tobacco products....
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FDA tobacco chief says health community grappling with idea that some products are less risky
05-16-2013 | Federal |
Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA's agency for tobacco manufacturing and marketing, spoke about 'harm reduction' at the TMA meeting in Williamsburg. The Center is evaluating the health risk of products like e-cigarettes compared to other tobacco products....
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The Economic and Criminal Consequences of Raising the Tobacco Tax
05-16-2013 | California |
SB 768, a bill seeking to increase the cigarette tax from $.87 to $2.87 per pack, or 230%, passed two senate committees. Approving the tax could lead to a greater spike in cigarette smuggling in the state which ranks 7th in the nation for those incidents....
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Revel casino recovery plan OK'd by NJ regulators; smoking ban abandoned
05-15-2013 | New Jersey |
Revel casino will emerge from bankruptcy next week. Among changes to the operation is a lifting of their no-smoking provision. The casino's officials acknowledged the ban's adverse impact on business and hope the new policy will attract more guests....
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St. Charles pursues smoking ban with exemption for Ameristar
05-07-2013 | Missouri |
St. Charles mayor seeks exemption for Ameristar casino from a proposed smoking ban. ...
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Smoking ban hearing in St. Charles brings out both sides
05-07-2013 | Missouri |
Recap on the first of three council hearings in St. Charles focusing on a proposed smoking ban....
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Flaming Out
05-05-2013 | Texas |
Texas anti-smoking legislation HB 400...
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Senators Lautenberg, Durbin, Harkin, and Blumenthal Introduce Legislation to Stop Tobacco Smuggling, Close Tobacco Tax Loopholes, and Increase Federal Tobacco Taxes
04-26-2013 | New Jersey |
'The 'Tobacco Tax and Enforcement Reform Act,' legislation that would reduce illegal tobacco trafficking, eliminate tax disparities between different tobacco products, and increase the federal excise tax rate on tobacco products...'...
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Alderman favors raising smoking age to 21, mayor hesitant
04-22-2013 | Illinois |
Video. Following the lead of New York City's Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Chicago's Health Committee Chairman George Cardenas proposes raising Chicago's legal age for cigarette sales from 18 to 21 years....
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California lawmakers kill bill to ban smoking inside homes
04-18-2013 | California |
A bill to bar millions of Californians from smoking inside their own homes was rejected Wednesday by an Assembly committee.
Assembly Bill 746 would have made California the first state to venture into personal bedrooms and living rooms with smoking...
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Revel considers adding smoking section to casino floor
04-14-2013 | New Jersey |
Revel bankruptcy documents say the Atlantic City megaresort intends to add a smoking section as part of its restructuring changes, but there are indications officials haven't made a definitive decision.
The resort has not submitted plans showing how it...
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Bryant smoking bill snuffed out
04-10-2013 | South Carolina |
State Sen. Kevin Bryant's effort to give employers the right to refuse to hire and even to fire smokers was snuffed out Wednesday.
A Senate subcommittee that is led by Bryant voted to delay taking any action on his bill, effectively killing it.
The...
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Pa. bill would tax cigars, smokeless tobacco
03-28-2013 | Pennsylvania |
A Pennsylvania lawmaker has introduced legislation to put a new state tax on the wholesale price of cigars and smokeless tobacco.
Rep. Ed Gainey (D-Allegheny) said his measure, House Bill 926, would provide $44 million for mass transit, roads and...
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Santa Monica City Council Opposes Bill To Criminalize Smoking Indoors
03-25-2013 | California |
Santa Monica is no stranger to regulating smoking in multi-unit housing. However, when a freshman assemblyman recently introduced a bill to potentially allow landlords to evict a tenant for smoking in a multi-unit property, the Santa Monica council ...
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Pryor's smoking ban banned
03-19-2013 | Oklahoma |
The Insurance,Ordinance committee meeting had two big ticket items at the last meeting. The repeal of a smoking ban and a special residential housing ordinance were highly anticipated and heavily discussed.
A Pryor city ordinance, as it stands,...
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NYC plan would keep tobacco products out of sight
03-18-2013 | New York |
NEW YORK (AP) - Cigarettes would have to be kept out of sight in New York City stores under a first-in-the-nation plan unveiled by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday, igniting complaints from retailers and smokers who said they've had enough with the ...
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NYC plan would keep tobacco products out of sight
03-18-2013 | New York |
NEW YORK (AP) - Cigarettes would have to be kept out of sight in New York City stores under a first-in-the-nation plan unveiled by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday, igniting complaints from retailers and smokers who said they've had enough with the...
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Bloomberg's Latest Nanny-State Initiative Could Be Overturned Too
03-18-2013 | New York |
Smarting from a state judge's decision overturning his beloved big beverage ban, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking solace in good old-fashioned anti-smoking activism. Today he urged the New York City Council to approve an ordinance requiring...
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Smokers disagree with public park smoking bans in North Jersey Municipalities.
03-16-2013 | New Jersey |
Sandra Smith and Tom Greico, co-workers who take smoking breaks together outside their Woodland Park company, are used to the usual grumbles from passersby, often far from the path of smoke, coughing loudly and complaining of the smell.
As three more...
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Businesses say they'll appeal judge's ruling on smoking ban
03-14-2013 | Indiana |
A group of business owners plans to appeal a ruling upholding the state smoking ban.
The restaurant and bar owners say they will head back to court to fight the decision.
The owners say the law that went into effect last year is hurting their...
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Another Tax Hike On Cigarettes And Cigars Gets Kicked Around
03-14-2013 | Maryland |
Tobacco lobbyists and anti-smoking advocates went head to head in a high-stakes hearing Wednesday on the legislature's latest proposal to raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from $2 to $3. The tax rate on cigars would triple from 30% to 95%.
Sponsore...
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New Bill Aims to Ban Smoking in Public Places
03-12-2013 | Arkansas |
An Arkansas lawmaker wants to ban smoking in all public places, even bars that fought for exemptions.
The Clean Indoor Air Act of 2006 banned smoking in many public places, like restaurants.
Now, Representative John Walker is going after the handful...
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Smoke ban bill gets split vote
03-08-2013 | Florida |
A bill allowing cities and counties to re-impose smoking bans on public property, including beaches and parks, cleared its second Senate committee on Thursday.
In a 6-3 vote, the Senate Health Policy Committee approved the bill (SB 258) that would ...
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Bar owners appeal smoking ban
03-07-2013 | Indiana |
Indianapolis bar owners lost the first round of their battle to end the city smoking ban, but their attorney told 24-Hour News 8 the fight is not over yet.
As 24-Hour News 8 first reported Wednesday at 5 p.m., a federal judge ruled the Marion County...
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Federal Tobacco Program Under Fire
03-04-2013 | Federal |
The mere mention opens up a debate about whether federal funds were necessary to ensure our nation's economic recovery. But are these funds having a direct effect on retailers' tobacco business on a local level?
Perhaps. The American Recovery and
...
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Luke Russell column: It's about our rights, not our smoking
03-03-2013 | Wisconsin |
Editor's note: In response to Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to charge state workers who smoke $50 per month, a proposal which the governor says will generate $2.7 million over two years, Luke Russell, an owner of Titletown Tobacco, writes this:...
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Proposed smoking fee draws surprise foes: anti-smoking advocates
02-28-2013 | Wisconsin |
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed $50-a-month fee for state employees who smoke faces some surprising opponents: anti-smoking advocates.
Smoke Free Wisconsin, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids...
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Smoking ban bill unlikely to survive
02-27-2013 | Kentucky |
Legislation that would institute a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and other public places has been sent to the House Judiciary Committee for further review on Tuesday, making it unlikely it can pass in this legislative session.
House Speaker Greg...
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Editorial: Leave smokers alone
02-26-2013 | Florida |
Enough with the smoking laws already!
The state Legislature should get out of the business of telling us how to handle our bad habits. Smoking is a personal choice. The state should stop tinkering with how, when and where people can light up.
Smokin...
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State legislators kill a bill that would have allowed local governments to establish strong tobacco restrictions.
02-18-2013 | Oklahoma |
A state Senate committee today snuffed out a bill that would have allowed local governments to establish anti-tobacco ordinances more restrictive than what's currently set by the state.
On a 6-2 vote, the Senate General Government Committee rejected ...
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Okla. Senate panel kills stricter smoking bans
02-18-2013 | Oklahoma |
OKLAHOMA CITY -
An Oklahoma Senate panel snuffed out efforts Monday to allow cities to enact stricter smoking bans, despite strong support from the governor and state health officials.
The Senate General Government Committee voted 6-2 against the ...
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Debate Rages On Controversial Ordinance Regarding Smoking Ban
02-17-2013 | Oklahoma |
Oklahoma City -- A bill that would give cities the right to ban smoking everywhere will be debated at the Capitol on Monday.
State Sen. Kyle Loveless says he wants to help businesses that allow smoking. He plans to add an amendment that would...
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Where there's smoke … there's a proposed statewide smoking ban
02-11-2013 | Texas |
At least, there's one in the works.
We'd heard a rumor this session that Rep. Myra Crownover, the perennial champion for a statewide ban on smoking in the workplace, might have been laying down her sword on the issue this session
after losing severa...
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Restaurant owners react to smoking ban
02-10-2013 | Kentucky |
ASHLAND - Local restaurant owners and managers say they aren't crazy about a proposed statewide smoking ban, and possibly face a reduction in their bottom line if the measure is adopted.
Ron Elliott, owner of the nonsmoking Rajah's Lunch Bucket, said ...
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If you smoke 'em he's got 'em
02-10-2013 | West Virginia |
BEAVER - If you think that all you have to do to exude an air of class while smoking a cigar is inhale (which should not be done) and exhale, you are probably - by all accounts - wrong. Cigar smoking is a culture in itself, and in order to appear Cary ...
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Lawmakers oppose more tobacco tax
02-09-2013 | Minnesota |
ST. PAUL - Where there is smoke there is definitely fire in the Legislature this session regarding a tax increase on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The first such proposal was included in Gov. Mark Dayton's budget that was offered two weeks a...
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House panel passes public smoking ban bill
02-08-2013 | Kentucky |
FRANKFORT - Smokers in one of the nation's top tobacco-producing states would have fewer places to light up under legislation that appears to be gaining momentum in the Kentucky Legislature.
The House Health and Welfare Committee voted Thursday to pas...
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Finding solace, camaraderie through cigars in Afghanistan
02-08-2013 | Alabama |
KABUL, Afghanistan - 'I don't know what I would do without the Tiki Hut!'
I hear someone say those words or something similar nearly every night I join other soldiers, Marines, contractors and whoever else happens to pop into the shack where cigar lov...
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Bar owners weigh in on move to eliminate smoking ban exemptions in St. Louis County
02-07-2013 | Missouri |
Bar owners talked about freedom, fairness and personal responsibility as they spoke out Wednesday about a proposal before the St. Louis County Council to eliminate almost all exemptions to the countywide smoking ban.
Most who spoke hold such exemptions...
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Public Call to Put Smoking Ordinance "To the Voters"
02-07-2013 | Missouri |
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) St. Joseph resident got another chance Thursday to sound off on what has become a heated issue.
The city held its third public hearing on a proposed smoking ban.
Currently, the proposed ordinance would ban smoking in public places ...
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State Senator Wants to Raise Smoking Age
02-01-2013 | Texas |
State Senator Carlos Uresti is proposing raising the legal age to purchase, consume and possess tobacco products from 18 to 21.
'It's going to save lives and it's going to save money,' Uresti said.
Uresti said Bill 313 will benefit everyone in the l...
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Statewide smoking ban likely to die again
02-01-2013 | Mississippi |
Proposed legislation that would ban smoking in all businesses and public places could die if a legislative committee doesn't bring the issue up for a vote by Tuesday.
Senate Bill 2078 - the Mississippi Smoke-free Air Act of 2013 - was introduced by Sen...
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Call for "All or Nothing" on St. Joseph's Proposed Smoking Ordinance
01-31-2013 | Missouri |
The public is sounding off Thursday night about a proposed smoking ban.
It is the second in a series of public meetings at City Hall.
The proposed ordinance would ban smoking in all indoor place with exceptions being made for bars with fewer than 49...
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County Council should consider 'over 21' rule on smoking ban
01-31-2013 | Missouri |
St. Louis County Councilman Mike O'Mara has announced that the current exemption system in the St. Louis County smoking ban is hurting some establishments that serve too much food and too little alcohol to qualify for an exemption. O'Mara wants to redo...
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Proposed bill aims to ban smoking in public parks
01-30-2013 | Florida |
A proposed Florida Senate bill aims to give local governments the power to ban smoking in public parks and playgrounds.
If the bill is passed, city of Gainesville officials will likely revisit the issue. The city placed signs for smoke-free zones in...
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