Below is a listing of the latest news on legislative issues and anti-smoking movements affecting your personal freedom and rights to enjoy cigars. Get Involved, Learn about the Issues, and Take Action!
Albertville council talks smoking ban
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| May 15th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Alabama |
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Breathing easier and looking better were on the minds of Albertville leaders Monday night at the city council’s work session.
City leaders discussed a citywide smoking ban and tightening an ordinance allowing businesses to sell products outside of their establishments.
Mayor Lindsey Lyons is pushing to tighten an ordinance dealing with the selling of merchandise in front of businesses.
Lyons wants to allow the city to have more control over what business owners can sell and display in front of their stores.
“We have absolutely no control right now over what anybody can display,” Lyons said. “We have absolutely no control and that’s just unacceptable.”
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Covering Greenville: Smoking Ban?
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| May 15th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Alabama |
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VIDEO INCLUDED. From the CBS 8 South Alabama Newsroom -- Greenville mayor, Dexter McLendon, says he was hoping the statewide smoking ban would pass but he says after it didn't, the city will now look in to possibly passing their own ordinance.
McLendon says most of the city council supports a smoking ban. He says if it were to pass in the city of Greenville, it would only ban smoking inside restaurants, not bars.
Some residents say they don't see a problem with smoking indoors but others say they hope the ban comes to fruition.
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Full report: Mobile health department eyes restaurants that allow smoking
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| May 1st, 2010, 02:11 PM | Alabama |
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MOBILE, Ala. -- No one showed up at a three-hour hearing Friday to speak against proposed changes to how Mobile County Health Department inspectors score restaurants and bars where smoking is permitted.
At least half a dozen others, including three doctors, spoke out about the dangers of secondhand smoke at the public meeting.
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Mobile Health Inspectors ‘Out of Bounds’ Says Premium Cigar Association
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| April 30th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Alabama |
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Mobile, AL (Vocus/PRWEB ) April 30, 2010 -- When a county health department conducts a restaurant inspection, should it deduct points if the restaurant allows smoking on the premises? No, says the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association.
The Mobile County Health Department is considering a plan to automatically deduct four points from the health rating of any restaurant where smoking is permitted. A separate proposal under consideration is the placing of a decal on the front door of any restaurant that allows smoking. The sticker would warn patrons about the so-called dangers of secondhand smoke.
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Ban on smoking in Alabama restaurants fails in Legislature
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| April 23rd, 2010, 02:11 PM | Alabama |
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A proposal to ban smoking in Alabama restaurants failed after the state House did not vote on it Thursday, the last day of the 2010 regular legislative session.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, said she tried to get the bill on a list of measures to be considered by the House but was unsuccessful. The longtime smoking-ban proponent said she plans to try again next year.
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Mobile hotels and restaurants impose indoor smoking restrictions, hope citywide ban follows
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| January 18th, 2010, 01:11 PM | Alabama |
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MOBILE, Ala. -- A nonsmoking revolution is under way in downtown Mobile, led by new upscale hotels and restaurants that are trying to attract customers who don't want to go home smelling like an ashtray.
Health officials said they're hoping the trend adds momentum to efforts to pass a citywide ban on smoking in public places.
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Smoking proposal smolders
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| October 28th, 2009, 02:08 PM | Alabama |
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Efforts to loosen Decatur’s ban on smoking in public places appear to be slowing as the matter moves to a review committee this week.
Proposed by Councilman Gary Hammon, amendments to the city’s 2-year-old smoking ordinance would rescind language that bans smoking in bars and restaurants.
When he pitched the plan more than two weeks ago, Hammon called for an up-or-down vote by Oct. 19, saying he did not want to drag out the controversial issue.
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Commissioners debate smoking ban at courthouse
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| October 21st, 2009, 02:08 PM | Alabama |
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TUSCUMBIA, AL (WAFF) - In the Shoals, going smoke-free is the new trend.
Recently, the city of Florence started a smoking ban for restaurants and parks.
Now, the outside of a county building might go smoke-free, too.
Finding a place to light up a cigarette is becoming harder and harder in the Shoals. The next place that might go smoke-free is the outside of the Colbert County Courthouse.
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Colbert commissioners expect to discuss proposed smoking ban
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| October 20th, 2009, 02:08 PM | Alabama |
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One Colbert County commissioner is ready to move forward with a request from county employees to ban smoking around the courthouse.
Courthouse employees voted 38-24 to ban smoking within 50 feet of any courthouse door after some complained about cigarette smoke drifting inside the building.
There are about 200 employees who work in the courthouse.
Commissioner Rex Burleson said he is ready to move forward with the smoking ban. The topic could come up for discussion at today’s commission meeting.
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Staff to vote on smoking
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| April 20th, 2009, 10:38 AM | Alabama |
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COLBERT COUNTY, APR 20 - County commissioners have agreed to allow courthouse employees to vote on whether smoking will be allowed directly outside the building in downtown Tuscumbia.
Voting results will not be binding, Colbert County Administrator Donna Llewellyn said.
"(Commissioners) want to know how everybody feels about it," she said.
Smoking is not allowed inside the building, but when smokers gather outside the Colbert County courthouse entrances to take a cigarette break, fumes waft inside, much to the dismay of non-smokers.
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No-smoking bill delayed again
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| April 4th, 2009, 08:13 PM | Alabama |
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APR 4 - A state anti-smoking bill that some have been trying to vote through the Alabama Legislature for nearly 11 years seems to have been stalled again.
State Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) pulled the bill from Senate consideration Thursday after what she said were attempts to “gut the bill.” Figures was upset with amendments that were being added to the bill that led to multiple exemptions to the proposed anti-smoking legislation.
“Sen. Figures felt it was better to pull the bill for right now and regroup,” State Sen. Hank Erwin said. Erwin is a co-sponsor of the bill and has been a strong supporter of the legislation that would have prohibited smoking from all public places in the state.
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Smoking ban now in effect
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| April 1st, 2009, 02:08 PM | Alabama |
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APR 1 - The citywide smoking ban is now in effect in Fort Payne.
All restaurants are now non-smoking but the seven-page ban allows businesses other than restaurants the option of allowing smoking with the application of a waiver.
Each business is required to clearly post signs at all entrances declaring it is a smoking or non-smoking business.
There has been no discussion on the specifics of the waiver process.
The law bans smoking at all city facilities, buildings and vehicles and creates a 20-feet smoke-free barrier surrounding any city facility.
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