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!
Northern Kentucky Official Wants Smoking Ban Vote
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| May 10th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Kentucky |
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COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A proposal to regulate indoor smoking in northern Kentucky is expected to come to a vote this summer.
An advocacy group, Northern Kentucky Action, has been lobbying for a smoke-free law in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties for more than two years.
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Bunning attacks FDA-tobacco bill
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| June 5th, 2009, 02:16 PM | Kentucky |
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WASHINGTON, JUN 5 -- Sen. Jim Bunning yesterday denounced the proposed federal regulation of tobacco as an effort to wipe out the industry.
"And the big problem with this approach is that our nation's tobacco farmers are the ones who are going to pay the price," the Kentucky Republican told colleagues on the Senate floor.
Senators are debating legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco products.
Bunning's opposition was no surprise -- he's opposed similar bills before.
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Smoke-free trend bypasses Northern Kentucky
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| March 30th, 2009, 12:08 PM | Kentucky |
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MAR 30 - Officials in Northern Kentucky have not yet passed any smoke-free ordinances, but supporters of laws to ban smoking in public places continue to encourage businesses to clear their air.
Northern Kentucky Action, the coalition of health-related organizations and associations promoting smoke-free workplace laws, has added the Kenton County Alliance to its effort, according to a report in The Kentucky Enquirer. The organization works to prevent substance abuse among youth and is writing to businesses that have chosen to go smoke-free on their own.
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UK taking its smoking ban campuswide in November
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| February 10th, 2009, 11:26 PM | Kentucky |
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FEB 10 - The University of Kentucky announced Monday that its smoking ban will take effect on all campus property Nov. 19, the date of the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout.
UK will join Campbellsville University as the only Kentucky campuses to impose a complete smoking ban, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. Other campuses ban smoking indoors.
UK now bans smoking in all campus buildings, including dorms, and outside its medical facilities, as does the University of Louisville.
The new UK tobacco-free policy prohibits the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipes, cigars and snuff.
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Hopkins Co. smoking ban may be less restrictive
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| January 20th, 2009, 06:57 PM | Kentucky |
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HOPKINS CO., KY (WFIE), JAN 20 - The tough smoking ban in Hopkins County could be changing, and soon.
A no smoking ban has been in place in Hopkins County now for months, but the Hopkins County Court has proposed a new regulation that will be less restrictive.
"A hotel can have as many smoking rooms as they would like , private clubs are entirely exempt as long as they don't have anyone under the age of 18 enter," Lisa Miller with the Hopkins Co. Health Dept. said.
Miller is not completely satisfied with the new ordinance.
"We don't feel like it is as comprehensive and we don't feel like it protects the people of Hopkins County and we would like to see everybody protected not just those under 18, but this is certainly better than not having any regulation ordinance at all," Miller said.
Local business owners like Ronnie Fox are relieved that money he spent to construct a separate ventilation system in his restaurant isn't going to waste.
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Statewide ban a smoke screen
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| January 14th, 2009, 02:00 PM | Kentucky |
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JAN 14 - A smoke-free Kentucky? Sounds great, doesn't it?
Until you realize that any statewide smoking ban enacted this year would probably leave Kentucky with weaker protections against secondhand smoke in the long-run.
Why? Because anything our pro-tobacco legislature is likely to pass would be weaker than the ordinances that local governments are enacting. A statewide ban would drain the political energy from local efforts to enact better protections.
And without a ton of money behind it, enforcement would be a joke.
If Senate President David Williams is serious about reducing tobacco's toll on Kentucky's health, he'd support a big increase in the excise tax on tobacco and channel $53 million a year from the increase into tobacco control. Then enact a statewide smoking ban.
Kentucky spends just $4.2 million a year on smoking prevention and cessation, and some of that comes from the federal government. The state should be spending $57.2 million, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
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Dickering threatens smoking ban
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| January 4th, 2009, 06:28 PM | Kentucky |
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FORT THOMAS, JAN 4 — A proposed smoking ban in three Northern Kentucky counties could go up in smoke as officials haggle over what type of establishments would be exempt from the measure.
Officials in Kenton, Boone and Campbell counties have been working together since June on the proposal. If the differences can't be ironed out soon, some leaders are suggesting the plan be tabled until a comprehensive measure can be put in place.
"I believe it's either time to pass something or put it on the shelf for a while because it just seems to be an item that is taking staff time and concentration away from other projects," said Kenton County Commissioner Dan Humpert.
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