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!
Alcohol To Be Served At Cigar Bar
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| May 4th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Missouri |
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Cigar smokers visiting Alcorn Cigars, 8984 Watson Road, may now enjoy an alcoholic beverage along with their smokes in the shop.
The Crestwood Board of Aldermen on April 27 approved a conditional use permit for Alcorn Cigars Inc. to add a cigar bar where customers may purchase beer, wine and liquor by the drink.
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Vote on Prop N, the countywide smoking ban on Nov. 3 ballot, will shape smoking policy in region
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| October 30th, 2009, 02:11 PM | Missouri |
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It's a good time to be a St. Louis County resident who routinely votes. If you like attention and influence, that is.
Both sides in the battle over Proposition N, the county's smoking ban measure, are focusing their last-minute efforts on people who go to the polls -- not just in high-profile election years but also in so-called off years like 2009. With low turnout expected, reaching these voters is crucial for the campaigns.
Then there are the interested observers from St. Louis who will be closely monitoring the election results. The St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted 20-7 last week to approve a smoking ban that is contingent on the county enacting its ban. That means county voters will have the definitive say on the smoking ban issue for much of the region -- at least for now.
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Smoke-free proposal pits advocates against businesses
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| October 27th, 2009, 02:11 PM | Missouri |
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A proposal by a local advocacy group for a municipal ordinance that would ban smoking in all workplaces inside the city limits lit up a public hearing before the Maryville City Council Monday night.
About 60 people crowded into the council chambers to give their views, both pro and con, on the proposed statute, which is backed by Citizens for a Smoke-Free Nodaway County.
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Kirkwood Council Votes Down Smoking Ban
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| July 16th, 2009, 03:22 AM | Missouri |
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JUL 16 - KIRKWOOD, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) - Kirkwood City Council voted down a measure that would have banned smoking in restaurants and bars in the St. Louis County community. The vote took place late Thursday night.
Supporters were hoping a change in the measure, allowing for "smoking patios" at restaurants and bars, would garner support among council members. A previous ban, that was voted down by the public, banned smoking within a certain distance of the door, making patio smoking illegal as well.
There are enough signatures to put a ban on the November ballot now that council members have refused to pass it.
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St. Louis considering a smoking ban — but only if the county joins in
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| May 2nd, 2009, 12:17 PM | Missouri |
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ST. LOUIS, MAY 2 — City Hall is poised to join the growing debate over whether to ban smoking in bars, restaurants and other public buildings.
But legislation introduced Friday by Central West End Alderman Lyda Krewson comes with a catch: It would only take effect if St. Louis County passes a similar law, a proposition that appears increasingly unlikely.
The proposal has managed to irk both opponents of a smoking ban — who say the current economic climate is the wrong time to consider new restrictions on businesses — and anti-smoking advocates, who say the city's conditional approach lacks punch.
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Restaurateurs blocked from Clayton smoking ban forum
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| April 28th, 2009, 10:34 AM | Missouri |
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CLAYTON (KMOX News), APR 28 -- Clayton residents are invited to a meeting Tuesday evening at City Hall about a smoking ban in restaurants.
Frank Schmitz owns Barcelona restaurant. He and other owners are not allowed to attend the meeting, which he calls concerning.
"I had no idea and neither does anybody else, Clayton residents as well as Clayton businesses," Schmitz said. "We don't don't know what the city is doing. We don't know what the process will be."
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No butts about it
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| April 27th, 2009, 02:47 PM | Missouri |
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APR 27 - Alderwoman Lyda Krewson never met Mike Akridge.
But if Krewson is successful, Akridge might have to change the way he acts when he walks into a bar and grills like Friendly's at 3503 Roger Place in Tower Grove South.
Krewson, D-28th Ward, who represents the Central West End, plans to introduce a bill at this week's Board of Aldermen meeting that would ban smoking in public places and the workplace as soon as St. Louis County approves a similar ban.
That would definitely affect Akridge, a Eureka resident and smoker, who dropped by Friendly's last week.
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Two factions will debate smoking ban
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| March 15th, 2009, 01:51 PM | Missouri |
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MAR 15 - A debate about smoking bans will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Boulevard.
The debate is sponsored by the Federalist Society.
Arguing the pro-ban side will be Martin Pion, founding member of GASP (Group Against Smoking Pollution). Arguing against bans will be Robert Levy, chairman of the Washington-based CATO Institute, and Michael Pakko of the Federal Reserve in St. Louis and the Show-Me Institute.
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Smoking bans are bad for business
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| February 26th, 2009, 08:17 PM | Missouri |
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FEB 26 - Smoke-Free St Louis is pushing a ban in St Louis City. Restaurants, bars and casinos are all effected by smoking bans economically. Illinois enacted a ban starting January 1st. Casinos in Illinois were down 21.4% for all of last year. They lost over $400 million in gambling revenue. Missouri in the same time frame was up 5% with St Louis area casinos up 13%. Missouri and Illinois have similar economies. There can be no doubt that smoking bans negatively affect hospitality industry revenue.
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Commonwealth Brands Supports Smokers' Rights
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| February 25th, 2009, 01:43 PM | Missouri |
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Commonwealth Brands, Inc. the fourth largest tobacco manufacturer in the United States has expressed its concern over Missouri's newly proposed statewide smoking ban. Commonwealth believes that smoking bans "infringe upon the freedoms and rights of our smokers." Missouri's existing legislation, which leaves the option of whether to ban smoking or not to the patrons and management of public premises is a perfectly workable and fair solution.
In the Bill proposed by Senator Bray, smoking will be prohibited in public buildings and vehicles, bars, restaurants, and within 15 feet of any entrance to a public place or meeting. There are no exemptions envisaged for any business.
Not only could a wholesale smoking ban be very costly for the state of Missouri but Commonwealth Brands, Inc. stated that, "Where bans have been enacted, the leisure and hospitality industries have witnessed a decline in employment of between 4-16%," and in the case of Missouri the effect could be even more pronounced given the current difficult economic times.
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Club patrons cited under smoking law
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| February 24th, 2009, 09:21 AM | Missouri |
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FEB 24 - Police over the weekend issued two citations for violations of the city's smoking ordinance to patrons of a downtown nightclub that has been the spot of previous violations of the two-year-old law.
“They appear to be ignoring the ordinance,” Sgt. Lloyd Simons said of The Blue Fugue, 120 S. Ninth St.
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Health and Human Services has received numerous citizen complaints about the business and passed them on to the Columbia Police Department, Simons said. Patrol officers over the weekend conducted walkthroughs of the business on Friday and Saturday nights, issuing one ticket each time.
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High stakes in Mo. casino smoking debate
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| February 12th, 2009, 11:31 PM | Missouri |
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FEB 12 - HIGH STAKES: The gambling industry says a smoking ban in Illinois cost that state's casinos $415 million - or nearly 21 percent - in 2008, and the state $177 million in taxes. Colorado is the only other state that fully bans smoking in casinos, and its gambling revenues dropped significantly in the same year.
MOMENTUM GROWING: Two smoking ban measures have been introduced in the Missouri Legislature, neither of which exempts casinos. Smoking ban bills also are pending or being debated in several other states.
THE ARGUMENTS: The industry says it should decide whether to allow patrons to smoke, and that there isn't a big upheaval among gamblers demanding smoke-free facilities. Health advocates say everyone deserves to breathe clean air - including casino employees.
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Smoking ban issue resurfaces in St. Louis County
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| January 26th, 2009, 01:34 PM | Missouri |
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JAN 26 - The mayors of five adjacent cities in St. Louis County have reignited the smoking ban issue, asking the County Council to ban smoking in public places.
The council rejected a ban three years ago. Whether the new effort succeeds might depend on whether the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County could enact a ban simultaneously. None of their leaders wants to go it alone and put their bars and restaurants at a disadvantage against competitors in a neighboring jurisdiction.
The mayors of Clayton, Creve Coeur, Olivette, Overland and University City are behind the new effort.
A letter they sent last month to the County Council and other county mayors stated: "Smoking in public places is a critical public health issue in our communities and across the entire county."
Signing the document were Mayors Joseph L. Adams of University City, Jean Antoine of Olivette, Harold Dielmann of Creve Coeur, Linda Goldstein of Clayton and Mike Schneider of Overland.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley opposed the last smoking ban ordinance. But he has "an open mind" about a ban if it covered St. Charles County and St. Louis as well as his county, Mac Scott, his spokesman, said Friday. Dooley prefers statewide action, Scott said.
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Being truly smoke free
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| January 19th, 2009, 08:18 PM | Missouri |
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Maryville, Mo., JAN 19 - Since having successfully gotten the Maryville Clean Indoor Air Act passed in 2003, the Citizens for Smoke Free Nodaway County have been quietly working on expanding a smoke-free ordinance.
The Maryville Clean Indoor Air Act banned smoking in: restaurants; cafeterias; kitchen and dining areas associated with an educational institution; and conference rooms when meals are being catered.
Teri Harr, an RN at St. Francis Hospital and Health Services, is the chair for the coalition, and said the group — while they don't have a timeline — would like to expand the ordinance to ban all workplace smoking including all offices, businesses and even bars.
Teri said having a designated smoking area isn't enough — because that smoke gets into the ventilation systems and works its way through to give second-hand exposure to non-smoking employees.
Jamie Baker, a community policy specialist with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and also a member of the Citizens for Smoke Free Nodaway County, voiced the same concerns as Teri, listing the effects of smoking on non-smokers.
"Just an hour of sitting and breathing in somebody's side stream smoke does as much heart damage to the non-smoker as it does to the person that's smoking," Baker said.
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