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!
Berkeley Co. to exempt tobacco stores from indoor air rules
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| May 21st, 2010, 02:11 PM | West Virginia |
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MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Berkeley County Board of Health this week voted 2-0 to adopt changes to the county’s indoor air regulation to exempt retail tobacco stores from the rules.
Board member George Karos was absent for the meeting on Monday and Ruby Foltz recently resigned from the board. Board chair Joy Buck, who only votes to break a tie, was not present for the meeting either, but authorized county health officer Diana Gaviria to preside in her absence, Berkeley County Health Department administrator Bill Kearns confirmed. Gaviria, according to state code, is to act as the board’s secretary and is a nonvoting member.
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Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health Reinstates Smoking Ban
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| May 19th, 2010, 02:11 PM | West Virginia |
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CLARKSBURG -- The debate over Harrison County's controversial 100 percent smoking ban is over.
The Harrison-Clarksburg Board of Health held a regular meeting Wednesday morning.
Board member Bernie Fazzini asked the board to consider another exemption to the ban, allowing owners of free-standing bars and video lottery establishments the right to choose to allow smoking.
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Smoking ban brings a big backlash
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| April 26th, 2010, 02:11 PM | West Virginia |
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THE issue of smoking in Cabell County bars and private clubs has apparently gotten some folks in the county in a snit and high dudgeon. But will it change the outcome of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department excess levy on the May ballot?
Commercially produced campaign signs are popping up around the county calling for the defeat of the county health department excess levy.
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Nitro Leaders Look to Sidestep Kanawha Smoking Ban
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| October 28th, 2009, 02:11 PM | West Virginia |
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The Waco City Council is voting on a prospective smoking ordinance on Tuesday. The council will vote on whether to add additional restrictions to the current policies or to ban smoking altogether except in private locations and retail tobacco stores. Through either method, the council hopes to lessen secondhand smoke to non-smokers.
Waco's current smoking ordinance generally forbids smoking at indoor workplaces but allows smoking in bars, small food establishments and small businesses.
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Smoking bans and smoking politics
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| March 16th, 2009, 05:07 PM | West Virginia |
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CHARLESTON, W.Va., MAR 16 -- Newest bad bill of the session: Legislation introduced in the House (HB2932) to require county commissions to approve any public health department restrictions on smoking in public or private places.
The sponsors, including Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, insist that it is not about overturning smoking bans, but to bring "transparency" to the policymaking process of public health boards.
However, it's curious then that the bill applies only to smoking regulations - not any other health regulations those boards might enact.
It's also bad public policy, since boards of health were intentionally designed to be beyond the reach of politics. (The idea is to avoid scenarios where a politician could overrule health inspectors' shutting down a restaurant for serious health code violations because the owner happens to be a relative or friend of the politico.)
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Bill would ‘fix' mistake regarding smoking ban
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| March 15th, 2009, 10:51 AM | West Virginia |
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MAR 15 - Ever wish that you could go back in time and fix the mistakes you've made in your life?
While Marion County delegates haven't developed a time machine to take us all back to last spring, they have introduced a bill that could “fix” a mistake that was made when a smoking ban was passed without any regard for public opinion.
And not only would it “fix” our mistake, it would prevent any other county in the state without a smoking ban from making the same mistake.
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Bar Owner Found Guilty of Violating Smoking Ban
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| February 25th, 2009, 01:57 PM | West Virginia |
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ), FEB 25 -- A Kanawha County Magistrate found a bar owner guilty of violating the county's smoking ban.
Kerry Ellison, the owner of the Blackhawk Saloon was in court Wednesday. He's accused of blatantly defying Kanawha County's smoking ban.
"I wish I had customers that came in as frequently as (the health department)," Ellison told the magistrate during opening statements.
Ellison pleaded not guilty. He didn't have a lawyer with him at the hearing so he presented opening statements and cross examined a witness.
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