Subscribe to Cigar Rights of America RSS feeds and get the most up-to-date cigar-related legislative news. http://www.cigarrights.org/xml/news/news.xml http://www.cigarrights.org/favicon.ico http://www.cigarrights.org/images/CRA08small.jpg en-us UPDATE: At the May 8 Anchorage Assembly meeting, Chugiak/Eagle River Assemblyman Bill Starr announced he wanted to revise his proposal, and the public hearing was rescheduled for the May 22 assembly meeting. ANCHORAGE – While sponsors call it a “narrow exemption,” opponents of an ordinance allowing indoor smoking in some establishments said it’s a major step backwards for local air quality. http://www.ktva.com/home/outbound-xml-feeds/Assembly-Mulls-Indoor-Smoking-Exemption-150303005.html 9 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Alaska MOBILE IS as close as it has ever been to banning smoking in most workplaces and public spaces. If City Council members approve a proposal in the coming weeks, they will raise the bar for public health throughout the city. There is a big and unfortunate exception in the ordinance, however: It would allow bar owners to choose whether to allow smoking in their establishments. http://blog.al.com/press-register-commentary/2012/01/proposed_smoking_ban_is_good_f.html 5 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Alabama MOBILE, Alabama -- An ordinance soon to be considered by the Mobile City Council would bar smoking in virtually all public spaces and places of employment in the city. The most notable exception to the ban would be bars serving patrons age 21 or older. Bar owners could choose for themselves whether to allow smoking. Signs indicating whether smoking is OK would be required near the entrances. http://blog.al.com/live/2012/01/proposed_mobile_smoking_ban_wo.html 4 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Alabama MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A Senate committee today approved Sen. Vivian Davis Figures' bill that would ban smoking in almost all indoor work places and public places statewide. The proposed ban, Senate Bill 198, would ban smoking in public places such as bars, restaurants, hotels and motels, retail stores, schools and sports arenas. It also would ban smoking within 15 feet of an entrance, exit, window or ventilation intake of a building where smoking was banned; outdoor seating and serving areas of restaurants and bars; bleachers and grandstands used at outdoor events; and outdoor playgrounds. http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/03/alabama_senate_oks_smoking_ban.html 7 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Alabama HENAGAR – The Henagar City Council started initial discussions Monday on enacting a no smoking ordinance at Henagar City Park. According to Mayor Winston Jenkins, several park-goers have complained about the restrooms smelling of smoke. He said others have expressed issues with smoke blowing their way during youth baseball and softball games. State law prohibits smoking inside city-owned buildings, such as the restrooms, but Jenkins said this ordinance would prohibit smoking throughout the park. http://times-journal.com/news/article_d79ad990-9ed8-11e1-a2b0-0019bb2963f4.html 15 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Alabama Whenever the issue of a smoking ban comes up, whether it be for a college campus or an entire city, both sides get loud and angry. Auburn's new smoking ban, which doesn’t take affect until the 2012 fall semester, is source of contention for us. We actually agree with both sides of the argument on most of their talking points. The scientific fact is that smoking is bad for your health, obviously, and secondhand smoke can, in large quantities, cause serious health issues. Most smokers are willing to admit that their habit is potentially dangerous to themselves and others. http://www.theplainsman.com/view/full_story/18778373/article-Smoking-ban-turns-personal-freedom-to-ashes?instance=home_news_lead_story 31 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Alabama About 25 students from the Scottsdale Community College chapter of Students for Liberty, a national nonprofit group, handed out cartons of cigarettes on their campus Wednesday to protest a ban on tobacco that will be instituted this summer. Maricopa Community Colleges approved the ban for all 10 of its campuses to be implemented on July 1 as part of their new Breathe Easy Arizona campaign. SCC biology sophomore Kody Holmes, president of the SCC chapter of Students for Liberty, led the protest. http://www.statepress.com/2012/03/28/community-college-students-protest-campus-wide-tobacco-ban/ 28 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Arizona If you think the Republican presidential nomination race is getting ugly, just wait until the campaign on the proposed new tobacco taxes gets under way. The nasty messages are likely to make the presidential stuff look like child's play. At stake is the fate of the California Cancer Research Act, a statewide ballot initiative on the ballot in the June 5 primary election. The proposition seeks to increase cigarette taxes by one dollar per pack. If passed, the act would raise about $855 million annually in new tobacco taxes, an outcome that tobacco companies will do their best to prevent. http://www.nbcsandiego.com/blogs/prop-zero/Tobacco-War-Coming-Soon-136500448.html 3 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 California The Elk Grove City Council on Wednesday night decided that persuasion is preferable to the prospect of barring smokers from lighting up inside their own apartment units in the city. The council, after hearing nine people testify about problems with second-hand smoke, decided that government regulation is not the way to fix complaints coming largely from one subsidized senior housing unit in the city. "We need to be careful about using a chain saw to solve a problem that can be solved with a scalpel," Councilman Gary Davis said during the discussion on the issue. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/03/29/4376929/elk-grove-council-backs-off-from.html 29 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 California WILMINGTON, Del. ---- The corporate/legal/tax capital of the country, Wilmington offers not only a friendly home for taxation- and regulation-weary American companies, but also some important lessons for states, such as California, intent on imposing yet more unwise tax barriers. Take Proposition 29, for example. Californians have just a few weeks to weigh this measure ---- appearing on the June 5 ballot ---- which would hike tobacco taxes by a buck a pack to fund cancer research. http://www.nctimes.com/news/opinion/perspective/another-view-prop-deserves-to-go-up-in-smoke/article_1091c3d0-6496-5588-b42c-40d164c36800.html 20 May 2012 11:11 -0800 California (Reuters) - California voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have added a $1 tax to a pack of cigarettes in the state's primary election Tuesday, an outcome observers attributed to a $47 million ad blitz by the tobacco industry. The measure, known as Proposition 29, was defeated 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent on a day of light voter turnout, according to election results posted on Wednesday by California's secretary of state. Some absentee and other ballots remained to be counted. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/06/usa-campaign-primaries-prop-idUSL1E8H66DQ20120606 6 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 California LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A ballot measure that would have added a dollar tax to every pack of cigarettes to fund cancer research appears to be headed for defeat. Proposition 29 would have increased the taxes on each cigarette distributed by five cents — which amounts to $1 per pack — along with an equivalent increase on other tobacco products to fund cancer research and finance prevention programs. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/06/06/voters-reject-dollar-tax-on-cigarettes-to-fund-cancer-research/ 6 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 California Smokers can breathe a little easier knowing their favorite Lakewood spot to enjoy a cigar will remain in operation as the city will not include them in changes to the law. During a study session Feb. 6, City Council agreed no changes would be made forcing the closure of cigar or hookah bars, which are allowed under the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act. http://yourhub.denverpost.com/lakewood/lakewood-will-not-force-cigar-hookah-bars-close/Ofjrv1T3u8EEog05RhaNnI-story 7 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Colorado The Lakewood City Council agreed to tighten some public smoking rules late Monday night but rejected efforts to take the restrictions as far as health advocates wanted them to go. The council voted 9-2 to expand the no-smoking "bubble" around building entryways from 15 feet to 25 feet, to ban smoking in most gathering places of public park space, and to block the opening of any more cigar or hookah bars. Other rules will bar anyone under 18 from entering a tobacco business or a cigar or hookah bar. http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20367237/lakewood-tightens-some-smoking-rules-rejects-others?source=email 10 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Colorado Tobacco comeback - In the February issue of Cigar Aficionado, author Gregory Mottola has written a superb piece headlined “Connecticut’s Comeback: The Hot New Thing In the Humidor Is A Wrapper Leaf Dating Back More Than 110 Years.” The photography by Sarina Finkelstein augments the piece well. Mottola writes about the Connecticut River Valley’s ripe climate for Connecticut Shade, used to wrap many cigars, especially cigars made by General Cigar Co. General manufactures numerous cigars, using Connecticut Shade, including Macanudo Cafe and Macanudo Gold Label. http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/connecticut-tobacco-making-comeback-cigar-aficionado-notes 12 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Connecticut Government regulators and their enablers in Congress, always on the prowl to target industries for ever-more oppressive regulations and higher taxes, are now focusing on the venerable “good cigar” eloquently extolled by Rudyard Kipling and many other connoisseurs of a “good smoke.” Since the mid-1960s, tobacco has been one of the big-government nannies’ favorite targets. While anti-tobacconists have scored only sporadic victories in the courts over the past few decades, that is partly due to the fact that until 2009, when Congress passed the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act,” tobacco was not lawfully regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/23/kiplings-good-cigar-now-in-fda-gun-sights/ 23 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Federal TAMPA -- Some groups collect cookies, clothes and toiletries for U.S. soldiers. In Ybor City, they collect cigars. "The guys overseas got to know that they are appreciated by the people back home," said Robert Alorda, a founder of the Ybor City Cigars for Soldiers program. "They need something to remind them of home," Alorda said. Tuesday night, a group of volunteers met at the Ybor City Development Corp. office, 2015 E. 7th Ave., and packed around 2,000 donated cigars. http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2012/jan/18/ybor-cigars-headed-to-troops-overseas-ar-348549/ 18 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Florida Since it's passage in November 2011, only one person has received a citation for smoking on Gulfport Beach: attorney Andy Strickland. Strickland says that he deliberately tried to get a ticket, informing the city in advance of his plans to smoke in violation of the law, so he could challenge the charge in court. Strickland believes that the ban is illegal and unconstitutional. According to a Florida Statute, the regulation of smoking is up to the state, not local governments, he said. http://gulfport.patch.com/articles/charges-dropped-in-fight-against-beach-smoking-ban 17 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Florida Flavored tobacco products, a favorite of high school kids, could be prohibited from sale in Miami-Dade County. Commissioners on Tuesday are scheduled to take a preliminary vote that could lead to Miami-Dade joining New York City, Providence, R.I., and Santa Clara, Calif., as municipalities that have banned selling funky-flavored cigars and chewing tobacco that are popular among teens. http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/14/2799667/selling-flavored-tobacco-products.html 21 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Florida Friday was not Jack Butler’s lucky day. The planner for the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission was at the Chatham County Commission meeting for an innocuous resolution concerning local planning, but his agenda item was one of the last to be considered during a four-and-a-half-hour meeting Friday. A couple of controversial proposals that have boosted attendance and blood pressure at recent meetings had to be considered first. http://savannahnow.com/news/2012-01-14/chatham-guts-smoking-ban-oks-hotel-support 14 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Georgia The Augusta Commission snuffed out an attempt to toughen the city’s smoking ordinance Tuesday night, with many calling it a government intrusion. Supporters still hope it can be brought back up. But for Commissioner Corey Johnson, who made the motion for approval, it would be “next year.” http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-news/2012-02-21/augusta-smoking-ban-fails-get-commission-approval 21 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Georgia “Do you know to boil a frog?” A fellow actor asked that of me a few months ago. I admitted that I had not given the matter a lot of thought. He said, “Well, you obviously can’t just drop him into a pan of hot water. He would recognize the danger and hop out. So, you put him in a pan of room-temperature water. He will find it nice and comfortable. Then you, very slowly, so the change is almost imperceptible, keep increasing the heat under the pan. By the time he realizes what has happened, it is too late He is boiled.” http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/17673257/article-Pete-Borden--Cobb-park-smoking-ban-would-infringe-on-rights?instance=secondary_story_left_column 28 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Georgia With Monday's vote, Atlanta moved closer to joining a number of its neighbors that have curbed smoking or tobacco use in parks or public places. Alpharetta, Decatur, Doraville, Douglasville, Duluth, Gainesville, Marietta and Roswell have banned smoking in public parks. Clayton, Douglas, Forsyth and Henry counties have also adopted smoking bans. Smoking in Atlanta will be punishable with fines of up to $1,000, six months in jail or community service. Penalties would be up to the discretion of judges. http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/atlanta-passes-smoking-ban-1479016.html 16 Jul 2012 11:11 -0800 Georgia A sheet of paper taped to the sign outside 10th Street Station invited customers to come in Sunday and “toast to freedom of choice.” The Downtown Boise bar, normally closed Sundays, held a Great Final Smoke-Out to mark the last day smoking was legal in the city’s bars, parks and many other public areas. The bar’s business sign, which proudly proclaims “Smoking Allowed,” is suddenly outdated. http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/02/1936804/the-end-of-a-smoky-era.html 2 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Idaho IDAHO FALLS, Idaho -- The Idaho Falls City Council swept away the proposed Smoke Free Air Ordinance on Thursday. It would have banned smoking in all of the city's bars. On a 4-2 vote the council decided to leave those decisions up to bar owners. The ordinance will not be considered any further. Also at the meeting, council members also erased two town ordinances dating back a century or longer. One required dance halls to register their activities with the city. Another required hotels and motels to keep a register. Idaho Falls Police Detective Ken Brown says neither requirement is necessary today. http://www.localnews8.com/news/31049502/detail.html 11 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Idaho Illinois lawmakers are considering loosening the Smoke Free Illinois Act, which prohibits smoking in all indoor public places since being passed in 2008. If the ban is loosened, individual bars, restaurants, and other facilities hosting events with tobacco products will be able to apply for a smoking license that would exempt them from the no smoking ban. “We think this is a terrible idea,” Katie Lorenz, American Lung Association communications manager, said. http://www.videtteonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35947 29 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois A Chicago tobacco shop as well as a local wholesaler are trying to stamp out a new Cook County tax on cigars, snuff and loose tobacco, saying the tax language on the books is so “unconstitutionally vague” that “you’d have to hire a fortune teller” to determine its meaning. Arangold Corp., a tobacco wholesaler in suburban Northbrook, and Loop-based retailer Iwan Ries Co. recently filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court asking a judge to halt the tax, which kicks in March 1. http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/10475987-418/tobacco-shop-wholesaler-sue-county-over-new-tax.html 6 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois An Illinois lawmaker is making another attempt to change portions of the state's public smoking ban. House Bill 4012 introduced last month by state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, would allow communities to issue permits to bars, casinos and a few other establishments to allow smoking indoors. The legislation would require communities to approve an ordinance to allow the local liquor control commission to issue smoking licenses. Other acceptable places to smoke would include adult entertainment venues, private clubs and establishments hosting a tobacco products convention. http://www.whig.com/story/16905837/attempt-to-rollback-smoking-ban-introduced-in-illinois-house 10 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois Police departments in Winthrop Harbor and Vernon Hills recently conducted tobacco compliance checks and all of the establishments checked did not sell to a minor. On May 9, Winthrop Harbor used a 17-year-old volunteer to check businesses. All passed by not selling the tobacco product to the volunteer. Those establishments were identified as: Cheap Tobacco, 719 Sheridan Road; Cheese Shack, 545 Sheridan Road; Clark Gas Station, 847 Sheridan Road; Foremost Liquors, 1243 Sheridan Road; G and G Pantry, 1016 Sheridan Road; Harbor Food and Liquors, 644 Sheridan Road; Harbor Foods, 1235 Sheridan Road; Marathon Gas Station, 901 Sheridan Road; and Tobacco Outlet, 101 Sheridan Road. http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/12598755-418/businesses-dont-sell-smokes-to-minors.html 18 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois As long as we're in the business of alerting Americans to all the dangers of tobacco, we might want to slap another scary label on cigarette packaging: "Warning: The surgeon general has determined that states choosing to address their spending problems by raising taxes on tobacco risk seeing real fiscal restraint go up in smoke." Such a warning might be especially instructive for Illinois. There the Democratic legislature (with the help of Republicans in the state House) has just raised cigarette taxes by a dollar a pack. Gov. Pat Quinn says everyone wins: The higher tax means more revenue for ... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303918204577446713473599748.html 4 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois Monmouth, Ill. — MONMOUTH — One of the newest business in Monmouth, WallStreet Tobacco Company, is off and running with their unique store. Judy and Lloyd Wall started up the only smoke shop in town recently and see a bright future for their business. Located on 214 West 1st Avenue, right around the corner from Danny's Tap, the simple sign out front doesn't do justice to the wide variety of tobacco inside and the laid back aura of the shop. Wednesday afternoon, Judy had some time to answer a few questions about the new store. http://www.reviewatlas.com/newsnow/x1067111296/WallStreet-paves-its-way-through-Monmouth-with-tobacco-shop 7 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 Illinois One thing became clear during an interview last week with Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard: He's tired of being asked about smoking bans. It's understandable -- he's been answering persistent questions for more than two years. The Republican faced flak for threatening to veto a 2009 City-County Council proposal that would have expanded Marion County's smoking ban to most bars. Last year, Democratic challenger Melina Kennedy criticized him on the issue. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120108/LOCAL/201080380/1387/LOCAL 8 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana The City-County Council passed a stronger smoking ban covering most bars tonight, but the mayor’s opposition to one key provision could keep it from becoming law. Applause greeted the 19-9 vote — one vote shy of the 20 that would be needed to override a potential veto. Anti-smoking advocates planned to rally supporters and put pressure on Mayor Greg Ballard to sign the smoking ban measure. But Ballard has vowed a veto. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120130/LOCAL18/201300319/Indy-Mayor-Greg-Ballard-threatens-veto-smoking-ban-set-council-vote-tonight?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CIndyStar.com 30 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana The Evansville City Council has before it a long-sought amendment to its public smoking ban; it would add a prohibition against smoking at bars, restaurants and Casino Aztar inside the city. Since the council first passed a modest public smoking ban in 2006, pressure has been on to lift its exemption for bars and restaurants. The County Commissioners had adopted a similar resolution in 2006, but it granted only a temporary exemption to bars and restaurants. That exemption has since been lifted. http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/feb/05/smoking-ban-debate-might-benefit-from-a/?partner=yahoo_feeds 5 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana A statewide smoking ban’s fate now lies in the Indiana Senate, where it has never passed out of committee. While hopes for its passage are bright, there are still significant obstacles to overcome. The smoking ban passed the House the last five years, but never got so much as a committee hearing in the Senate until last year. One of the key compromises in this year’s version is an 18-month exemption for bars and taverns. http://indianapublicmedia.org/news/indiana-senate-statewide-smoking-ban-26522/ 8 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana In vetoing a smoking ban proposal Friday, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard left open the possibility of yet another try. Any new attempt to cover bars and other places under the city's 2005 smoke-free ordinance would be the fourth in three years. Ballard put an end to the latest proposal -- passed 19-9 in the City-County Council -- over a provision he saw as tying the hands of private clubs. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120211/LOCAL/202110319/1387/LOCAL 11 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana If there was any question that a smoking-ban proposal vetoed by the Indianapolis mayor was dead, the City-County Council on Monday put the issue to rest. A motion to override the veto garnered just 16 votes -- along party lines and short of the 20-vote threshold needed to overrule Mayor Greg Ballard. Three Republicans who previously had helped pass the measure Jan. 30 voted this time against the override, joining the other nine GOP members present. One Republican was absent. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120213/LOCAL18/202130354 13 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Gov. Mitch Daniels said Wednesday that he hopes legislators will send him a statewide smoking ban bill with a short list of exemptions. Daniels has been backing the effort to put legal limits on smoking in public places and businesses, but declined to say whether he supported a push by some legislators to continue allowing smoking at bars. http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/indiana/daniels-wants-few-exemptions-in-smoking-ban 15 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana For the first time, the full Indiana Senate will debate a proposed statewide smoking ban that would prohibit cigarettes in most workplaces and public spaces. The Senate Committee on Public Policy on Wednesday voted 8-2 in favor of a statewide ban. The House had passed the legislation the previous five years, only to see it quickly die in the Senate committee. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120223/LOCAL/202230337/Smoking-ban-moves-full-Senate?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CNews 23 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana INDIANAPOLIS | State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, stood in the back of the Indiana Senate chamber for three hours Tuesday and watched helplessly as the Republican-controlled chamber shredded his proposed indoor smoking ban. "I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't seen it for myself," Brown said. The Senate changed House Bill 1149 on a series of unrecorded voice votes to exempt all bars and taverns from the smoking ban. Charity gaming sites, nursing homes, veterans homes, retirement centers, group homes and mental health facilities also were exempted. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/senate-exemptions-make-smoking-ban-in-name-only/article_3fe528dc-c867-5501-a462-c6ff3ab88b72.html 28 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana EVANSVILLE — Two attorneys battling the city’s smoking ban on behalf of local private clubs and bars will go before a judge Tuesday morning to schedule a hearing that could lead to a temporary injunction. The meeting is the first step in the progression of two separate complaints filed Monday in Vanderburgh Circuit Court on behalf of the private clubs and bars that challenged the smoking ban. Both complaints state the smoking ban violates several points in the U.S. and state constitutions. http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/mar/12/collection-evansville-private-clubs-file-legal-act/?partner=yahoo_feeds 12 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana UPDATE: As of 10:30a.m., only one person had testified at the hearing. The judge indicated this would likely be an all day event, with no ruling issued. He did expect, however, that a ruling would be made by the end of the week. A hearing today could lead to a temporary block of a controversial ban in Evansville. A group of private club and bar owners filed a temporary injunction for the city's proposed smoking ban, which is scheduled to go into effect on April 1st. http://tristatehomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=500872 28 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana EVANSVILLE — The rejection of two temporary injunctions against a city smoking ban set to start Sunday left bar and club owners wondering if they should continue fighting, learn to cope or close. But for officials at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1114, one item of recourse was clear. “Well, the only thing we can do now is make sure the City Council doesn’t get reelected,” said Randy Muston, quartermaster for the West Side VFW post. “Other than that, we aren’t sure what we’re going to do.” http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/mar/30/judge-denies-injunction-evansville-smoking-ban-tak/ 30 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana VIDEO: EVANSVILLE - The city-wide smoking ban, which took effect April 1, is already having an economic impact on local bars and fraternal organizations, according to some bar owners. Anti-smoking advocates say it's a victory for public health. But owners of some businesses and private clubs see it a bit differently. "People are staying home. They're not coming out because they can't smoke," explains customer Mike Rich. http://tristatehomepage.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=513702 18 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana Smoking-ban lawsuits are piling up in court As The Star first reported Sunday, plaintiffs connected to "at least eight" bars, as well as a bar patron, have filed lawsuits in U.S. District Court claiming that Indianapolis' expanded smoking ban, which takes effect Friday, is unconstitutional. Several ask for injunctions and argue that the new measure is unlawful and violates civil-rights protections because it treats the bars differently from exempted private clubs and doesn't apply to bars in nearby cities and towns, including Lawrence and Speedway. http://www.indystar.com/article/20120530/NEWS05/205300321 30 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Indiana A house bill recently presented in Topeka could change a law that bans smoking in most Kansas restaurants and bars. The bill would amend the Clean Air Act and allow smoking inside bars that serve and employ people 21 and older. Building a patio cost Shamrock Lounge owner David Stough a pretty penny. “All the improvements and everything we've done you know, it's like $80,000 now,” Stough said. http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/Bill_Could_Allow_Smoking_In_Kansas_Bars_139064809.html 10 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Kansas On a vote of 62-49, the bill was re-referred to the joint Health committee. With just over one week left in the 2012 session, House Bill 2690 will die, having literally met its makers. Rep. Bill Otto, R-LeRoy, told KansasWatchdog he decided to shut down the bill after a threat by Rep. David Crum, R-Augusta, during Friday morning’s Republican caucus meeting. http://kansas.watchdog.org/9067/kansas-casino-exemption-threat-kills-smoking-bill/ 4 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Kansas Proponents of the statewide smoking ban approved by the 2010 Kansas Legislature said businesses would not be appreciably harmed by the ban. But a growing body of evidence and experience from Kansas and other states shows they were wrong. House Bill 2690, a proposal to exempt bars from the statewide smoking ban, would address the double standard of the 2010 Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act that exempted casinos – but not privately-owned bars – from the smoking ban. http://kansas.watchdog.org/8766/state-ignores-financial-damage-of-smoking-ban/ 10 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Kansas A bill introduced Thursday in the Kentucky General Assembly for a statewide ban on smoking indoors in public places has once again touched off debate among smokers, non-smokers and business owners. State Rep Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, introduced the bill that would ban tobacco smoking in work places, businesses and government buildings statewide. She said the bill has some changes that strengthens it over a similar bill she introduced last year. http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkypolitics/2012/01/19/statewide-smoking-ban-proposed/ 19 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Kentucky FRANKFORT, Ky. - Smoking in restaurants, workplaces and other indoor public spots would be prohibited in Kentucky as part of a bill just introduced in the state Legislature. House Bill 289, introduced by Rep. Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, would enact a statewide, indoor smoke-free policy to help protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/24548-1 30 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Kentucky FRANKFORT, KY. — A Republican boycott of the Democratic-controlled House Health and Welfare Committee stopped a bill that would impose a statewide smoking ban from getting a vote Thursday. Republicans were upset over the committee chairman’s decision not to have a vote on House Bill 26, sponsored by Rep. Lonnie Napier, R-Lancaster, which would require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to implement a substance-abuse screening program for recipients of public assistance. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120308/NEWS01/303080072/GOP-boycott-delays-vote-smoking-ban-bill?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome 8 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Kentucky FRANKFORT, Ky. — One of the nation's top tobacco-producing states would ban residents from smoking cigarettes in public places under a bill that cleared its first legislative hurdle on Tuesday. The House Health and Welfare Committee voted 10-2 to protect people from secondhand smoke inside workplaces, jails, bars, restaurants and even private homes if those residences are used for child care or adult daycare. http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/mar/13/smoking-ban-hed-here-and-herpppp-deck-hed-goes/ 13 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Kentucky Baton Rouge -- Legislative labor committees shot down an effort to allow companies to discriminate against employees who smoke but gave approval to a bill expanding whistleblower protections Thursday. Senate Bill 113 would have repealed a two-decade-old law prohibiting companies from taking into account tobacco use when hiring, firing, promoting or considering any other employment action. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/04/senate_committee_rejects_bill_1.html 26 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Louisiana PROVINCETOWN — The board of health made a policy decision on how to calculate open areas for those establishments seeking to have a certified outdoor smoking area. At its meeting Thursday, the board voted unanimously (3-0) that all railings shall be treated as though they were walls, which will guide health department staff when they inspect following a request to allow smoking on a deck or a patio where there is no service. http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellfleet/news/x85609232/Restaurant-owners-irked-as-smoking-regs-get-tweaked-in-Provincetown#axzz1vVtUCeQS 13 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Massachusetts Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on Wednesday defended his plan to raise taxes on residents who earn six-figure salaries or more, saying he considered it the “fairest way” to help close the state’s latest budget shortfall. “This is not an exercise in popularity, it’s not a matter of greasing the weather vane, it’s a matter of figuring out what are the best decisions that we can make on behalf of the families we serve,” O’Malley said at a State House news conference. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-governor-defends-plan-to-raise-taxes/2012/01/18/gIQAEI2X9P_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend 18 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposal to raise taxes on tobacco products is causing a lot of huffing and puffing among local sellers. O'Malley's proposed $35.9 billion budget for fiscal 2013 would raise the 15 percent excise tax on cigars, smokeless tobacco and other noncigarette tobacco items to 70 percent. The proposed tax increase would raise the price of a $1.49 cigar to about $2.20. http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?sid=2727188 30 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Maryland VIDEO: Does the noise from your neighbor's loud music drive you crazy? What about cooking odors? And if it's your neighbor's ''cigarette smoking'' that's 'most annoying, a Maryland delegate is on your side. Delegate Ben Kramer introduced a new bill in Annapolis Friday that would make second hand smoke a nuisance in apartments, condos and town homes. The bill would make it easier to bring their neighbors to court and would demand that homeowners associations and landlords take action when tenants complain about smoking. http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/03/second-hand-smoking-ban-introduced-in-maryland-73607.html 10 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Maryland ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Proposed smoking restrictions aren't catching fire in Annapolis as the Maryland General Assembly reaches the final weeks of a 90-day session. A bill to keep adults from smoking with children in the car went nowhere. Another that would declare smoking a nuisance in condos, townhomes and apartment buildings -- effectively banning smoking if a resident made a complaint -- also ran into trouble. However, the Montgomery County Council was told in a briefing on Monday that the bill could be re-packaged as county-only legislation. http://www.wtop.com/?sid=2802869 27 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Maryland A new state report found that sales in bars that serve food declined in the first year of Michigan's smoking ban, but doesn't shed light on whether more people are smoking and drinking at home, state Department of Treasury officials said. The department's report, issued in December, was based on sales-tax revenue and actual sales in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and hotel dining rooms, and is not intended to be a full barometer of whether the ban is hampering businesses. http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20120123/NEWS01/201230308/1002/rss01 23 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Michigan Holland — For a Facebook-savvy — but fragmented — culture, strangers sharing laughs in smoke-filled public rooms seems the stuff of old-timey film. But cigar-and-pipe lounges are on the rise — in Holland and abroad — a tradition that’s gained some business from Michigan’s workplace smoking ban, which two years ago banned smoking in restaurants, and most bars. http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x1785607385/Cigar-lounges-see-pickup-in-business 3 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Michigan Sigmund Freud was supposed to have said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but John Lanier might beg to differ. For Lanier, who lives in Canton Township, cigars are a personal luxury, an important means of taking time to relax in good company — and a second career. A recently retired executive and cigar smoker for more than 30 years, Lanier is taking over Plymouth's only cigar lounge and club, Casa de la Habana, after buying it March 30 from founder Ismail Houmani. http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120408/NEWS15/204080408/Smoke-signals-new-career-cigar-enthusiast?odyssey=nav%7Chead 8 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Michigan LANSING (AP) — Some state lawmakers are trying to burn holes in Michigan's 2-year-old smoking ban, which has cleared the air in public places and enjoyed public support but contributed to cash-flow problems at some bars. An amendment added to a budget bill by one lawmaker this past week would stop enforcement of the ban at longtime charitable fundraising events. A Senate bill introduced last year would allow smoking in enclosed, separate rooms and outdoor patios of eateries. http://record-eagle.com/statenews/x1914775882/Debate-lights-up-over-smoking-ban 29 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Michigan Two years ago, Michigan bar owners begged state lawmakers to rethink the pending smoking ban, claiming it would put a huge dent in their business. But then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the do-gooder legislature persisted, saying it was their responsibility to protect employees and patrons from secondhand smoke. Now we see the results. Bars across Michigan are losing a great deal of money. http://www.mlive.com/opinion/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/05/steve_gunn_19.html 9 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Michigan JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The heat is on to increase Missouri's relatively low tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. On Thursday, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan approved a ballot referendum petition for circulation by the American Cancer Society. Although several draft petitions have already been approved by the secretary of state for possible inclusion on next November's ballot, cigarette tax increase proponents are trying to hedge their bets in 2012 by circulating multiple proposals. http://www.semissourian.com/story/1804012.html?response=no 13 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri Opponents of the expanded smoking ban that took effect in June say they’ve gathered more than enough signatures to put a repeal of the ordinance before Springfield voters. The group Live Free Springfield, which campaigned against the smoking ban before it was passed in April, has been circulating petitions seeking a repeal since November. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120203/NEWS01/302030041/Springfield-smoking-ban-repeal?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CSpecial%20Reports%7Cp 3 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri Foes of the comprehensive Springfield smoking ban passed in April will know within the next several weeks whether they have enough signatures to force a vote on a repeal. Dave Myers, spokesman for Live Free Springfield, turned in an estimated 4,000 signatures on Thursday morning. The City Clerk’s Office now has 20 days to determine whether at least 2,101 are from registered Springfield voters. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120210/NEWS06/302100041/Springfield-smoking-ban?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE 10 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri VIDEO: St. Louis County’s health department is launching a media campaign costing more than a quarter million dollars aimed at the exemptions currently provided by the county’s smoking ban. They say they aren’t allowed to lobby for legislation, but concede this sounds a lot like a political campaign. “It does sound like a political campaign if you’re thinking in a political frame of mind,” Pat Washington of the health department said. “We don’t think in a political frame of mind. We don’t think politically about public health.” http://kplr11.com/2012/03/09/new-push-being-made-to-make-st-louis-county-smoking-ban-stricter/ 9 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri The idea that City Council might approve a repeal of the April smoking ban in order to pave the way for a compromise bill appeared to have some support Tuesday. “I think out of the nine of us there are at least five or maybe more that can make some rational amendments,” said Councilman Bob Stephens. The possibility of amending the smoking ban adds a third option to a discussion so far defined by extremes. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120314/NEWS01/303140054/Springfield-City-Council-smoking-ban-repeal?odyssey=nav%7Chead 14 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri Council members asked that several of the smoking ban amendments discussed Thursday be drawn up as formal bills that could be considered as early as April 9. To pass, each would need unanimous support. The amendments include: An exemption for the use of electronic cigarettes that emit water vapor but not smoke. One Air Alliance and other supporters of the April ban have said they would agree to removing references to the devices from the ban. All of the council members present Thursday appeared to the support the idea. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120323/NEWS01/303230028/Springfield-smoking-ban-amendments 22 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri Acting coach George Cron went to Monday night’s City Council meeting hoping to make sure Sherlock Holmes could smoke his pipe onstage. Tobacco shop owner Christian Hutson went to the meeting to explain how his employees must sample the tobacco they blend. But they, and others, will have to wait. Five potential exemptions to the Springfield smoking ban were scheduled for public hearing Monday night, but the council voted to postpone the discussion shortly after it started. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120410/NEWS01/304100035/Springfield-City-Council-smoking-ban-public-comment-postponed 10 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri VIDEO: (Springfield, MO) -- Springfield's smoking ban and possible amendments continue to be the focus of City Council conversations. Members held a special meeting Monday to discuss two omnibus bills that incorporate proposed amendments to the current smoking ban. One bill, sponsored by Councilpersons Bob Stephens and Cynthia Rushefsky, creates exemptions for electronic cigarettes from the ban and allows smoking as part of theatrical performances. It also has exemptions for tobacco shops, private clubs and bingo halls that are "grandfathered" or having been existence meeting certain criteria, prior to the 2011 ban. http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=639452 30 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri Sales at Springfield bars have dipped almost 6 percent since the ban on indoor public smoking took effect in June, according to a new analysis released by the city Tuesday. Whether the decline is related to the voter-approved smoking ban has been a matter of debate ahead of the June 5 election, when city voters will decide whether to repeal the year-old ordinance and return to earlier regulations that allowed smoking at bars and some restaurants. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20120530/NEWS01/305300012/1264/rss?nclick_check=1 30 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Plenty of businesses have claimed a smoke-free Springfield is cutting into their bottom line, but some are using it to their advantage. Virgil's Bar off Missouri 13 feels a lot like home. "Lot of people say it's homey, comfortabl," explains owner Taz Wrinkle. "It's just a little neighborhood bar." Literally; the Wrinkles live next door. http://articles.kspr.com/2012-06-06/springfield-businesses_32084875 6 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 Missouri BILOXI -- Those who want smoking banned in all public places in the city and those who said a smoking ban would be bad for business and personal freedom presented their arguments Tuesday to the Biloxi Council, which took no action. Councilwoman Lucy Denton, who proposed the ordinance, said it combined points from smoking bans in Gulfport and Jackson but would need to be “tweaked” to fit Biloxi. “It’s just a starting point,” she said. http://www.sunherald.com/2012/02/07/3738396/smoking-ban-wouldnt-include-casinos.html 7 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Mississippi BILOXI -- A proposed ban on smoking in most public places in Biloxi goes back on the agenda Tuesday for a first reading. The Council meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall. The new draft has one revision from the version proposed by Councilwoman Lucy Denton in February. “We added the tobacco shops,” she said. Customers would be allowed to smoke in tobacco stores. Smoking also would be allowed on casino floors, in bars and private clubs. It would be prohibited in private offices, stores, restaurants and on outdoor dining decks. http://www.sunherald.com/2012/03/03/3793694/revised-smoking-ban-heads-back.html 3 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Mississippi VIDEO: (Springfield, MO) -- Springfield's smoking ban and possible amendments continue to be the focus of City Council conversations. Hand-rolled cigars hung on racks above the beer taps in early-day Billings’ saloons. By one count, there were 32 saloons in Billings in the early 1900s and half a dozen tiny cigar factories. Back then, cigars cost 15 cents each, or two for 25 cents, according to Capt. George Sweeney, one of those early cigar makers. Sweeney, an Irishman who later joined the Billings Police Department, reminisced about the cigar factories in a 1942 newspaper article. http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/before-world-war-i-montana-cigar-factories-boomed/article_e6d4f159-cd4f-502d-8075-0807f1929146.html 22 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Montana North Carolinians will continue to enjoy smoke-free dining and breathe clean air in nightclubs, thanks to a unanimous Court of Appeals, which ruled this week that the state's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars is constitutional. The court's unanimous reversal of a lower court decision means the N.C. Supreme Court is not obligated to hear an appeal, if one is filed by the Pitt County bar and private club owners who sued to overturn the two-year-old ban. http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120322/ARTICLES/120329850?Title=Editorial-Court-ruling-means-restaurant-bar-patrons-can-keep-smoke-off-menu 22 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 North Carolina OMAHA, Neb. — The state jumped the gun in appealing a lower court ruling that found parts of Nebraska's statewide public smoking ban unconstitutional, the Nebraska Supreme Court said in a Friday opinion dismissing the appeal. The dismissal means the matter will likely spend more time winding its way through the courts. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57399012/neb-supreme-court-dismisses-smoking-ban-appeal/ 16 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Nebraska Despite the proliferation of campus-wide smoking bans across the country, Dartmouth does not enforce a full ban and has no current plans to do so, according to Director of Media Relations Justin Anderson. While no Ivy League university has implemented a smoking ban, 648 colleges and universities nationwide have fully smoke-free campuses, according to a study by the American Nonsmoker’s Rights Foundation published in January 2012. Both New Hampshire law and College policy ban smoking indoors, according to Anderson. http://thedartmouth.com/2012/03/27/news/ban 27 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 New Hampshire CAPE MAY — City Council rejected a smoking ban on public beaches Tuesday but did agree to set up a committee to look into the idea for the 2013 season. A 2-2 council vote in November killed an earlier proposal to ban smoking on beaches, public parks and the oceanfront Promenade. Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman on Tuesday proposed just banning smoking on the beaches. This had been his original proposal last year, but other members of council expanded the ban before it came to a vote. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/lower_capemay/cape-may-rejects-smoking-ban-on-public-beaches-after-opposition/article_4ddcaefc-51eb-11e1-a328-0019bb2963f4.html 8 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 New Jersey The owners of residential buildings would have to adopt smoking policies and disclose them to prospective apartment buyers and tenants, under a law proposed Wednesday by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has made curbing smoking a cornerstone of his public health policy. The bill would require buildings with three or more apartments — whether rental, condominium or cooperative units — to disclose whether smoking is allowed in all indoor and outdoor locations, including inside apartments, on balconies and rooftops and in courtyards. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/nyregion/michael-r-bloomberg-calls-for-smoking-policies-in-residential-buildings.html?_r=2 18 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 New York The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has temporarily decided against pursuing a policy to ban smoking in public places where children congregate — such as parks, pools and playgrounds — yielding to a challenge from a smokers' rights group. On April 9, the state parks agency announced a new policy creating smoke-free areas around all playgrounds, swimming pools, beaches, pavilions and outdoor seating areas near concession stands. http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2012-06-04-81779.113122-Parks-dept-reverses-smoking-restrictions-for-now.html 4 Jun 2012 11:11 -0800 New York OKLAHOMA CITY - A bill that would have allowed individual cities to ban indoor smoking was snuffed out in the state legislature. But now the lawmaker who killed the measure is taking some heat. Oklahoma City is one of 11 cities who are interested in banning smoking in all indoor buildings. Tuesday council members voiced their displeasure that one person could keep that from happening. http://www.newson6.com/story/17518235/smoking-ban-bill-in-oklahoma-killed-in-legislature 17 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Oklahoma Pennsylvanians trying to drop their cigarette habit can have a tough time staying away from smoke in bars. The state's Clean Indoor Air Act, in effect for about three years, exempts restaurants with liquor licenses from the indoor smoking ban if they report that food makes up less than 20 percent of their establishment's total annual sales. http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/32057 2 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Pennsylvania As we’ve detailed before, there is a quiet war on cigarette smoking in both this city and this state. An indoor smoking ban has been effect in all bars and restaurants at which food makes up less than 20 percent of their establishment’s total annual sales. In May 2011, Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order at the Kingsessing Recreation Center that banned smoking in city-owned recreation centers and outside, at playgrounds and pools. http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2012/01/04/will-2012-be-the-year-of-%E2%80%98no-smoking%E2%80%99-in-philly/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-2012-be-the-year-of-%25e2%2580%2598no-smoking%25e2%2580%2599-in-philly 4 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Pennsylvania VIDEO: MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) Some Myrtle Beach city council members say the odds are not in favor of a smoking public smoking ban in the city. Following North Myrtle Beach's vote to institute a smoking ban in public places, Myrtle Beach is now sandwiched between Surfside Beach and North Myrtle Beach, both of which voted for smoking bans. Senate Bill 28 is calling for a statewide smoking ban in most public places but there are few exceptions. http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/16700221/myrtle-beach-may-not-take-to-no-smoking-ordinance 10 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 South Carolina Club Habana is gone. Facing eviction, the owners moved out without a sound this week. By Thursday there was nothing left but a few couches. There are now no more full-service cigar bars in Charleston, so the assimilation is complete. There is no exception to the smoking ban, unless you smoke in actual smoke shops. And with this mind-set, you have to wonder how long that will last. City Council had the chance to save Club Habana and its 17 or so jobs, but opted not to let the bar move its grandfathered status to a new location. To survive, Club Habana had to move. But City Council said no. http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20120428/PC16/120429190 28 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 South Carolina Organizers working with Smoke-free Lufkin believe its time for the city to join other East Texas cities — including Nacogdoches, Tyler and Longview — that have strong, comprehensive smoke-free ordinances. The grass-roots initiative, part of the efforts of the non-profit organization The Coalition, supports 100 percent smoke-free public places in Lufkin and strives to improve the health of residents by eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke and reducing tobacco use. http://lufkindailynews.com/news/local/article_a5cd19ba-3267-11e1-9b08-001871e3ce6c.html 1 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Texas If a new policy is adopted, smokers in Fort Worth, Texas, may no longer be eligible to work for the city, WFAA is reporting. In reevaluating its health care strategy, Fort Worth's human resources department is looking at some private business models, including that of Baylor Healthcare System, one of the state's largest employers which stopped hiring smokers as of Jan. 1, according to the Dallas Morning News. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/fort-worth-ban-hiring-smokers_n_1434153.html?ref=business 18 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Texas VIRGINIA BEACH-Cassie Thurston lounged on Chic's Beach, sipping an energy drink Friday afternoon and keeping a close watch on her 4-year-old daughter, Cassidy, playing nearby, not far from a scattering of orange and white cigarette butts abandoned in the sand. "She's always picking them up," Thurston said of the butts. "She's a little girl. She doesn't know." http://hamptonroads.com/2012/05/civic-league-pushes-smoking-ban-chics-beach 19 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Virginia ROANOKE, Va.— The air was thick with cigar smoke, the shop crowded with loyal customers, as David and Renee Meyer celebrated Milan Tobacconists' 100 year history. "I've seen pictures of Roanoke back in the heyday," David Meyer told us, "And you look down the street and you see four or five tobacco shops. Milan's is the only one left." The day included recognition from state and local leaders, and emotional moments from the current owners. Renee Meyer's father purchased the business from the Milan family in 1994. http://www.wdbj7.com/news/wdbj7-milan-tobacconists-roanoke-tobacco-shop-celebrates-a-century-in-business-20120526,0,122832.story 26 May 2012 11:11 -0800 Virginia City Councilor Joan Shannon, D-Ward 5, said Friday she will try to persuade the City Council to override Mayor Bob Kiss’s veto of a downtown smoking ban the council approved Monday. “The next step is to see if we can get a couple more councilors on board to override the veto,” she said. The ban passed 8-6; 10 votes would be required to override Kiss. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120113/NEWS0301/120113002/Mayor-Kiss-vetoes-Burlington-s-downtown-smoking-ban?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE 13 Jan 2012 11:11 -0800 Vermont The future is unclear for Washington’s cigar smokers, after a proposal to allow them to smoke at some businesses became part of a tobacco-related measure Friday night. The amendment to House Bill 2565 would allow cigar smoking at up to 100 cigar bars and 500 tobacco retailers in the state. That means bars and restaurants, as well as tobacco shops, could apply for an endorsement to allow cigar and pipe smoking at their establishments. Cigarette smoking would not be permitted. http://www.theolympian.com/2012/04/10/2063685/public-cigar-pipe-smoking-effort.html 10 Apr 2012 11:11 -0800 Washington VIDEO: Smoking bans are popping up in counties all across the state but if some state lawmakers have it their way, there could be a statewide smoking ban in the near future. Senate Bill 28 is calling for a statewide smoking ban in most public places but there are few exceptions. http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?func=view&section=5-News&item=Statewide-Smoking-Ban550 10 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 West Virginia The Casper City Council will take a closer look at a possible public smoking ban during a work session Monday. A presentation by SmokeFree Natrona County is the first item on the agenda and will recommend the council prohibit smoking in public places. Council members will examine an ordinance passed in March 2000 that was later repealed, although no public participation or formal action regarding a smoking ban will happen until a regular council meeting. http://trib.com/news/local/casper/c674ab4c-c504-5ff9-ab54-04a1a816305c.html 12 Feb 2012 11:11 -0800 Wyoming Casper City Council members have agreed to move ahead slowly with two controversial issues facing them. Council members and citizens at this week’s regular meeting requested a slow and comprehensive process for two major decisions expected in the coming months. Pro- and anti-smoking ban advocates again addressed the council during the public comment period, requesting a fair amount of time to review the ordinance and offer arguments. http://trib.com/news/local/casper/7829d2dd-bf06-5ef7-bd9e-61583f1db7bf.html 9 Mar 2012 11:11 -0800 Wyoming