Another Shot at Smoking Ban

When the Virginia General Assembly session begins next week, Governor Tim Kaine says he is optimistic a smoking ban will pass. The legislation would ban smoking in all bars and restaurants.
Lawmakers have voted down similar bills the past two years, but changes in the House this year prevent lawmakers from anonymously killing a bill in a subcommittee. That's how the last smoking ban was killed. Speaking at a news conference in Arlington Tuesday, Governor Kaine said he believes legislators will be less likely to kill the smoking ban if constituents know who is voting against the measure.

The District of Columbia and Maryland passed similar bans in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Governor Kaine is also backing another proposal to double Virginia's cigarette tax from 30 cents to 60 cents.

Pregnant Women Told Quit Smoking And We'll Pay You Cash

In what will be seen as a controversial move the National Health Service of the United Kingdom will pay women up to £100 if they can promise to quit smoking completely during their pregnancy.

The scheme will pay the £100 over the term of the pregnancy. They will get £20 after they quit smoking for a week followed by a further £40 if they manage to stay off the cigarettes for a month and if they continue not to smoke for a whole year they will get a further £40 making a total of £100.

They will be given the payment in the form of special Co-op vouchers which can be exchanged for anything except alcohol and cigarettes.

Man given £100 fine for smoking in taxi office

Michael Hartley, 53, of Homestead, Bamber Bridge, was spotted with a lit cigarette in the offices of DB Taxis in Factory Lane, Penwortham, by council officials. He was found guilty in his absence at Leyland Magistrates Court and fined £100.

Today, a spokesman for the firm said Hartley no longer worked for them. The court heard how licensing and environmental officers smelt cigarette smoke throughout the office, kitchen and toilet, and found three butts on the floor under the kitchen sink when they visited the premises on September 4 last year. Hartley was the only person in the office at the time.
South Ribble Council's licensing official and a taxi licensing officer revisited the premises on September 16 and saw Hartley standing by the counter with a lit cigarette in his hand.

He was served with a £30 fixed penalty notice if he paid within 15 days, or £50 within 29 days.When he failed to pay, the council wrote to him and gave him another seven days.

Pressure builds to pass statewide smoking ban, but powerful foe

When Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker stood in the way of a statewide smoking ban, his hometown of Weston took matters into its own hands, passing one of the strictest smoking bans in the state.

Weston is not alone. Since smoking ban legislation died last year, Eau Claire, Marshfield, Monona, Middleton, Fond du Lac and Dane County have decided against waiting for the state to take action and have joined 30 other Wisconsin communities that have passed smoking restrictions.

Smoking foes say the momentum will put pressure on lawmakers to pass a statewide ban this time around.

"You now have approximately 250,000 individuals who live in communities that are protected by local ordinances that have been passed since the end of the (legislative) session," said Eric Schutt, a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society of Wisconsin.

Input on smoking ban remains mixed

Timothy M. Kaine announced this week that he will once again ask legislators to ban smoking in virtually all restaurants.

Kaine's bill would make smoking in any place that prepares and serves food -- public restaurant or private club -- punishable by a $25 civil penalty.

The bill excludes outdoor dining areas of food establishments, unless the exterior area can be enclosed.

Legislators have trod this ground before, in 2007 and 2008.

"Those bills have passed the Senate for the past three or four years, and have picked up some more support," Kaine said.

"I've always opposed them. I know that fair-minded people may disagree over this, but I feel like it's a decision that ought to be made in the private sector," said Sen.

Child cancer link to smoking 'close'

Premature birth, low birth weight and admission to a neonatal intensive care unit were all strongly associated with a mother smoking during pregnancy.

The data was not strong enough to prove a direct link between smoking and childhood cancer. In fact, the raw data showed the reverse effect: cancer was slightly less prevalent among the children of smokers.

But Professor Bishop said that result was not statistically significant, while the other results were much more reliable. To be Continued...

Nothing sacred about today's tobacco

John:"Of all the addictions I've had to face, cigarette smoking is the hardest to shake and this is coming from someone who fought the addiction of heroin and cocaine. It seems like every time I think I defeated my demons with tobacco I fall flat on my face and have to start all over again. My battle with tobacco really took an upswing when my mother passed away from lung cancer. My mom is one of the strongest people I know and to see her in her last days was enough to break my heart. Even though she was barely hanging on and down to her last few days she still insisted on going outside to have a smoke. Of course by then it was too late and my family just stepped aside and allowed her to do whatever she wanted. But I still believed, wrongly of course, she still had a chance. When she was healthy she shined with life and people would come from all over to ask her for advice."

No smoking laws blamed for club's financial woes

One of Canberra's biggest clubs is blaming no smoking laws for driving it to the point of insolvency.

The West Belconnen Leagues Club (WBLC) has struck a deal with the Canberra Raiders to pay-off its bank debts, thought to be around $4 million.

For the deal to work the club's members will have to vote for a proposal transferring the gaming licences to the Raiders group. Members will meet later this month to discuss the proposal.

John Penca from the WBLC says there has been a dramatic downturn in the gaming side of the business since the smoking ban was enforced.

"We just found that our turnover was down 10 per cent, 12 per cent, and it's been continuing now for two years," he said.

Mr Penca says the club was forced to act because it could not meet its financial obligations.

How to reduce your risk of oral thrush

If you use a steroid inhaler to prevent asthma attacks, you can reduce your risk of getting oral thrush by rinsing your mouth out with water and brushing your teeth after using your inhaler. You can also use a device called a spacer to reduce the amount of steroid that stays in your mouth and throat. To find out more, see our articles on asthma in adults or asthma in children. If you wear dentures, make sure that they fit you properly. Your gums may shrink and the shape of your mouth may change as you get older, so your dentures stop fitting as well as they once did. You can have regular dental check-ups to make sure your dentures still fit you properly. Candida can grow on the surface of the dentures, so always keep your dentures clean, especially the surface that's in contact with the roof of your mouth.

Northern Kentucky Smoking Ban Compromise

Northern Kentucky's three biggest counties may take a softer line on a smoking ban. Early discussions of a comprehensive ban, like Ohio's, garnered little political support. Now, leaders in Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties are talking about a limited smoking ban that would allow smoking in bars, private clubs and work areas in private businesses. It's all just talk at this point, but as Joe Webb tells us, smoking opponents don't like what they're hearing. When Dave Otto built his printing business 20 years ago, he made it smoke-free. Now, as a Campbell County Commissioner, he has to decide how to regulate smoking on the rest of the region. Otto's seen draft ordinances that would allow smoking in drinking establishments, private clubs, and common work areas in private businesses. Dave Otto, Campbell County Commissioner: "As far as exemptions, right now in private clubs and bars, I'm all for that.