Between puffs of his cigarette, Aristo Lizica explains why he’s all for a smoking ban in public housing—including his own housing project on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. “When you smoke indoors, it hurts everybody,” the 59-year-old says, leaning against an iron fence outside his building. “It’s better for me to just make myself sick.” Lizica would prefer to avoid making himself sick too, of course. “I want to quit,” he adds. “I know cigarettes are bad for my health.” Yet he remains unable to kick the habit. Federal housing officials are trying to help people like Li ... Jump to full article >>

Egypt, the biggest Arab consumer of cigarettes, is beginning an attempt to ban smoking in public places. Alexandria is to be Egypt’s first no smoking city, beginning with a ban on lighting up in government buildings. Egyptians smoke some 19 billion cigarettes each year, prompting concerns for public health. And Egypt is a nation of smokers with traditional shisha water pipes found in many coffee shops, and persuading Egyptians to quit will be a challenge. It is common to find people puffing at cigarettes on the train, in office, even in hospitals. Now in Alexandria that is set to change. ... Jump to full article >>

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) announces support for Minnesota’s new Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act of 2010. The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association has announced it’s support for Minnesota’s new tobacco law. The Tobacco Modernization and Compliance Act of 2010 updated Minnesota laws to address new forms of tobacco products, such as snus, disolvables and electronic cigarettes. While the law bans the sale of these products to minors, it keeps these much safer alternatives available to adult tobacco users. ... Jump to full article >>

Air quality isn’t the only thing that’s improved within many of Michigan’s bars, restaurants and bowling alleys. Owners’ optimism also has gone up dramatically. In the days leading up to Michigan’s smoking ban, business owners and others expressed an array of mixed emotions. Almost a month after the state banned all smoking in work places, some business owners’ pessimism has shifted. “I thought we were going to take much more of a hit with the smoking ban, but, surprisingly, we didn’t,” said Abby Shepard, operations manager of Jumbo’s Bar in Owosso. “We haven’t seen a d ... Jump to full article >>

Figures due out later this year are expected to confirm WA as a world leader in the decline of smoking, with the number of adult smokers expected to fall below 15 per cent for the first time in recent history. The fall coincides with a faster than expected drop in teenage smokers and is likely to make WA virtually smoke-free by 2025, five years earlier than widely predicted. The Cancer Council of WA yesterday marked the first 10 years of its Make Smoking History campaign, which set a target to cut smoking rates in adults to 15 per cent by this year. Director of tobacco programs Denise Sulliva ... Jump to full article >>

After three years of a statewide smoking ban, incidents of smoking in public places are going down, at least in Lake County. In November 2006, 2.2 million Ohioans voted to pass the Smoke-Free Workplace Act, making Ohio the 12th state at the time to enforce a smoking ban in all enclosed public spaces. Now 26 states have such a law. “We’ve had a 64 percent reduction in complaints from the first year to the third year,” said Ron Graham, deputy health commissioner of the Lake County General Health District. “We are satisfied with our progress and are glad to see so many Lake County work an ... Jump to full article >>

While a state-wide smoking ban is set to take effect July 5, the city of Beaver Dam is taking a few proactive steps to augment the policy. The significant portion of an ordinance introduced before the administrative committee May 3 was rendered moot on May 11 when Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill closing a significant loophole in the original smoking ban legislation. But the city is still expected to push forward with its own ordinance in order to keep fines and forfeitures local while adding measures relative to city-owned parks and buildings. City attorney Maryann Schacht and some alderpersons w ... Jump to full article >>

On May 1st, the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Law came into effect. It is a law that was established to protect Michigan’s residents and visitors from secondhand smoke in all restaurants, bars and businesses which include hotels and motels. Two weeks into the implementation of the law and people have mixed reactions about it. “It hasn’t made much of a difference to me,” John Martin, an English literature major at Eastern said. “I don’t mind having to come out for a smoke in general, since the places I visit often already had the no smoking policy in place. It’s definitely inconven ... Jump to full article >>

The Senate, which also passed the bill, is expected to OK amendments. Governor has not said publicly if he will sign it. State lawmakers adopted one of the nation’s most far-reaching regulations of tobacco use Monday, approving a bill to outlaw smoking at 278 state parks and beaches. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not said publicly whether he will sign the measure, which would allow a fine of up to $100 for smoking at a state beach or in a designated section of a state park. Smoking would still be allowed in many parking lots and campgrounds. The state has previously banned smoking withi ... Jump to full article >>

California lawmakers on Thursday will consider what is believed to be the nation’s most far-reaching smoking ban in state parks as a way to get unsightly cigarette butts off the beach, eliminate second-hand smoke and reduce the threat of wildfires. Maine banned smoking at its state beaches last year, but groups that track such legislation say no state prohibits lighting up throughout its entire park system, as the California bill proposes. Under a legislative compromise, campsites and parking areas will be exempted from the ban. ”It is very clear that the garbage that is created as ... Jump to full article >>

Parents of children deemed unfit are to be sent warning letters from schools. Secondary pupils will be forced to take an annual fitness test. If they fail, their parents will be told they are at risk of heart disease, brittle bones and obesity. The scheme was outlined yesterday by the Government’s chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. [caption id="attachment_4066" align="alignleft" width="233" caption="The Chief Medical Officer wants pupils to undergo fitness tests. Currently schools are only required to provide two hours of PE a week "][/caption] He warned that lack of exercise is ... Jump to full article >>