The 20-article Anti-Smoking Law which seeks a ban on cultivation and production of tobacco and tobacco derivatives in the Kingdom is to be looked at by the Shoura Council on Sunday paving the way for it to be referred for royal approval. The law, which would see smoking prohibited in public places, mosque courtyards, places of education and sport, cultural and health institutions; banks, factories, and on land, sea and air transport, would leave tobacco farmers facing fines of up to SR20,000 and their produce being destroyed on the spot at the expense of the violators themselves. Other article ... Jump to full article >>

Turkey and Syria have banned smoking in public places, and other nations have restricted tobacco use. Now Lebanon, with one of the highest smoking rates in the world, is considering such steps. Reporting from Beirut – First it was the bars of New York. Then the bistros of Paris. Now the smoky teahouses and hookah cafes of the Middle East are pushing smokers to the sidelines. Eyebrows were raised last year when Turkey banned smoking in all bars, cafes and restaurants. Even though nearly 30% of the Turkish population smokes, polls said 95% of the people supported the move. Its neighbor Syr ... Jump to full article >>

Two regulations on tobacco products – a fee on permits to sell tobacco and a ban on dissolvable tobacco – failed to get out of an Idaho Senate committee Monday. Fees for selling tobacco. Stores selling tobacco in Idaho may not see a fee of up to $140 for the cost of state tobacco licensing and enforcement. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted Monday to hold onto a proposal from Sen. Elliot Werk that would add a fee to cover the Idaho Tobacco Project, which currently issues tobacco permits and inspects retailers every year. The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and Idaho State ... Jump to full article >>

The World Health Organizations says smoking is considered a high risk factor in six of the eight leading causes of death worldwide. Medical experts have long preached about how smokers can quit. Now a growing number of employers in the United States are refusing to hire them. Some smokers are wondering what kind of discrimination is next. More and more Americans who smoke are beginning to feel unliked and unwanted. Federal laws prevent them from smoking in public buildings. They are not allowed to smoke within a certain distance of those buildings. Since the federal law was passed a decade ... Jump to full article >>