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Aldermen expand city's public smoking ban  

VIDEO: One Year Since Bismarck Smoking Ban  

Michigan's smoking ban necessary to protect health of employees and general public, several online readers say 

Health groups pan committee's tobacco votes 

Representatives from the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association harshly criticized two tobacco-related bills passed by a House committee Tuesday.

Kevin Walker, of the heart association, said one bill would gut the state smoking ban by allowing businesses to establish smoking sections in which all patrons and workers would have to be 21 or older. He said the other bill is a House resolution that would ask the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to explore whether smokeless tobacco products are less harmful than cigarettes.

"Taken together, these would set us back 10 years, at least," Walker said.

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City council to ask province to standardize smoking ban  

Coun. Ken Christian put forward a motion calling for the province to consult with industry and bring in regulations to ban smoking in bars, pubs, restaurant patios, parks, playgrounds, beaches and at public events.

He also wanted a ban of at least 7.5 metres from doors, windows and air intakes of public buildings.

The retired environmental health official didn't have an easy time winning the support of his council colleagues.

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Bill seeks to allow smoking in Kansas bars  

• Majority supports expansion of anti-smoking law 

The vast majority of Israelis support the enforcement of smoking prohibitions both indoors and outdoors, according to a study by Dr. Leah Rosen, a Tel Aviv University researcher who studies smoking and its prevention.

On Wednesday morning, the Knesset Labor, Social Affairs and Health Committee will discuss government proposals to amend no-smoking laws so that using tobacco products will be illegal at outdoor performances, bus and train stations, swimming pools, stadiums, entrances to hospitals and clinics and other outdoor locations. Additionally, areas where smoking is still allowed will have to be designated as so.

Rosen, who works at the university’s School for Public Health in the Sackler Medical Faculty, studied the views of 505 Israeli men and women comprising a representative sample of the country.

The TAU research was published in the journal Health Policy. In addition, the university’s School for Public Health will hold a conference on June 13 on the medical and economic effects of smoking and public policy.

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• Knesset Creates New No-Smoking Zones 

The Knesset's Health Committee has approved a wide-reaching addition to a law banning smoking in public places. The new protocol will ban smoking at public performances, swimming pools, inside roofed bus stops, and at train stations and central bus stations, with the exception of marked smoking areas. Bus drivers will not be allowed to smoke inside their vehicles before picking up passengers.

In addition, smoking will be prohibited within 10 meters of clinics and hospitals. In buildings where smoking is prohibited, smoking zones will not be allowed in stairwells or passageways.

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A look at 2 challenges to Michigan smoking ban 

Pub wins 5 year smoking battle 

"An absolute waste of time and money" is how a Kaikohe publican is describing a five-year legal stoush over claims he allowed smoking in his pub.

Kaikohe Hotel owner Neal Summers made history in 2008 when he was the first Northlander to be prosecuted under the then four-year-old Smokefree Environments Act banning smoking in enclosed public areas. He was also hit with a record fine, $5800 plus $970 in court costs and fees.

However, two hearings, an appeal and many court appearances later, the case against him has been dropped.

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VIDEO: Hookah lounges could be unhealthy trend in Kern County 

Donna Fenton is the chief environmental health specialist for the Public Health Department in Kern County. She said the public has been misinformed about potential health issues, and she is concerned about the atmosphere in these establishments that could be luring young people in who can't get into bars that serve alcohol, yet.

Eyewitness News saw video games, disc jockeys, big screen TVs and a lot of room to dance when we went inside Flames Hookah Lounge during our investigation. Wesson said they do target the younger age group, because most of their clients are 18 to 21.

Hookah lounges are exempt from the smoke-free workplace labor code, meant to protect workers, not the general public or customers. Fenton goes on to explain, "If they do not offer food or beverage at that location, then they are exempt from having to keep it outdoors, so it can be indoors if they do not serve food or beverage."

She said they are also not required to have signed warnings of health effects, but they do have to have signs posted that they will not sell tobacco products or hookah pipes to anyone under 18.

Another health concern? People sharing the tip of the pipe

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Smoking ban reprieve for nine restaurants 

VIDEO: City Council Mulls Smoking Ban Amendments as Repeal Vote Nears 

Hopkinsville Mayor Pushes For Indoor Smoking Ban One Year After Bowling Green Enacts Similar Ordinance 

It's been a year since Bowling Green enacted an indoor smoking ban in public places like restaurants and workplaces. Now the Mayor of Hopkinsville wants to pass a similar ordinance there. Mayor Dan Kemp has has even modeled the proposed ordinance after the one in Bowling Green. WBKO's Elsa Bolt takes a look at how the ordinance has affected businesses in Bowling Green this past year.

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• Rapid City hookah lounge gears up for court battle over South Dakota smoking ban, lawyer says 

A hookah lounge in western South Dakota is firing up for a court fight over the state's smoking ban by asking a judge Monday to block police from targeting the business until the case hits a courtroom.

Attorney Stephen Wesolick, who represents Ifrit's Hookah Lounge in Rapid City, filed a motion for a temporary injunction and asked that a judge forbid police from ticketing the lounge for selling tobacco products alongside wine and beer -- actions that a prosecutor has said violates the smoking ban.

In the meantime, the lounge has voluntarily quit serving alcohol even though owners believe that hookah isn't covered by the law, Wesolick said.

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