Tobacco.org

Cigarette Butts Linked to Mulch Fires 

Over the past two weeks, at least seven mulch fires linked to cigarette butts on campus have been reported.

The fires were contained primarily by MSUPD and local fire departments as well. The main areas of concern for the fires centered around Freeman Hall, Chapin Hall, Sprague Library and Machuga Heights. All fires were of no threat to property or students, but with heavy winds, there is an increased concern by both fire safety officials and MSUPD.

“[The fires] obviously concern us as conditions for fires starting and spreading increase as there has been little rainfall, conditions are dry and wind can exacerbate the situation,” said Lt. Kieran Barrett, “as we have seen across the state, simple fires turn into larger fires with the current conditions.”

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Wanaque fire investigators point to probable carelessness with smoking materials  

Though no lives were lost, Monday's fire on Ringwood Avenue took a devastating toll on families uprooted by the blaze.

Borough police and the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office now consider it likely that the careless disposal of smoking materials is what caused a six-alarm fire on Monday morning, gutting two buildings and ousting about 20 individuals.

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Environmental groups say they're finding fewer cigarette butts littering N.J. beaches 

• Cigarette butts slide down list of most common Jersey Shore trash 

Nearly two decades ago, America's obsession with smoking took its toll on the Jersey Shore as cigarette butts were almost as common on beaches as blankets.

Whether credit goes to the smoking ban on many beaches, the drop in the number of people lighting up or an abundance of receptacles, there's a lot less butts on the beaches of the Jersey Shore, a coalition of environmental groups said today.

`Hopefully this will be a trend that continues as cigarette filters are among some of the most toxic items found in the marine environment,''Tavia Danch, education coordinator for Clean Ocean Action, said at a press conference on Sandy Hook.

For the past 19 years, cigarette butts always ranked among the top three types of debris collected by volunteers annually at the Jersey Shore, but dropped to the fifth spot last year, Danch said.

The findings were among the results of Clean Ocean Action's 2011 beach sweeps

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• Could Anti-Smoking Hit Jackpot Outside Atlantic City Casinos? 

New Jersey prohibits indoor smoking in nearly all workplaces and in buildings open to the public like restaurants, stores and bars -- with one huge exception, the casinos in Atlantic City. Now, in what might be considered an ironic twist, Atlantic City is considering joining the smoke-free outdoor air movement.

On Wednesday, the Atlantic City Council will consider an ordinance to ban smoking at playgrounds and ball fields, and if it passes, Atlantic City will present something of a paradox: Smoking will be illegal in certain outdoor space, but will still be permitted indoors at the casinos.

But to Dr. Fred Jacobs, former state health commissioner and chairman of the Tobacco Strike Force of the eastern region of the American Cancer Society, the battle against smoking is a long-term campaign with progress measured in incremental steps and partial victories.

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Smoking kills....council candidacies, that is 

In Haddon Heights, Camden County, three Democratic council candidates say the clerk, Joan Moreland, wouldn't allow them on the ballot because she was outside smoking when they tried to file their petition signatures and wouldn't accept them when she finished her break after the 4 p.m. deadline.

"This is why smoking is bad," said Bill Tambussi, the attorney representing the Democrats in a lawsuit to get them back on the ballot.

Here's how it went down, according to the suit:

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Brushfire in Verona section of Hilltop Reservation blamed on cigarette  

Editorial: Nonsmoking New Jersey casino should be watched closely  

Should N.J. enact a smoking ban on parks and beaches?  

District Hires Substitutes to Address High School Smoking Problem  

Smoke free future for casinos? 

Atlantic City's newest casino Revel ready to bring the wow factor  

Anti-smoking groups have praised Revel for its no-smoking policy. The property will be virtually smokefree — the first Atlantic City casino to ban smoking — except for one outdoor smoking area next to a nightclub.

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Alpine Demarest PBA readies 1st cigar night 

EDITORIAL: Higher tax could help curb N.J. teen smoking 

NJ Lawmaker Pushes Tobacco Tax Hike