Policy

State

Tobacco prevention programs to be cut (CO)
The State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP) in Colorado can expect to see a $7 million budget cut this year. As a part of Amendment 35, the program was subject to cuts after Governor Bill Ritter declared a state of fiscal crisis. Youth program advocates, namely from the Boys & Girls Club, are concerned about how the cut will affect their anti-tobacco efforts. The Boys & Girls Club offers a variety of programs that educate their youth on the importance of staying tobacco-free, and it is these programs that will be hit the hardest by this cut. James Sullivan, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Pikes Peak region, says that the club will have to turn to donors to replace the loss in state funding. Read more here.

Anti-smoking proposal could push D.C. smokers into the streets (DC)
The D.C. Council is considering expanding the District’s smokefree policy to enable business owners to ban smoking within 25 feet of the entrance to their business. Rather than banning smoking outside of all buildings, the policy would allow business owners to decide whether to allow smoking outside their establishment. The legislation would also set 18 as the legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products, require retailers to post signs to warn consumers of the dangers of smoking, and strengthen enforcement of laws barring tobacco sales to minors. Click here for more information.

Group: Smoking in Kansas casinos an ADA problem (KS)
A Denver-based advocacy group, Smoke-Free Gaming, is pushing Kansas to ban smoking at its new casinos. The group argues that the state will be denying full access to people with lung and breathing problems and will consequently violate the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Kansas is unique in that, of the thirteen states where non-tribal casinos are authorized, it is the only state to have the lottery as the legal owner of the new gambling. While smoking bans have been placed in many public places, gambling floors in casinos have been exempt from these laws. State officials are concerned that a ban in Kansas would give more business to their main competition in Missouri and that revenues would fall drastically. Despite growing evidence that casino employees are exposed to high levels of carcinogenic chemicals in secondhand smoke, and the pressures from the ADA, industry and state officials are reluctant to ban smoking in casinos. Read more here.

New law bans smoking in outdoor dining areas (ME)
As of September 12, smoking has been banned in all outdoor dining areas in Maine. The facilities include restaurants, bars, and snack bars. The policy was modeled after a similar smokefree ordinance in Portland. Some restaurants were smoke-free ahead of the September implementation date due to customer demands for smoke-free dining. Click here to read more about the new law.

There's change in the air as smoking ban nears (MT)
On October 1, Montana's Clean Indoor Air Act's final phase will take effect, making it illegal to smoke inside virtually all public places. Casinos, bars and taverns will be required to tell smokers to go outside; currently, patrons of these businesses are permitted to smoke because minors are not allowed inside. Businesses that do not abide by the new rules could face a misdemeanor charge and fines from $100 to $500. John Hayes, executive director of the Cascade County Tavern Association, stated that many owners of casinos and bars believe the ban will negatively affect their profits. For more information about Montana’s Clean Indoor Air Act, click here. Although a two-day conference was held earlier this year to help businesses and health officials prepare for the clean indoor air policy, some confusion remains regarding the types of shelters that businesses may build to accommodate smokers. Click here for an article on bars’ confusion over smoking shelters and outdoor smoking rules.

DOH approves warning signs for tobacco sellers (NY)
Following a unanimous approval by the Board of Health, all retailers selling tobacco will be required to post health warning signs in stores. The new signs will not only feature gruesome images, but they will also provide information on how to quit. Retailers will be expected to begin displaying these signs by December, and risk a $200 to $2,000 fine if they do not comply. New York City has been successful in reducing smoking rates by 30 percent over the last several years, but many are not convinced that the new signage will have much of an effect. Tobacco companies are not opposed to the health warnings, but argue that such policies should be developed at the national level so that the warnings are kept uniform and consistent throughout the United States. Read more here.

New York eyes ‘no smoking’ outdoors (NY)
The mayor of the nation’s largest city has announced that a smoking ban at New York City’s famous parks and beaches is among his health policy goals for the next three years. This proposal is part of the Take Care New York 2012 policy guide, a blueprint for health promotion in the city that identifies public health priorities, one of which is to cut New York City’s smoking rate to 12% by 2012. Although the administration has yet to plan the particulars of implementing and enforcing the ban, their goals are to protect children from observing adult smokers, and to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke. Click here for more information. Click here to read reactions to the proposal from NYC residents. Click here for more details about Take Care New York, or click here to download a copy.

State may stub out anti-smoking funds (OH)
The State of Ohio was spending as much as $40 million a year on anti-tobacco programs a few years ago, but lawmakers are considering eliminating state tobacco control spending. Lawmakers voted last year to dissolve a $264 million endowment fund that was dedicated to tobacco control, and allocated only $6 million in state funds for tobacco control this year. The state is currently appealing a judge’s ruling that blocked the state’s plan to spend the $264 million on social services. No state money is slated for tobacco control next year. While anti-tobacco advocates have proposed a state tax on the new dissolvable tobacco tablets and other non-cigarette tobacco products, the governor opposes increasing tobacco taxes, and believes state money is better spent on healthcare and child welfare services. Find out more here. Click here to read about a press conference held by the Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition on this topic.

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National

F.D.A. bans sale of flavored cigarettes; New information on flavored tobacco from FDA
On September 22, 2009 a ban on cigarettes containing certain characterizing flavors went into effect. The ban, authorized by the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is part of a national effort by FDA to reduce smoking in America. These products were the FDA’s first target because critics claimed that flavored cigarettes like cherry, grape, and chocolate appealed to youths and laid the groundwork for a smoking addiction. Click here to read more. The FDA website on flavored tobacco offers a list of general questions and answers regarding the policy; a letter to tobacco control groups from Dr. Lawrence R. Deyton, the director of the new FDA Center for Tobacco Products; a fact sheet on flavored tobacco products; and a parental advisory. The FDA encourages consumers to report continuing sales of flavored cigarettes through a special tobacco hotline (1-877-CTP-1373) and Web site.

American Legacy Foundation calls on Food and Drug Administration to ban all tobacco product flavorings – including menthol
As the U.S. ban on flavored tobacco took effect in September, the American Legacy Foundation (Legacy) called upon the FDA to go a step further and ban all tobacco products, including menthol. According to a press release from Legacy, menthol products make up one-fifth of the U.S. cigarette market, and 80% of African Americans smokers use menthol cigarettes. Legacy also encourages the FDA to extend the ban on flavored cigarettes to cigarillos and other tobacco products, and to fully support counter marketing efforts and anti-tobacco campaigns. Click here to read more.

Amazon.com dropping e-cigarette sales: Action follows notice of potential legal liability
The popular internet retailer, Amazon.com, has decided to stop selling e-cigarettes. The decision was in response to a receipt of notice of potential legal liability from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) for facilitating the sale of a product that has been declared as “illegal” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA research found deadly toxins and carcinogenic chemicals in the “smoke” that is inhaled by consumers and bystanders. Both PayPal and Facebook have also banned any e-cigarette promotions on their sites in response to similar notices of potential legal liability. E-cigarettes and their health risks have been under much scrutiny. These products have already been banned in numerous countries including Australia, Brazil, and Canada, and state bans have already begun to catch on in the United States. Click here for more information. Click here to read more about the FDA’s findings.

Smoking bans bring a drop in heart attacks
Two recent studies suggest that smoking bans in Europe and North America have decreased the incidence rate of heart attacks by up to 26%. This figure is considerably larger than a previous estimate by England’s Department of Health. The studies used meta-analyses and mathematical modeling to estimate the effects of smoking bans. Click here to read more. Click here to read the abstract of the meta-analysis by Meyers, Neuberger, and He in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Click here to read the abstract of the study by Lightwood and Glantz in Circulation.

Cigarette zones go up in smoke
The last two remaining smoking rooms on Capitol Hill were closed in September. The two rooms sit on the edges of the cafeterias and will be used for more non-smoking eating space to promote a healthier lifestyle. Smokers on Capitol Hill were frustrated by the fact that the exact date of closing was not released prior to implementing the change. The office of the Chief Administrative Officer and the House Administration Committee, which oversees the functions of the House, have not yet released any plans to offer smokers an alternative to going outside. Click here to read more. Click here to read a press release from the American Legacy Foundation, which applauds Speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the U.S. House of Representatives who have worked to protect Capitol Hill staff and visitors from secondhand smoke.

IARC report: Evaluating the effectiveness of smoke-free policies
This volume reviews the evidence critically appraised by a Working Group of 17 scientists from nine countries and draws conclusions about the effectiveness of smoke-free policies. The volume covers the evolution of smoke-free policies, impact of smoke-free policies on businesses in the hospitality sector, public attitudes towards smoke-free policies and compliance, reductions in exposure to secondhand smoke and effects on health due to restrictions on smoking following policy implementation, effects of mandated smoking restrictions on smoking behavior, and the effects of voluntary home smoking restrictions on exposure to secondhand smoke and smoking behavior. This Handbook will be useful for health professionals and policymakers in countries that are currently considering legislation to protect the population from tobacco. Click here to download the report or its individual chapters.

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International

Overview: The National Preventative Health Strategy (Australia)
Australia’s National Preventative Health Strategy offers recommendations for the nation’s chronic disease prevention programs. One of the goals is to reduce the prevalence of daily smoking to 10% or less over the next ten years. The strategies for tobacco control include increasing the price of tobacco products, strengthening social marketing campaigns, eliminating tobacco advertising and promotions, preventing secondhand smoke exposure in public places, and encouraging smokers to quit. Other goal areas include alcohol abuse, reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and reducing health disparities among Indigenous people. Click here to read more about the national health strategy, or click here to read the section on tobacco control goals.

In Canada, cigarettes have gone into hiding (Canada)
U.S. anti-tobacco groups are looking to Canada’s implementation of a nationwide ban on tobacco marketing in stores. In contrast to the eye-catching tobacco marketing in U.S. stores, there is little evidence in Canadian stores that cigarettes are for sale. There no tobacco signs, and products are kept behind the checkout counter. Those who support the new policy note that children are particularly receptive to in-store advertising and displays, and that putting cigarettes behind the counter eliminates a powerful form of tobacco advertising. Although Canada’s largest cigarette maker claims that the “behind the counter” policy has not hurt sales, convenience stores report considerable losses. Evaluations will be done to document the public health effects of the retail display ban. Click here to read the full story.

Sweden wants EU to lift 'snus' tobacco ban (European Union)
Sweden is pushing to get a European–wide ban on “snus”, also known as moist snuff, lifted. Snus is a moist tobacco popular among Scandinavians that is sucked, rather than chewed. Snus sales are on the rise, from around 2,500 tons a year in the 1970s to almost 7,500 tons in 2008. Sweden is the only European Union member state that is allowed to sell snus, so consumers from other regions, such as Finland, travel to Sweden to obtain the product. Since smoking bans have become more popular around Europe, tobacco industries are trying to take advantage of this market. Swedish Match, the number one snus manufacturer, is hoping to make the case for legalization in other locations when the ban is up for review in 2010. Click here to read more about the argument to lift the snus ban.

Mexico City smoke-free case study launched (Mexico)
The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease has released a research document that details Mexico City’s experience with going smoke-free. The case study demonstrates how Mexico DF (Federal District) developed and implemented its smoke-free agenda, discusses the impact of its smoke-free law, and identifies lessons learned. Information was gathered for the case study from interviews with key informants, as well as available studies and documentation. Read more here, or click here to read the case study.

Anti-smoking law helps waiters to quit smoking (Spain)
Researchers studied the impact of the law banning smoking in bars and restaurants on the workers of these places. The study found that 5% of waiters have quit smoking, and the number of cigarettes smoked fell by 9%. Results from the study indicate that since the implementation of the smoking ban in 2006, the proportion of smokers strongly addicted to nicotine has halved. Click here for more information about the study. Click here for an abstract of the study, which appeared in Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

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