Policy

Reports

Updated smokefree lists & maps from ANRF
The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation (ANRF) is pleased to announce the April 2010 quarterly update to the lists and maps of U.S. municipalities and states with 100% smokefree laws now in effect. All data shown are as of April 1, 2010. Michigan, Kansas, and Wisconsin will be implementing new smokefree state laws, covering 100% smokefree non-hospitality workplaces, restaurants, and bars in 2010, with Michigan’s law effective May 1, Kansas’s effective July 1, and Wisconsin’s effective July 5. Click here to access the latest resources from ANRF.

Program and Funding Guidelines for Comprehensive Local Tobacco Control Programs – 3rd edition
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the CDC have issued an update to the Program and Funding Guidelines for Comprehensive Local Tobacco Control Programs (Guidelines). Originally published in 2001, and based on the 1999 and 2007 CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, this 2010 update contains the latest tobacco control evidence and the effects of inflation on program funding estimates. These new Guidelines will help local health department decision-makers and health planners select and fund evidence-based interventions to reduce and prevent tobacco use, identify and eliminate health disparities related to tobacco use, and protect people from secondhand smoke. Click here for more information on this new resource.

Updated model smokefree ordinance from ANR
The Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) has updated its model smokefree ordinance. ANR’s policy language has been used effectively in hundreds of communities. The updated version includes new studies about secondhand smoke and additional provisions to increase smokefree protections. Amendments to the model policy clarify several definitions, such as those of of “e-cigarette” and “enclosed area.” New provisions in the model policy prohibit smoking in outdoor seating areas and in private residences used for child care, clarify that residents of multi-unit housing cannot be discriminated against for exercising their rights under law, and expand enforcement duties of owners of places where smoking is prohibited. Click here to view the new model ordinance and companion documents, which explain the provisions in the ordinance.

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State

Attorney General Corbett announces multi-state agreement with Valero to curb tobacco sales to minors
The Attorneys General of 38 states and the District of Columbia have reached an agreement with gas station chain Valero to adopt procedures that will reduce the number of cigarette sales to minors. Valero will give franchise owners information about the health issues associated with youth tobacco use, instruct clerks to check the I.D. of anyone appearing to be under 27, use security cameras to monitor clerk compliance, and perform random compliance checks, among other measures. States already have similar agreements with companies such as Shell, 7-Eleven, DVS, Exxon, Mobil, and Chevron. Click here to read more.

Alabama Senate committee approves restaurant smoking ban (AL)
The Alabama Senate Education Committee has approved a bill that would ban smoking in restaurants throughout the state. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration. A full public smoking ban has been considered by the state legislature for several years prior without passing. Click here to read more. Update: Ban on smoking in Alabama restaurants fails in legislature The proposed ban on smoking in restaurants in Alabama did not make it past the state House, as the measure was never brought to a vote before the end of the 2010 legislative session. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Vivian Davis Figures, says that she will try again next year. Read more here.

American Samoa House votes for smoking restrictions (AS)
The House of Representatives in American Samoa has approved a bill that would ban smoking in indoor public places, including all workplaces, buses, and taxis. The bill defines “restaurants” and “enclosed areas” to clarify which establishments would be affected by the ban. Individuals breaking the law could be fined $50, with fines increasing for repeat violations; the owners of the establishments could also be fined. The bill is now being considered by the Senate. Read more here.

Calif. officials target small tobacco companies (CA)
California’s Attorney General is sponsoring legislation that would allow his office to pursue small tobacco companies that are not paying the state to help treat smoking-related illnesses. Small cigarette manufacturers that did not participate in the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement were required to set aside funds to pay participating states, but many of them have avoided making these payments. The new bill, called the Tobacco Damages Recovery Act, seeks to amend the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003 to permit the attorney general’s office to sue companies that ship products into the state without the proper license. Click here to read more.

State hopes to snuff out e-cigarette sales (IL)
Citing the Food and Drug Administration’s lack of approval, Illinois lawmakers and anti-smoking groups have proposed a bill to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes in the state. The bill’s supporters say that the products are not proven to be safe or helpful in encouraging quitting, but opponents say that it is not standard to require FDA approval for product sales in the state, and that there is not enough evidence to claim they are unsafe. The ban was passed in the state Senate on a 49-4 vote, and is now being considered by the House. Click here to read more, or click here to follow the progress of the bill.

New website: The State of Michigan's Public Smoking Ban (MI)
The University of Michigan School of Public Health has developed a webpage with information on the new statewide smokefree policy. The website offers background information and resources for the media and the public on the new policy, which will make all Michigan workplaces smokefree on May 1. Audio and video clips from tobacco policy experts, recent news, and FAQs are also available on the site. Click here to view the webpage.

Governor signs ‘no smoking’ bill (OK)
The governor of Oklahoma has signed a bill into law that prohibits smoking in public areas and indoor workplaces. The ban includes indoor and outdoor parts of the zoo, public transportation, state colleges and universities, and any worksite that does not have a designated smoking room. The ban will go into effect on November 1. Read more here.

New legislation aims to help Wis. smokers quit (WI)
A bill has been introduced in Wisconsin that would require private insurance companies to cover federally-approved smoking cessation therapies. The Wisconsin Association of Health Plans, a group of 17 insurers in the state, says that the laws must be fair to both the companies and consumers, balancing access with reasonable costs. Which treatments will be covered under the mandate, from types of counseling to specific medications, is yet to be determined. If the bill is passed, Wisconsin would become the eighth state to order private insurance companies to pay for smoking cessation. Read more here.

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National

FDA Center for Tobacco Products launches call center
On March 19, 2010, FDA launched the Center for Tobacco Products Call Center to ensure timely and accurate responses to a broad array of questions from all stakeholders. The call center is equipped to respond to questions from the tobacco industry, media, state and local government, healthcare organizations, and the public. Tobacco product violations can also be reported to the call center. The toll-free number is 1-877-CTP-1373.

U.S. FDA panel weighs menthol cigarette effects
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun a year-long review of menthol cigarettes that will culminate with a report set to be issued in March 2011. Based on the committee’s report, the FDA could mandate stronger warnings on menthol cigarette packages, phase the products out of the market, or ban them completely. At a two-day meeting in March, various stakeholders presented information to the panel on the addictive and harmful properties of menthol cigarettes, including whether menthol flavoring encourages adults and children to take up smoking. The two-day panel meeting is the first of several scheduled this year to discuss tobacco. Click here to read more.

Navy officially bans smoking on submarines
The United States Navy has announced plans to prohibit smoking on board submarines by the end of 2010 after tests showed that nonsmokers were being exposed to secondhand smoke while on board. Smoking on submarines is currently allowed at the discretion of the commanders in designated spaces that “must be well ventilated,” and sleeping spaces, messes, lounges, and exercise areas cannot be designated smoking areas. The estimated 40% of submarine sailors who are smokers will be offered cessation services, including nicotine patches and gum. Click here or here to read more or read a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauding the decision.

Congress urges baseball to ban smokeless tobacco
In hearings this month, Congress called on Major League Baseball (MLB) officials and players to stop the use of smokeless tobacco during games. While MLB officials agree that smokeless tobacco is harmful and that a ban would be optimal, they note that it would have to be agreed upon in collective bargaining. MLB executives and the MLB Players Association are both willing to discuss it as part of contract negotiations, but are unsure how likely it is that it will be implemented. Smokeless tobacco use has been banned in the minor leagues since 1993, and major league players are currently not permitted to smoke cigarettes or consume alcohol while playing. It is estimated that a third of MLB players use smokeless tobacco products. Read more here.

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International

Could Hong Kong teach China to quit smoking? (China)
A new report published in The Lancet indicates that China, home to about 30% of the world’s smokers, may be able to achieve a reduction in smoking throughout the country by using successful policy strategies from Hong Kong. In the past two decades, Hong Kong has implemented high cigarette taxes, bans on indoor smoking, and education in schools and through public service announcements. These measures have bought a drop in the smoking rate from 23% in 1982 to 12% - the lowest in the world- in 2008. While China has made efforts to combat the high levels of smoking, it will be a significant challenge to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with smoking. Click here to read more or click here to read the article.

Peru bans smoking in indoor public spaces (Peru)
Peruvian legislators have passed a bill banning smoking in all indoor public places, including workplaces and entertainment areas, in an effort to protect citizens from secondhand smoke. Signs will be posted in areas where smoking is banned to increase awareness of the ban, and inform the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke. Tobacco companies will be required to add text and photographic health warnings to cigarette packaging. Read more here.

Wales to ban display of tobacco (Wales)
The Welsh Assembly Government has announced plans to ban the display of tobacco products in stores and their sale in vending machines, as well as to restrict the size of tobacco price lists in an effort to prevent youth from smoking. There will be an exception for tobacconists that will allow them to display products in their shops as long as they are not visible from outside. The laws are expected to go into effect starting in October of 2011, alongside other UK countries. Click here to read more.

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