Policy

State

NALBOH webinar recording: Working with your legislators for tobacco prevention and control
The National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH) has released a recording of a 20-minute webinar on how to work with legislators to create tobacco control policies. The webinar features a presentation from Karmen Hanson of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). While the webinar’s primary audience is local boards of health working on tobacco control policies, the principles are relevant for any public health advocate. Click here to listen to the webinar recording.

Arkansas Tobacco Prevention and Control Program releases position statement on e-cigarettes (AR)
The Arkansas Tobacco Prevention and Control Program recently released a position statement on e-cigarettes. The statement provides background on e-cigarettes, the FDA’s attempts to regulate the products, and existing state and local policies pertaining to e-cigarette use and sales. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) opposes the sale of e-cigarettes without FDA approval, maintaining that FDA approval is necessary to guarantee safety, efficacy, ingredient purity, sales limits to children, and protection against unfounded marketing claims. ADH also opposes the use of e-cigarettes in public places where others are forced to inhale e-cigarette vapor. Click here to read the position statement.

MDCH releases smoke-free air law complaint survey (MI)
A new report from the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) shows that a relatively low level of complaints have been received and citations issued for violations of the state’s new smoke-free law. The MDCH collected data on violations of the smoke-free law from 37 of Michigan’s 45 health departments, covering about 37,000 food service establishments. Since the law’s passage in May 2010, local health departments received 583 complaints in food service establishments, resulting in 158 citations issued to individuals or business owners, as well as five cease orders which compel a business to shut down until becoming compliant. Among non-food service establishments, 173 complaints were received and 11 citations issued. MDCH officials say that the low number of citations given and complaints received indicates overall compliance with the new smoke-free law. Click here to read more, or click here to read more about Michigan’s smoke-free law.

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National

Quarterly update from ANR Foundation: Smoke-free lists maps, and data - October 2010
In October 2010, the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation released their quarterly update, adding to the lists and maps of U.S. municipalities and states with 100% smoke-free laws now in effect. Since the last update in July, 24 localities in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin have enacted or strengthened 100% smoke-free laws. Also, a smoke-free law is scheduled to go into effect in the U.S. Virgin Islands in May 2011. There are now 3,173 municipalities in the U.S. with local smoke-free indoor air laws, protecting 62.2% of the population from secondhand smoke in workplaces, 73.9% in restaurants, 63.4% in bars, and 47.5% in all three categories. Click here to access the updated lists and maps.

111th Congress took unprecedented action to reduce tobacco use, save lives and cut healthcare costs
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has issued a press release praising the steps the 111th Congress and President Obama have taken to reduce tobacco use, save lives, and lower healthcare costs in the United States. The accomplishments include giving the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products, enacting the largest-ever federal cigarette tax increase of 62 cents, passing a healthcare reform law that expands private health insurance and Medicaid coverage of proven cessation treatments, increasing funding for tobacco control through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and stopping illegal tobacco sales over the internet with the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act. The Campaign also calls upon future Congresses to build on these strategies by supporting their implementation and moving forward with additional efforts such as funding a national tobacco prevention and cessation campaign. Read the full statement here.

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International

Commission preparing pan-European smoking ban (European Union)
The European Commission has announced plans for a legislative proposal that would prohibit smoking in public places throughout the European Union. Currently, many European countries have partial or total smoking bans; however, many have exceptions, and in some places the laws are largely ignored. Health Commissioner John Dalli is supporting the legislation, saying that smoking should be banned in public spaces, transportation systems, and all workplaces for the protection of employees and visitors. The bill may also include language to reduce the amount of nicotine and toxic substances in tobacco products, prohibit tobacco product displays in stores, and require that packaging contain uniform graphic warnings. The full bill is expected to be introduced in 2011. Click here to read more.

Russia plans to ban tobacco advertising, public smoking by 2015 (Russia)
The Russian government has announced that it will introduce a series of laws intended to decrease the health burdens of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. The government’s plan is to prohibit tobacco advertising in 2012 and implement smoke-free laws in public places, including medical, sports, and cultural centers, by 2015. Additionally, excise taxes will be gradually raised to reach levels consistent with those of the European Union. Almost 44 million Russians smoke, representing 39.1% of the country’s total population. Click here to read more, or click here to read a transcript of a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that discusses the issue of tobacco use in Russia.

Spain set to banish smoking in bars, cafés (Spain)
Following the failure of a 2006 voluntary smoke-free policy, the Spanish parliamentary commission has passed a bill that, if passed by the Senate, will make all bars and restaurants smoke-free nationwide. The new law prohibits designating smoking sections in restaurants and bars, and bans smoking in certain outdoor places like playgrounds, school grounds, and hospitals. Hotels will be allowed to designate up to 30% of their rooms as smoking rooms. Exemptions were made for outdoor areas of bars, jails, psychiatric institutions, and retirement homes. While some bar and restaurant owners fear that they will lose business from regular customers and tourists, lawmakers expect that the policy will protect thousands of people from the dangers of secondhand smoke without significantly harming businesses. If passed, the law will go into effect on January 2, 2011. Read more here.

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