January 2012

House Bill 160 to increase the tax on cigarettes is dead for this legislation session. <img src="/cms/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/teeth_smile.gif" alt="" /><br />

In many cities across the United States and Canada smoking is prohibited in nursing homes.&nbsp; They forces seniors outdoors to smoke and in several instances some have died in the cold.&nbsp; This op-Ed piece suggests indoor accommodations.<br />
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A more than reasonable solution.<br />
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<p>&quot;There is a growing trend towards &lsquo;smokefree&rsquo; campuses, of which there are more than 600 in the Land of the Free. And by smokefree they mean no smoking anywhere inside or outside: not in the grounds, not on the pavement, not in the fields, not even in your own car&quot;.<br />
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He goes on to describe the lunacy of these smoking bans.</p>

We had previously reported on a outdoor smoking ban of downtown Burlington. The ban smoking was between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m but excluded outdoor patios of restaurants and private alleyways.&nbsp; The Mayor vetoed the bill because it was confusing and impossible to enforce.<br />
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We agree. There is no reason to ban smoking outdoors anywhere.<br />
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Illinois lawmakers are once again trying to snuff out portions of the state’s new public smoking ban.&nbsp; <br />
<p>State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago, is pushing legislation that would allow casinos and bars to apply for smoking licenses that would exempt them from the current ban, which has prohibited smoking in all indoor public places since 2008</p>
<p>&quot;It’s about letting the businesses decide,&quot; DeLuca said.</p>
About time!<br />
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<p>A Birmingham City Council committee is considering a proposal that would ban smoking in all enclosed public places, a major expansion of current rules.</p>
<p>The Public Safety Committee today set a Feb. 15 public hearing on the proposal.<br />
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People can make a difference, contact your legislator or show up on February 15.</p>

A bill introduced Thursday in the Kentucky General Assembly for a statewide ban on smoking indoors in public places has once again touched off debate among smokers, non-smokers and business owners.<br />
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State Rep Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, introduced the bill that would ban tobacco smoking in work places, businesses and government buildings statewide. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not asking people not to smoke,&rdquo; Westrom said. &ldquo;Smoking is perfectly legal. I&rsquo;m asking them to step outside.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
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If you live in Kentucky call your legislators!<br type="_moz" />

While everyone is so busy beating up tobacco and people who smoke, there are two articles today that are interesting.&nbsp; The first one is about pesticides in food. &ldquo;When you pick up food, you are eating thousands of chemicals at a time,&rdquo; said Allan Felsot, who published &ldquo;Pesticides and Health: Myths and Realities&rdquo;.&nbsp; Mr. Felsot claims they are harmless, the Environmental Working Group say they are toxic. <br />
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The same story is on in West Virginia, raising tobacco taxes by an additional dollar.&nbsp; This campaign is nationwide so go to the website of your state government and search for tobacco tax and we are sure you will find it.<br />
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Chuck Hamsher says those increases will again be introduced this year at the State House.&nbsp; &quot;Tobacco is a plague upon the land,&quot; he said on Tuesday’s MetroNews Talkline.<br />
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A plague, really?&nbsp; I thought the plague we had was HIV/AIDS or HPV.&nbsp; We have so many plagues’ going on these days;&nbsp; tobacco is the only one that is being discussed.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Because the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and BIG PHARM wants to sell their nicotine drugs!&nbsp; Money will buy just about anything including gullible state legislators.<br />
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Tobacco Free Alliance, in Virginia, is trying to get the tobacco tax raised&nbsp; from 30 cents to $1.45 on a pack of cigarettes.&nbsp; This campaign has been backed by the usual: Cancer, Heart and Lung Associations.&nbsp; Virginia farmers biggest cash crop is tobacco so there is quite a bit of lobbying against this bill.&nbsp; It might almost be a fair fight but the &quot;usual&quot; never give up, they are like the Terminator, almost indestructible but their lies will catch up to them and when they do no one will believe anything they have to say on any topic. You can only cry &quot;Wolf&quot; so many times.<br />
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