Tweet It seems like a long time ago now, but when the 2004 smoking ban in public places was first proposed, one of the fiercest arguments against it was that more people would resort to lighting up at home. Anti-ban campaigners warned this would lead to children in particular being exposed to more harmful second-hand smoke. But a new study has confirmed what many of us suspected — the ban has prompted people to smoke less in the home. The a ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet VicHealth is believed to have called for the move in a report to Health Minister David Davis. Premier Ted Baillieu previously has said he would take advice on smoking in alfresco dining areas from the state’s main health advice authority. Several metropolitan councils have introduced smoking bans at playgrounds and sports centres, but not outdoor dining areas because of stiff opposition from traders and smokers. But the push for a bla ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet Scotland has delayed implementation of a tobacco display ban in supermarkets because of a change to the regulations and a legal challenge, the Scottish government said on Sunday. Scotland proposes to make it an offence to display tobacco products in shops so as to dissuade young people from taking up smoking. The Scottish government said it would however increase the area of cigarette storage units that may be displayed after retailers rais ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet The last time cigarette warning labels got a makeover was more than 25 years ago, but they will be unchanged for at least a little while longer. A federal judge sided on Monday with tobacco companies and has temporarily blocked the Food and Drug Administration’s attempt to slap graphic images on cigarette packs. U.S District judge Richard Leon ruled that tobacco companies, who are suing the government over the move, do not have to put the ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) — A survey conducted by an environmental group finds that a government ban on smoking in indoor public venues has been completely ignored by half of Beijing’s restaurants, a finding that underscores the challenges of controlling tobacco in a country with 300 million smokers. The Daerwen Nature Quest Agency, a civil environmental group, conducted the five-month survey of 51 mid-range and low-end restauran ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet Further curbs on TV, films and internet under consideration as promoters skirt advertising ban Further curbs on the portrayal of smoking on television, in films and on the internet are to be considered by the government, which said the tobacco industry continued “to find ways” of promoting products despite legislation banning advertising. The Department of Health in England promised to “continue to work” to reduce th ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet Anti-smoking campaigners have branded the animated film Rango a public health hazard for encouraging children to take up the habit. A raft of groups said the PG feature, which opened last Friday, is setting a bad example by featuring more than 60 instances of characters puffing away. The only other film which came close was 101 Dalmatians in which Cruella de Vil smoked all the time. Even the lead character, Rango the chameleon, swallows a c ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet In the eyes of many, Robert Pattinson can do no wrong. The Twilight star is young, hot, and makes bazillions of dollars … or at least enough to make the top 10 of Vanity Fair’s top-earners in Hollywood list. But one mom didn’t care about any of that and recently chewed him out big time for his nasty little smoking habit. Mama bear went wild when she and her teenage daughter walked by Pattinson, who was taking a smoke brea ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet Cycling champ and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong said he’s backing a proposed tax on tobacco in California to fund research on cancer and tobacco-related illnesses. Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France winner, joined Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to urge support for the California Cancer Research Act that would increase taxes on cigarettes by $1 a pack to raise more than $500 million a year. All-Star Game is less costly Ticket ... Jump to full article >>

Tweet Five months after revealing he was battling throat cancer and Michael Douglas says he is confident he has beat the illness. Speaking in his first interview since finishing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, the veteran actor, 66, said his tumour has now vanished. ‘The odds are, with the tumour gone and what I know about this particular type of cancer, that I’ve got it beat,’ Douglas tells Matt Lauer in an interview o ... Jump to full article >>