A Senate subcommittee has asked for amendments that would restore Measure 3 and its stipulation that settlement dollars be spent on tobacco prevention. When the state Health Department’s budget came before the House, it was amended to allow tobacco settlement money, which in part goes to the Community Health Trust Fund, to be spent on programs outside of tobacco prevention and cessation. That vote overturned Measure 3, which was approved b ... Jump to full article >>

They claim to be an “alternative to smoking,” but how safe are the new electronic cigarettes? The battery-operated cigarettes are not FDA approved. The government agency has even stated that some of the chemicals found in the products may be harmful to the user. This is partly why the Grand Traverse County Health Department is warning the public not to be fooled. The department is speaking out after a billboard went up on M-72 in Tra ... Jump to full article >>

Democracy takes over Monday night when the Cabell Huntington Health Department holds its public hearing on a proposed expansion of no smoking regulations. In its initial release concerning the proposed ban, the Health Department indicated that a majority rule would prevail. But, written opinions count too, and they can be submitted until January 15. The Cabell-Huntington Board of Health will hold the hearing at 6 p.m. at the Cabell-Huntington He ... Jump to full article >>

A proposal to ban smoking in all bars and video lottery parlors in Cabell County will be available for public viewing beginning Tuesday, Dec. 8. The Cabell-Huntington Health Department also announced Monday it will conduct a public hearing on the proposal at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28. The draft regulation will be posted for public viewing at the Cabell County Courthouse, 750 5th Ave., Suite 300; Mayor Kim Wolfe’s office at Huntington City Hal ... Jump to full article >>

Cabell County bars and video lottery parlors could become smoke-free in the near future. The Cabell-Huntington Health Department is drafting a proposal that would ban smoking from bars and gambling parlors, said Dr. Harry Tweel, the health department’s executive director. It likely will conduct a public hearing on it within the next month, he said. “Our board of health has been looking at this issue for some time and monitoring what’s happ ... Jump to full article >>