So long, cigar bars and hotel smoking rooms. Maybe. A Lincoln judge has ruled that certain exceptions to the statewide smoking ban — specifically those that allow smoking in cigar bars, tobacco stores and some hotel rooms — are unconstitutional special treatment for those businesses. The finding likely will be appealed as early as Thursday. “I’m just confident that will be the case,” said Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbau ... Jump to full article >>

A nonsmoking revolution is under way in downtown Mobile, led by new upscale hotels and restaurants that are trying to attract customers who don’t want to go home smelling like an ashtray. Health officials said they’re hoping the trend adds momentum to efforts to pass a citywide ban on smoking in public places. The bars and restaurants at the Battle House Hotel and the Riverview Renaissance Hotel don’t allow cigarettes, although ... Jump to full article >>

The state nodal officer, National Tobacco Control Programme, along with the inspector of LHA Chandigarh, inspected the hotels and restaurants in Sector 26 for any violation of the Control of Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) on Wednesday. The team inspected 15 premises and issued three challans for improper signage in the inspected premises. Nearly 80 persons were challan ed for smoking at public places by the enforcement agencies in the month of Dec ... Jump to full article >>

Ministry of Health has directed the managements of hotels and restaurants to stop allocating designated areas for smokers in their premises to allow them using cigarettes, pipes, cigars and ‘Sheesha.’ According to official sources, they have been asked to implement anti-tobacco laws to protect the health of non-smokers, as there is no permission of allocating any designated area for smokers. While taking notice of open use of tobacco in the ... Jump to full article >>

Nearly all facilities in Montana have gone-smoke free with the recent full implementation of the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act, but hotels are still partially exempt from the smoke-free rule. The law, enacted in 2005 and implemented fully in October 2009, allows hotels to offer 35% of their rooms as smoking rooms, and the rest have to be smoke-free. When Davidene Tait became the manager of the Triple Crown Motor Inn in downtown Great Falls, she i ... Jump to full article >>