The state ban on smoking in public places that has been delayed by a legal fight is going to get its day in court this week. A trial is set for today and Friday in Pierre over Secretary of State Chris Nelson’s decision to invalidate 8,845 petition signatures, which denied opponents of the state smoking ban the chance to put a referendum on the 2010 ballot and let voters decide whether the prohibition should stand. The smoking ban was appro ... Jump to full article >>

In Pennsylvania, it’s been more than a year since a smoking ban took effect in most businesses and public places and the law’s supporters welcome evidence that it will result in better health conditions. A major report, released by the Institute of Medicine last month, confirmed what health officials long have believed: Bans on smoking in restaurants, bars and other gathering spots reduce the risk of heart attacks among nonsmokers. & ... Jump to full article >>

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) – Voters in St. Louis County recently passed a ban on smoking in most public places, and that has folks pushing for a similar ban in Cape Girardeau excited. The folks Heartland News talked to believe they can work with city leaders to pass a similar ordinance down the road to ban smoking in most public places. It’s a proposal that’s so controversial it gets people fired up no matter how they feel. You ... Jump to full article >>

Lawmakers say a smoking ban St. Louis voters approved yesterday could lead to a ban statewide. Christine Slusser reports. The new smoking ban takes affect in certain indoor public places in St. Louis County. The new ban may give momentum toward a statewide smoking ban. Jefferson County Democratic Representative Jeff Roorda says St. Louis has a huge impact on statewide issues. “Statewide votes very often are won and lost in St. Louis County ... Jump to full article >>

St. Louis County voters on Tuesday simultaneously made most public places there and in the city smoke-free. With light turnout — about 20 percent of the county’s 705,000 registered voters — about two-thirds of them favored Proposition N, which, with some exemptions, bans smoking in public places on Jan. 2, 2011. The ban applies to the city also because the Board of Aldermen last month approved a similar measure, contingent on county pa ... Jump to full article >>

NEW DELHI: The hype surrounding ban on smoking at public places seems to have vanished into thin air. A recent survey shows that the ban has not been effectively implemented since it came into effect in October last year. The nationwide survey conducted by Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) with 11 partner organisations found that over 60% of the bars and restaurants flouted anti-smoking rules. At least 211 public places were surveyed ... Jump to full article >>

New York is far better off for having had Michael Bloomberg as mayor and will be far better off for granting him a third term in City Hall. By every significant measure – from plummeting crime and rising school achievement to more and better parks and cleaner streets – Bloomberg has led the city decisively in the right direction over the last eight years. His ban on smoking in public places helped to lengthen the average New Yorker&# ... Jump to full article >>

Four years ago, a lopsided majority of Washington voters approved a ban on smoking in public places. While citizens may have the right to smoke, voters felt that right should not extend to subjecting others to their secondhand smoke. Many in the food and beverage industry, fearing the smoking ban would hurt business, mounted an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the 2005 initiative. A number of tavern and restaurant owners in this and other states w ... Jump to full article >>

In an age when smoking has been outlawed in most public places – government buildings, bars and pool halls – a person’s home is one of the few places you can puff in peace. Until now. A Dallas woman has filed a lawsuit seeking six figures from a former neighbor and landlord for damage she says was caused by cigarette smoke wafting through adjoining walls of her high-end townhome. “Smoking is not a right, it’s a privilege,&# ... Jump to full article >>

Even after recent clarification, problems with enforcement remain PEORIA —Almost two years since the state’s ban on indoor smoking in public places took effect, the haze surrounding the enforcement of the law appears to still be lingering. Some aspects of the Smoke Free Illinois Act are now much more clear than at its inception. Enforcing agencies such as police departments and local public health departments now have citations specific ... Jump to full article >>