RICHMOND, Ky. — Officials in a Central Kentucky county have voted to add electronic cigarettes to its smoking ban. Madison County banned smoking in indoor public places like restaurants, bars and workplaces in 2007. The county’s Board of Health voted 8-1 Wednesday night to include electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, in the ban. E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid nicotine solution in a disposable ... Jump to full article >>

In the battle over the proposed Springfield smoking ban, much of the sparring has centered on the potential costs to businesses, charities and residents. Citing published studies in cities with existing bans, supporters argue smoking restrictions have no overall negative impact on local economies, with nonsmokers replacing any smoking customers who are lost. “The revenue tends to stay flat,” said Clean Air Springfield spokeswoman Car ... Jump to full article >>

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese health authorities are renewing a push to ban smoking in indoor public places, adding more venues like hotels and restaurants as of May 1, though still excluding many workplaces. The guidelines given on the Health Ministry’s website are the latest effort to curb tobacco use in the country with the world’s largest number of smokers and where experts say huge revenues from the state-owned tobacco monopoly hinde ... Jump to full article >>

Thousands of jobs have been lost through pub closures, with 25 shutting their doors for good every week, according to a report today. Around 1,300 pubs closed across Britain last year, with the loss of 13,000 jobs, said the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA). A ban on smoking in public places alongside cheaper alcohol being sold in supermarkets have been reasons for the decline. The number of pub closures has fallen from 40 a week last ... Jump to full article >>

Alpharetta is considering a tobacco ban at its six city parks and along its more than six miles of greenway trails. And the City Council appears to be on board. The city’s Recreation and Parks Commission originally proposed banning all tobacco use within 25 feet of organized activities, such as athletic events. But City Council members said at a work session Monday that a complete ban made more sense. Mayor Arthur Letchas said that determi ... Jump to full article >>

TEGUCIGALPA — A ban on smoking in public places and some private areas went into effect on Monday in Honduras, the latest among half a dozen Latin American countries to pass anti-tobacco laws. “This law will reduce diseases, especially cardiovascular ones,” said Health Minister Arturo Bendana as he celebrate a “historical event.” Smoking is now banned in buildings, offices, supermarkets and malls, bars, discotheques, ho ... Jump to full article >>

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Business owners battled public health officials at the Capitol Thursday over a bill to change the state’s smoking ban. The proposed law would create an exemption for cigar smokers by allowing smoking lounges in bars, restaurants and tobacco shops. The exemption would not allow cigarette smoking in any of the lounges. Tobacco shop owners would have to pay $5,000 for a license; restaurant or bar owners would be charge ... Jump to full article >>

NEWPORT, Ky. – The smoking ban adopted last year for Campbell County is under review and could be repealed before it ever takes effect depending on an upcoming vote. Campbell County commissioners will decide whether to repeal the ban at a meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16 at the fiscal court building in Newport. The original smoking ban ordinance in Campbell County passed in December 2010. It is set to take effect in April 2011. The bi ... Jump to full article >>

Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Timothy Day on Wednesday struck down the county-wide smoking ban passed by the Teton County Board of Health two years ago. Day said in a ruling the Smokefree Air Rule of 2009 not only was outside of the authority of the county board of health but that the act of passing it was unconstitutional. “The District Board of Health has exceeded the rulemaking authority granted to a district board of health in [state ... Jump to full article >>

Smokers actually do have a shaky foothold in the City Council – not that it helps much. After the Council voted, 36 to 12, last week to ban smoking in city parks, beaches and public plazas, the Daily News reported Sunday that one reason could be the lack of smokers on the Council. More than a dozen Council members and staffers said they hadn’t seen a member regularly lighting up in years – though some enjoy the occasional cigar ... Jump to full article >>