The Rockwood School District has become the first school district in St. Louis County to reach the “gold standard” of tobacco-free policies that are part of the county health department’s federally-financed anti-smoking effort. To obtain that standard, the district has to abide by 40 policies and practices that generally prohibit smoking on school property, enforce the ban on students, staff and visitors, point out smoking cess ... Jump to full article >>

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 >>

THE GOVERNMENT must put anti-smoking services under a central body and provide training for all healthcare professionals, anti-smoking campaigner Prof Luke Clancy said. Prof Clancy, a leading advocate of the 2004 workplace smoking ban, said Ireland had underachieved in relation to tobacco addiction since the ban. He accused the last government of a misplaced concern for exchequer revenue in not increasing the price of cigarettes. He also critici ... Jump to full article >>

Eliminating an anti-smoking campaign targeting youth and free smoking cessation counseling would be “a step backwards for public health,” the University of Iowa’s public health dean said Tuesday. Dean Sue Curry, who has extensive research on tobacco, including motivation to quit smoking and health care costs associated with tobacco cessation, said Iowans will see a “reversal” in the recent progress by cutting resour ... Jump to full article >>

That ongoing message to smokers is being reinforced by the provincial government and many advocacy groups during National Non-Smoking Week. Saskatchewan has one of the highest smoking rates in the country. The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey reported a smoking prevalence of 22.3 per cent in the province in 2009, compared with a national prevalence of 17.5 per cent. Even though some age groups among Saskatchewan residents are smoking at a ... Jump to full article >>

It’s not very often that we ask the government to raise taxes, but that’s what we’re doing today, and we’re not alone. Mr. Premier, would you and your caucus consider an increase in tobacco tax? The New Brunswick Lung Association wants you to do it, and we agree. New Brunswick has the second lowest rate of tax on tobacco in the country. But we don’t want you to think about getting your hands on the money that would ... Jump to full article >>

Ah, New Year’s. ‘Tis the season of self-obsession, time to shake those old bad habits and embrace a virtuous new you. Forego the fries, stock up on salad; transform the exercise equipment back from coat rack to cross trainer; purge your wardrobe of sweatshirts bought in 1992. And of course, the classic: toss the cigarettes, slap on the nicotine patch and stop smoking. Could that impulse explain the federal government’s timing i ... Jump to full article >>

In the hard economic times all states now face, it’s easy to cut state spending that helps people stop smoking. But according to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, it’s also wrong. “We should view this as an investment,” Blumenthal said. Instead, Blumenthal — now a U.S. Senator-elect — will end his career as attorney general knowing that one of his greatest accomplishments — the 1998 settlement with Bi ... Jump to full article >>

President Obama is in “excellent health” – but has to stay away from the smokes and watch his cholesterol, doctors said Sunday. Obama, 48, is a lean 180 pounds, with 20-20 vision, but needs to “continue smoking cessation efforts,” doctors said after his first physical as commander in chief. Physicians at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. recommended Obama continue his “nicotine replacement the ... Jump to full article >>

Gov. Deval Patrick recently announced more than $2.3 million in federal recovery funds to help smokers quit and prevent youth from becoming addicted to tobacco. Massachusetts received the full amount requested for all three tobacco cessation and prevention grants and is one of only a few states in the nation share that distinction. The two-year award, a combination of three smoking cessation and prevention grants from the U.S. Centers for Disea ... Jump to full article >>