Smoking


Crusader

'Addio' holy smokes: Vatican bans sale of cigarettes

Philip Pullella
Reuters
Thu, 09 Nov 2017 06:44 UTC
Man smoking
© Reuters/Laszlo Balogh (file photo)
Pope Francis has ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes inside the Vatican from next year because of health concerns, a spokesman said on Thursday.

"The motive is very simple: the Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people," spokesman Greg Burke said in a statement.

He cited World World Health Organization (WHO) statistics that smoking causes more than seven million deaths worldwide every year.

Cigarettes have been sold at a discounted price to Vatican employees and pensioners.

Vatican employees are allowed to buy five cartons of cigarettes a month. Many Italians ask their non-smoking friends who work in the Vatican to buy cigarettes for them because they cost much less than in Italy, where they are subject to heavy taxes.
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Smoking

Israel's Health Ministry to ban smoking at outdoor events, other public places

Ido Efrati
Haaretz
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 20:35 UTC
Man smoking a cigarette
© Haaretz
The Health Ministry is seeking to expand the ban on smoking in public places to several currently exempted venues, including outdoor events, sports fields and playgrounds.

The rules have been submitted to the Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee and will take effect once the committee approves them.

Aside from the ban on smoking at open-air events, which tend to be very crowded, the new rules would also ban smoking everywhere in hospitals - though they do allow hospital directors to designate certain areas as smoking areas.
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Smoking

Anti-smoking hysteria: Australian mother calls on gov't to ban smoking around children, labels it child abuse


Yahoo7 News
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 08:06 UTC
Person smoking in a car
© Getty Images
A Sydney mother is calling on the NSW government to issue a total ban on smoking around children, labelling it as child abuse.

Nina Belle said she was driving along Old Northern Road in Castle Hill when she saw three adults smoking alongside a toddler in a pram, with the smoke "blowing in the poor child's face".

Left in an absolute rage by what she saw, the young mum started a petition, calling on the state government to take action.

She is calling on those parents who do smoke around their children to be fined and given "ample education and support to quit, including counselling".

"I believe exposing babies and children to ongoing passive smoke is a form of child abuse. This view might sound outrageous, but it's not," Ms Belle wrote in her petition.


Comment: There isn't much (if any) real scientific evidence for second-hand smoking causing any health issues.


"We intervene when children are neglected due to alcohol or drug addictions, and we should intervene when children are exposed to ongoing second-hand smoke.

Comment: See also:

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Smoking

Japanese firm gives six days off to resentful, non-smoking employees

Julian Ryall
The Telegraph
Mon, 30 Oct 2017 17:05 UTC
smoke break
A Japanese company is granting non-smoking employees an extra six days of paid holidays a year after they complained that they were working more than staff who took time off for cigarette breaks.

Tokyo-based marketing firm Piala Inc. only introduced the non-smokers' perk in September, but employees have been quick to take advantage.

"One of our non-smoking staff put a message in the company suggestion box earlier in the year saying that smoking breaks were causing problems", said Hirotaka Matsushima, a spokesman for the company.

"Our CEO saw the comment and agreed, so we are giving non-smokers some extra time off to compensate", Mr Matsushma told The Telegraph.

Comment: The joke is on them. Smoking actually increases brain function and work productivity. Also see: The totalitarian crusade against second-hand smoke

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Smoking

More Japanese firms introducing anti-smoking measures


Kyodo News
Sun, 29 Oct 2017 15:16 UTC
Japan firms anti-smoking measures
© KyodoEmployees of Sompo Japan Nippon Kowa Himawari Life Insurance Inc. chat Oct. 19 in a lounge that was converted from a smoking room in line with the company's smoking ban at all of its business outlets.
An increasing number of Japanese companies are stepping up efforts to protect employees from the health hazard of smoking at a time when the central and local governments are studying measures to curb the public's exposure to secondhand smoke.

Convenience store chain Lawson Inc. introduced an all-day ban on smoking at its head office and all regional offices in June, with an eye toward lowering the ratio of smokers to its entire workforce by around 10 percentage points in fiscal 2018 from 33 percent in fiscal 2016.

The ban applies to some 4,500 employees during work hours including when they are out of the office. Sales clerks of Lawson convenience stores, operating under franchising contracts with the retail chain, and workers of Lawson subsidiaries are not subject to the step.
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Smoking

New York governor to approve e-cigarette ban in bars, restaurants, workplaces

Glenn Bain
New York Daily News
Mon, 23 Oct 2017 05:00 UTC
E-cigarettes in NY bar
© Julia Xanthos/New York Daily News
Gov. Cuomo on Monday plans to sign into law new restrictions on electronic cigarettes that effectively ban their use in most restaurants, bars and workplaces, the Daily News has learned.

The measure, adopted by the Legislature in June, extends the provisions of New York's Clean Indoor Air Act to include e-cigarettes and has been a top priority of anti-smoking advocates.

"These products are marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, but the reality is they also carry long-term risks to the health of users and those around them," Cuomo said.

"This measure closes another dangerous loophole in the law, creating a stronger, healthier New York for all."

Comment: Indeed. Nicotine can be highly beneficial for some people. See:

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Smoking

Borneo to enforce smoking ban at 76 public parks


The Borneo Post
Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:41 UTC
No smoking sign in Borneo
© The Borneo Post‘No Smoking’ signboard at Sibu Town Square Phase I.
Seventy-six public parks across the state have been gazetted as 'No Smoking' zones, following the enforcement on June 1 this year by the state Health Department.

According to state Health Department director Dr Jamilah Hashim, her side ran a three-month public awareness prior to the enforcement.

"Public parks should be used for healthy recreational activities. Smokers are, therefore, urged to respect other visitors who wish to utilise these public facilities without the dangerous side effects of secondary smoking," she said when asked about the number of compounds issued for those caught smoking at public parks across the state, under Regulation 11(1)(w) of Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.
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Smoking

More anti-smoking fascism: Honolulu passes bill banning smoking in a car with children inside


Hawaii Tribune Herald
Sat, 14 Oct 2017 20:03 UTC
smoking in car
Now illegal in Oahu.
The Honolulu City Council unanimously passed a bill making it illegal on Oahu to smoke in vehicles while children are inside.

The bill was approved Wednesday and Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he plans to sign it into law.

Those in opposition say the bill intrudes on people's private lives, while backers say those younger than 18 years old have no choice but to stay in a vehicle if an adult is smoking.

Comment: Despite the fact that the second-hand smoke/disease link is junk science, the ridiculousness continues:

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Smoking

UK hospital to ban smokers from receiving treatment if caught smoking on grounds and refuse to stop

Jacob Dirnhuber
The Sun, UK
Fri, 06 Oct 2017 10:42 UTC
Darent Valley hospital
© The Sun
A hospital has said it could ban people from receiving non-emergency medical care if they are caught smoking or vaping on its grounds and refuse to stop.

Bosses at Kent's Darent Valley Hospital extended a smoking crackdown to patients and visitors after banning staff from lighting up in early August.

Designated smoking areas have been abolished, while specialist anti-smoking wardens have started patrolling the grounds during the first week. Anyone who refuses to stop smoking when asked by a warden will be issued with a yellow card.

If they continue to smoke after that, the hospital revealed it could block them from receiving any non-emergency treatment.
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Stop

California governor vetoes bans on smoking at beaches and parks, calling them too coercive

Patric McGreevy
Los Angeles Times
Fri, 06 Oct 2017 16:06 UTC
California beach
© Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times
Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday vetoed two bills that would have banned smoking at California parks and beaches, calling them too coercive and saying potential fines are too high.

The measures, which also would have banned smoking marijuana and the use of electronic cigarettes, were proposed by legislators to protect public health from second-hand smoking and to prevent wildfires and reduce litter.

Brown, who vetoed a similar bill last year, said the $100 fine proposed could reach $485 when court assessments are added, an amount he called excessive.

"If people can't smoke even on a deserted beach, where can they?" Brown asked in his veto message. "There must be some limit to the coercive power of government."
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