Free Republic

One topic that has only recently begun to attract attention is the Nazi anti-tobacco movement. Germany had the world's strongest anti smoking movement in the 1930s and early 1940s,supported by Nazi medical and military leaders worried that tobacco might prove a hazard to the race. Many Nazi leaders were vocal opponents of smoking. Anti-tobacco activists pointed out that whereas Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt were all fond of tobacco, the three major fascist leaders of Europe-Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco-were all non-smokers. Hitler was the most adamant,characterising tobacco as "the wrath of the Red Man against the White Man for having been...

The Pentagon says it won't ban smoking by troops in war zones, despite a recent study recommending a tobacco-free military. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell says troops already are under enough stress and making enough sacrifices in fighting the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he says Defense Secretary Robert Gates doesn't want to do add to that stress by taking away one of the few outlets they have to relieve it. But Morrell says Gates will look at the study to see what other things can be done to move toward a goal of a tobacco-free force.

STILLWATER: Oklahoma State University today becomes the largest campus in the state to ban tobacco. Getting Burns Hargis to work early sure has paid off for OSU. OSU President Burns Hargis said the policy aims to make OSU a clean and healthy environment. "We have enough afflictions that affect the human condition without voluntarily adding to the problem, he said. "It sets a strong example and a consistent example of our commitment to be a healthy and attractive campus. OSU's wellness center offers cessation help and, in some cases, medication and nicotine replacement products, to students and employees. Student Charles...

There are few personal confessions more likely to alienate many Americans than to admit to smoking. Singles ads are filled with people who will never even go on a first date with someone who smokes. I strongly suspect that more women would date a millionaire who earned his money disreputably than a millionaire who smoked. Drinkers are far more highly regarded than smokers, as are playboys, gamblers, lawyers, politicians and almost anyone else except child molesters. So I have no doubt that some readers who until now have held me in esteem will lose respect for me when they learn...

Park Ridge aldermen will resume discussion of the city's public smoking ban, following complaints from three restaurant owners that their businesses have been adversely affected by it.The restaurant owners spoke briefly to the City Council Monday night, prompting Mayor Howard Frimark to ask the aldermen if the smoking ban should be brought back before the Procedures and Regulations Committee. Alderman Jeannie Markech agreed that it should, and made a motion for the discussion. Eight aldermen voted in favor of the issue going back to committee and five voted against. One alderman was absent.The next meeting of the Procedures and Regulations...

<p>SYDNEY, Australia - Brothel owners in the southern state of Victoria have called for an exemption to a new ban on smoking in the workplace, saying customers like to light up after sex.</p> <p>The Australian Adult Entertainment Industry has written to Victoria's health minister arguing that new laws banning smoking in bars and brothels could push prostitution back into the streets, according to a report in the Sunday Herald Sun newspaper.</p>

On Wednesday, Toronto smokers will be forced off the minuscule pieces of public real estate to which they still have access: designated, separately ventilated smoking rooms, cigar bars and, to most everyone's surprise, many outdoor patios. The Ontario-wide legislation expanded last month to include the great outdoors, making it one of the most aggressive anti-smoking laws in Canada. Smoking will be prohibited on patios with any sort of awning, any kind of built-in overhang (even when it is a permanent feature of the building), or even when patio umbrellas are deemed to be too close together. Bar owners, let me...

(AP) DENVER With health costs rising, one state lawmaker thinks it's time to start discussing whether the state can afford to pay to treat smokers who get lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases linked to tobacco. Sen. Ron Teck, R-Grand Junction, wants to put people who continue to smoke despite the health risks on notice. Under a proposal set to be reviewed Wednesday at the state Capitol, people who started smoking before 1975 would still be eligible for Medicaid payments to treat smoking-related illnesses.

TRENTON, N.J. - Ashtrays have been disappearing in cars like fins on Cadillacs, and so could smoking while driving in New Jersey, under a measure introduced in the Legislature. Although the measure faces long odds, it still has smokers incensed and arguing it’s a Big Brother intrusion that threatens to take away one of the few places they can enjoy their habit. “The day a politician wants to tell me I can’t smoke in my car, that’s the day he takes over my lease payments,” said John Cito, a financial planner from Hackensack with a taste for $20 cigars.

New Jersey Legislator Wants to Ban Smoking in Your Car New Jersey legislator proposes $250 ticket for smoking while driving. Lighting up while driving would become a crime if legislation proposed by New Jersey Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex) makes it into law. Assembly bill 4306 would allow police to issue an extra $250 ticket to a smoking motorist who is pulled over for a primary offense such as speeding. The bill has the heavyweight support of the Assembly's majority leader, Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) and has been referred to the Assembly's Transportation Committee for consideration. McKeon, a foe of smoking, has...

MILWAUKEE (AP) Smoking would be banned in hotels, bars, restaurants, taxi cabs and workplaces in the state's largest city under a proposal unveiled Tuesday. The ordinance would ban smoking in public places and would be similar or more stringent than already strict ordinances in New York City and Minneapolis, said Patricia McManus, a spokeswoman for the Smoke-Free Milwaukee Project. The group has been working with the proposal's main sponsor, Alderman Joe Davis, who cited the risks of secondhand smoke and the rising costs of health care in creating the proposal. Exceptions would include tobacco stores, outdoor patios and private homes,...

Major credit card companies will refuse to participate in Internet sales of cigarettes under a government agreement made Thursday.

Many studies have been published purporting to prove smoking bans in bars and restaurants are either good or neutral  for business, and conflicting studies have also been published purporting to prove bans are bad for business. Scollo, Lal, Hyland and Glantz recently summarized many of these studies, concluding those which find no economic impact are published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature and funded by “objective” antitobacco interests, while those that do find bans hurt business are funded almost universally by Big Tobacco or its allies. Tobacco Control, 2003;12:13-20. However, the objectivity of those who publish studies finding smoking bans don’t...

Ramsey County board OKs smoking ban Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune September 15, 2004 STPONLINE Ramsey County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a smoking ban in restaurants on Tuesday, saying it was a good compromise and a step in the right direction for public health. Establishments that make more than 50 percent of their sales from alcohol could apply for an exemption, which could cost $100 or $200.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital, Umea, Sweden. The impact of active smoking, passive smoking and obesity on habitual snoring in the population is mainly unknown. We aimed to study the relationship of habitual snoring with active and passive tobacco smoking in a population-based sample. A total of 15,555 (71%) of 21,802 randomly-selected men and women aged 25 to 54 years from Iceland, Estonia, Denmark, Norway and Sweden answered a postal questionnaire. Habitual snoring, defined as loud and disturbing snoring at least three nights a week was more prevalent among current smokers (24.0%, p<0.0001) and ex-smokers (20.3%, p<0.0001) than in...

ROUSES POINT — Rodney Wright is trying to gain non-smoking customers at Rouses Point American Legion Post 912 by hosting teen dances on Fridays. He blames the state’s six-month-old smoking ban for a drastic drop in business and has applied for a waiver to allow people to light up in the club again. Signed into law by Gov. George Pataki in April and started on July 24, the Clean Indoor Air Act was designed to protect employees from second-hand smoke by banning smoking in all restaurants, taverns and nightclubs, as well as all places of employment. Some business owners strongly...

A qualitative exploration of smoking, cannabis and young people Aims: To examine the relationship between smoking tobacco and cannabis use among smokers in their mid-to-late teens. Design and participants: Two qualitative studies in Scotland. One study used semistructured paired interviews involving 99 16-19-year-old smokers, the other comprised eight focus groups involving 46 15-16-year-old smokers. Measurement: The interviews and focus groups explored the role and meaning of smoking in the participants' lives, smoking histories and future cessation intentions and how these related to other aspects of their lives, particularly cannabis use. Findings: Cannabis use was regarded as an important and enjoyable...

Tobacco Prevention Program, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, USA. OBJECTIVE: Much research exists demonstrating that pediatricians should counsel patients and families about tobacco. However, few data are available about tobacco-related messages relayed in pediatric offices. Since an anti-tobacco office environment can be a strong component of an active tobacco prevention program, we evaluated pediatric offices in Delaware to characterize tobacco-related messages. METHODS: A convenience sample of 32 of 63 (51%) pediatric offices in Delaware was directly evaluated for the presence of tobacco-related messages. Fifty-five of 63 (87%) pediatric practices in Delaware were contacted by telephone to inquire about...

<p>September 22, 2003 -- ALBANY - Smoking even in the privacy of your own car could be banned under one of at least five state bills introduced in the past year to limit where a person can light up.</p> <p>From public beaches to carnivals to a person's private vehicle, the legislation would make it more difficult for smokers to take a drag.</p>

Safety of children in grocery carts: adults' personal health and safety habits. Observations of 246 children and the adults accompanying them were carried out in supermarkets. Of those arriving and leaving by automobile (n = 194), 36% of adults used safety belts, and 51.1% of children used safety belts or restraining seats. While shopping, 79% of adults lost sight of the children in their care at least once, and 73.2% were 10 feet or more from their children at least once. 48% of children climbed or attempted to climb from carts; 27% stood in carts, and 23.6% handled hazardous products....