The Board of Health in Westminster, Massachusetts is proposing a ban of ALL tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars and electronic pipes. Under the Massachusetts statutes, the local board of health is authorizes to adopt “reasonable” regulation to protect the health of citizens. A hearing will be held on November 12, 2014. Westminster, Massachusetts is home to 7,000 residents over 37.3 square miles and was founded in 1737. UPDATE 11/12: The Westminster Board of Health […]
The Evanston, IL Human Services Committee will convene tonight (Monday, October 6th) and consider raising the age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The law would also require that any clerk selling tobacco products be at least 21 years old as well. The ordinance would come with $500 fine for violators and the possibility of losing their license to sell tobacco products. The Health Director Evonda Thomas-Smith states that she is using the […]
On Thursday October 23, 2014 the City Council of Lubbock, Texas will hold their first vote on the smoke-free ordinance for the city. According to Mayor Glen Robertson, if the ordinance is passed, it would outlaw the smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and the use of snuff and chewing tobacco in public places. The only exceptions would be in a private home or vehicle, in a hotel room where smoking is permitted, in a private club […]
As we continue to post articles about smoking bans, we hope that they motivate you to stand up and be heard. The latest anti-smoking law to pass is in Moline, Illinois where wit will now be illegal to smoke in any park or recreation area. The new law was passed by the city council on Tuesday and goes into effect immediately. Violating the new law is punishable by $50 for the first offense, $100 on […]
The city of Terrell, Texas is moving forward with a proposed smoking ban that would ban smoking in restaurants, city parks and city owned vehicles on January 1, 2015. According to the Terrell Municipal Development Director a city-wide survey took place in August, and 87% of the restaurant owners surveyed supported or were indifferent about the proposal. Currently establishments that sell food must have a designated smoking area. Councilman D.J. Ory has suggest that the […]
The Board of Supervisors in San Mateo County, California have approved a ban that makes it illegal to smoke tobacco in your apartment, condominium or townhouse. The vote was 4-1. The ordinance makes it illegal to smoke inside or around multiple unit dwellings with one or more shared ceilings, floors, walls or ventilation systems. In addition to banning smoking inside buildings with shared spaces, the ordinance prohibits it within 30 feet of building complexes, including decks, […]
The city of Worcester, Massachusetts is taking up two new measures to broaden the city’s restrictions of smoking on Tuesday. The first measures calls on City Manager Edward Augustus Jr to increase buffers around specific buildings and increasing penalties for violators. The second measure calls for the city’s lawyers to change the penalty for violated the tobacco ordinance to a criminal offense and creating a revolving account to help fund compliance. The third measure asks […]
The movement to raise the tobacco age to 21 has been gaining steam in states like Massachusetts, but now the push to change the current law has crossed the country to Healdsburg, California. The city of Healdsburg will vote tonight on the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21. If passed, they will become the first city in California to adopt legislation. The legal age is part of a new Tobacco Retail […]
The country of Turkey joins the growing movement to ban smoking and infringe on smokers rights. On Thursday the country announced it will extended the current indoor smoking ban to the outdoors. Included in the new ban are parks, open areas of restaurants, cafes, teahouses, mosque yards and hospital gardens, and shopping mall entrance. Also beginning in January of 2015 all tobacco products will be generic packaging that is black in color. Turkey is home […]
Following 33 other Massachusetts cites and towns that have already raised their tobacco age to 21, Saugus has begun the steps to follow suit. The Board of Health will hold a public hearing at its next meeting on November 3, 2014 at 6:15pm. The meeting will take place at the Saugus Public Library. The proposal for the change came from Joyce Redford, the program directory for North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Alcohol Policy Program. Currently the age […]