Victim tag won't wash
IAN GILLESPIE, Free Press News Columnist 2005-01-19

I won't be sending any sympathy cards to local tobacco farmers. I won't be begging politicians to shovel piles of cash toward these suffering souls.

And I won't be driving out to offer support during Friday's Highway 401 blockade.

Maybe I'm heartless. Maybe my sympathy has evaporated under the deluge of misleading messages from the cancer-stick industry.

Or maybe I'm just tired of hearing that popular song -- "Help me, I'm a victim" -- ring out again and again.

That refrain was recently delivered by Fred Neukamm, chairperson of the Ontario Flue-cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board.

Neukamm spoke Monday at a local tongue-wag hosted by the Commons standing committee on finance and economic affairs.

Neukamm said tobacco farmers are "now a community in crisis" and warned that unless the province ponies up $50 million (on top of $67 million from the feds) to buy out beleaguered tobacco farmers, some small Southwestern Ontario communities could fold because there's "nothing to replace that economic activity."

Neukamm's plea isn't new. For years, tobacco lobbyists have toiled to paint tobacco farmers as innocent victims of the government's dastardly anti-smoking campaign.

But are they really?

According to recent figures from Statistics Canada, three types of farms boast the highest operating margins -- dairy farms, livestock combination and tobacco farms.

"(Tobacco farmers) have been riding the gravy train for years," says Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society.

"They are among the wealthiest farmers in Canada," he says.

Cunningham also pooh-poohs Neukamm's doomsday claim that entire communities will fold in the face of fewer tobacco farms.

In his book Smoke and Mirrors: The Canadian Tobacco War, he rejects the economic argument.

Cunningham argues that "as less money is spent on tobacco, more money will be spent on other items, thereby increasing jobs in other sectors and offsetting any job loss in the tobacco sector."

He also cites a study by University of British Columbia professor Robert Allen, which reported that if all full-time jobs in tobacco growing and manufacturing disappeared overnight, the unemployment rate would rise less than 0.01 per cent.

Tobacco industry lobbyists frequently blame the government for their woes. Again, Cunningham begs to differ.

"Tobacco farmers in Canada are highly inefficient on a world scale," he says. "They're high-cost producers because of our cold weather and because of our higher cost of labour. Historically, the tobacco industry in Canada has kept the inefficient Canadian farmers in business by paying premium prices much higher than world prices.

"The biggest problem faced by the growers is not the decline in smoking in Canada," he says. "It's the combination of the high Canadian dollar, the extremely high cost of production of tobacco in Canada and the refusal of Imperial Tobacco to continue to pay above world prices for Canadian tobacco."

Cunningham doesn't oppose using government money to pay tobacco farmers to get out of the business. But he's suspicious of such schemes.

"(An exit buyout) is not all that they want and that's not all they've been given," he says. "You could design a program that appears to be helping farmers exit (the industry), but is really a disguised subsidy to continuing farmers. And that's inappropriate."

Cunningham says it's unjustifiable for the federal government to slash funding for its anti-smoking programs on the one hand and then subsidize tobacco farmers on the other.

"It's very interesting that for decades tobacco farmers have objected to government regulation," Cunningham says. "But at the same time, they're demanding government action to keep them in business."

The federal government started paying tobacco farmers to help get them out of the tobacco-growing business in the late 1980s. The writing has been on the wall for a long time. How long does it take to read the message? How long will the bail-outs last?

Still, I bet the government coughs up the cash. Because these days, everyone purports to be a victim -- even some who, despite years of warnings, have chosen their fate.

It seems the rest of us, though, have no choice but to pay and pay and pay.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/London/Ian_Gillespie/2005/01/19/902852.html

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Reserve smoke ban not in cards

By FRANK LANDRY -- Winnipeg Sun Wed, January 19, 2005

There's one reason and only one reason why the NDP government refuses to extend its "province-wide" smoking ban to First Nations -- politics.

Premier Gary Doer doesn't want to anger Manitoba's aboriginal population, a group that tends to vote NDP, at least provincially.

Ruffling feathers wouldn't be good for business, and the premier knows it.

And that's why pleas this week from the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA) for the NDP to clamp down on smoking on First Nations will fall on deaf ears.

Murray Gibson, MANTRA's executive director, is asking the province to make smoke-free facilities a requirement of getting a gambling licence. Either that, or rework the Non-Smokers Health Protection Act to include First Nations.

"I think they need to work with First Nations to create that dialogue and encourage them to voluntarily do this," Gibson told The Sun following a news conference Monday, where his group issued its third annual Manitoba tobacco control report card. "Failing that, they need to relook at the legislation."

Manitoba isn't the first province to have a province-wide smoking ban. Bans are also in place in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. Ontario and Quebec have also announced plans to move forward with butt bans.

Whether these bans were necessary is an argument for another day. Within 10 years most restaurants and bars would likely have gone smoke-free anyway. It's just a sign of the times.

But I digress. The bans are already in place.

What's different in Manitoba is that the province makes an exception for First Nations, which it argues it does not have jurisdiction over. MANTRA says other provinces don't do this.

Interestingly, the feds also maintain they don't have the authority to impose smoking bans on First Nations. This apparent grey area will eventually be worked out before the courts, as most jurisdictional battles are.

What the province does have the power to do immediately is force First Nations to make their gambling halls smoke-free as a requirement of getting and keeping gaming licences. That could include casinos or VLT lounges.

But the province doesn't seem interested in the idea.

"At this time we're not choosing to make any amendments to our legislation," Health Living Minister Theresa Oswald said. "And certainly the purview of gambling licences doesn't fall within my department so I don't feel like I can speak to that with absolute detail and authority."

In other words, the NDP isn't biting. In the meantime, First Nations continue to operate under a different set of rules.

The Long Plain First Nation near Portage la Prairie intends to allow puffing in its new VLT lounge and conference centre. Brokenhead First Nation also plans to allow smoking in their new casino near Grand Beach.

The rest of Manitoba can't do this. The law prohibits smoking in any enclosed public or workplace.

"They don't want to upset aboriginal people who are running casinos," Tory Leader Stuart Murray said, speculating on the NDP's reason for ignoring repeated calls from his party and now MANTRA to make aboriginal gambling halls smoke-free.

"The way we look at it, it doesn't matter who you are. All Manitobans -- whether they work in aboriginal casinos or restaurants or whatever -- they should be protected from second-hand smoke."

And that's what this all boils down to -- protecting workers from second-hand smoke. Groups like MANTRA are not political in nature nor do they represent rural restaurant owners, many of whom are still miffed First Nations can permit puffing but they can't.

MANTRA has no reason to push for a smoking ban on First Nations other than to protect the health of people who work in and frequent aboriginal businesses.

It's too bad they're being ignored.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Winnipeg/Frank_Landry/2005/01/19/902847.html

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Supreme court OKs 'cigarette curtain' law

CBC News Last Updated Jan 19 2005 01:23 PM CST
OTTAWA – A Saskatchewan law banning tobacco displays has been reinstated by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Three years ago, Saskatchewan passed a law that said cigarettes could not be on display to people under 18.

Stores and restaurants had to put their tobacco products in cabinets and behind curtains.

Saskatchewan's Court of Appeal struck down the law after tobacco companies appealed. With the law overturned, many business opened the curtains.

But in a hearing this morning, Canada's highest court approved Saskatchewan's ban on tobacco displays.

The judges heard from the tobacco company Rothmans Benson and Hedges, the group that fought to keep cigarette displays in full view of the public.

After quizzing the company and taking a 15-minute recess, the judges came back and said the display ban is back in force. They'll give their reasons at a later date.

"It's disappointing," said John McDonald, a spokesman for Rothmans Benson and Hedges.

Anti-tobacco groups were hailing the decision.

"Oh we are absolutely elated. What a great victory on Weedless Wednesday," said Donna Pasiechnik, tobacco control co-ordinator with the Cancer Society's Saskatchewan division.

Saskatchewan Health Minister John Nilson said the ruling means tobacco will go back out of sight in the province.

"We're pleased that the Supreme Court of Canada understood the comments and concerns that we had in this particular case," he said.

http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/cigarettes050119.html

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Letters- Smoking laws are starting to save lives ON

Re: 'Target Industrial Pollution', letter, Dec. 28.

Jan. 19, 2005

Steve Hartwell's (SmokersRightsCanada.org) letter is breathtaking in its duplicity.

While he is right that industrial pollution is a problem, that hardly means that we should ignore all other problems.

Indeed, the last provincial election saw all three parties promise to phase out coal-fired generators.

Such a move will save hundreds of lives each year.

However, anyone who has ever set foot in a pub or bar in Ontario will tell you that the air quality in those spaces is far worse than anything you're likely to encounter outdoors.

And there are any number of analyses that will list dozens of poisons found in the smoke curling from the tip of a cigarette.

Yet, Hartwell's letter tells us that these poisons that permeate our hair, skin and clothing have no effect on us.

Who could have so little regard for the health of others that they would knowingly expose them to toxins?

Yet that is what Smokers Rights Canada is asking us to support - their right, amongst others, to make exposure to hazardous substances a condition of employment for entertainment and hospitality industry workers.

Fortunately, most smokers are more considerate and better informed.

They accept the fact that smoke kills. They avoid smoking near main entrances to buildings and while standing in lines.

And they avoid smoking indoors at home when they have children and other non-smoking family members.

Tobacco is one addiction that the government is trying to deal with in a rational fashion.

Unlike other addictive drugs, tobacco is legal.

The government is using the tax revenue from its sale to run treatment and harm reduction programs and public education campaigns to curb its use.

It has also slowly implemented laws and bylaws restricting its use to areas where the public will not be harmed. These measures are already saving thousands of lives annually.

Gary Dale

http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/opinion/letter/story/2495912p-2892233c.html

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Tax hikes won’t make us butt out, smokers say -ON

Latest increase adds 13 cents to a pack of 20 and 16 cents to a pack of 25
By Carol Mulligan/The Sudbury Star

Local News - Wednesday, January 19, 2005 @ 11:00

It will take more than a -31 C windchill and a $1.25-a-carton tax hike in the price of a carton of cigarettes to get Mona Quenneville to butt out.

Huddled against the building where she works downtown during a smoke break Tuesday, Quenneville shook her head when she learned the provincial government’s third tax increase on tobacco products was to go into effect at midnight.

Quenneville admitted the increase — which will add 13 cents to a pack of 20 cigarettes and 16 cents to a pack of 25 — doesn’t begin to provide enough incentive to quit.

If federal and provincial governments were serious about helping people kick the habit, they’d do something to reduce the price of smoking cessation aids such as nicotine patches and gums to make it easier for people to quit, said Quenneville.

Or, better still, they should just outlaw the sale of cigarettes so people can’t get their hands on them, she said.

Colleague Jeff Houle agreed that a slight increase in the cost of smokes won’t do much to convince him to quit. He accused the provincial government of trying to “have its cake and eat it, too” by increasing tobacco taxes and benefiting from them.

Dave Groulx, a public health nurse with the Sudbury and District Health Unit, said even a slight increase in the price of tobacco products may help youngsters quit smoking. Research shows they are the group most likely to quit when tobacco costs rise.

Vicki Kuula-Ross, a public health nurse with the health unit’s tobacco cessation team, said she would like to see Ontario raise its tobacco taxes even further, to the national average.

The current national average is about $30 per carton in provincial tobacco taxes, and this increase boosts Ontario to $23.45, said Diane Flanagan, a spokeswoman for Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara.

Sorbara said in an interview that his government is committed to being at the national average of tobacco taxes in the course of the Liberals' mandate, and that it’s a step closer with this initiative.

The tax increase will mean $52 million more for the province’s coffers, but that money was included in last year’s budget, said Flanagan. Since the Liberals were elected in October 2003, they’ve raised provincial tobacco taxes by $6.25.

This won’t be the last tax increase Ontario smokers see either, with the government aiming to reach the national average by the end of 2007.

The province’s tobacco tax hike came just in time for Weedless Wednesday today.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=94397&catname=Local+News

 

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Pain in the butts -ON

ANOTHER TAX HIKE ON CIGARETTES KICKS IN TODAY

By ALAN FINDLAY, QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU Wed, January 19, 2005

FREEZING your butt off at smoke-break just got a little more expensive. Yesterday the provincial government announced its third tobacco tax hike in 14 months, adding an extra $1.25 to the price of every carton. That's 13 cents more for a pack of 20 ciggies.

Since the Liberals formed the government, the tax on a carton has risen by $6.25.

The current $23.45 in provincial taxes per carton will continue to rise, possibly once again in this spring's provincial budget, until Ontario's tax hit is as much as the national average of more than $30.

HOPING TO DETER YOUTHS

Quoted in a government news release, Finance Minister Greg Sorbara said the price hikes will help deter young people from smoking.

"Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of premature death and illness in Ontario, and it costs an estimated $1.7 billion a year in health care spending to treat diseases directly caused by tobacco," Sorbara said.

Michael Perley, director of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco, called the increase modest but another step in the right direction.

"I don't know if it will have much of an impact on consumption, but what iLt will do is help generate additional revenue to help offset (health) costs," said Perley.

Nancy Daigneault, president of the smokers' rights group mychoice.ca, said smokers are tired of governments clawing huge taxes from them and then labelling them a drain on health care.

ELECTION PROMISE

She said Ontario smokers are paying $2.5 billion in product taxes a year -- far more than what Health Minister George Smitherman maintains smoking-related illness is costing the system.

During the 2003 election, the Liberals promised to increase tobacco taxes by $10 a carton in order to reach the national average.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/01/19/903240-sun.html

 

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Colts join city's no-smoking campaign

Jan 19, 2005

Members of the Barrie Colts launched National Non-Smoking Week at Barrie City Hall Monday, by taking their best shot against power walls - the large enticing displays of cigarettes in corner stores and gas stations.

"Power walls are one of the last bastions for aggressive marketing of tobacco products to children and youth and that's no longer acceptable," said Leslie Gordon, manager of the tobacco program for the Simcoe County District Health Unit. "Power walls target kids, undermine the efforts of those who are trying to quit and create an aura of social acceptability, creating the impression that cigarettes are more popular than they actually are."

The "Out of sight, out of mind" campaign aims to educate people that, despite a ban on most tobacco products advertising since 2003, power walls continue to feature prominently in retail outlets, many close to schools. The height and placement of these displays have been carefully calculated to have maximum impact on the purchaser.

About 60 per cent of tobacco purchases are impulse buys and prominent displays, like power walls, encourage impulse buys, said Gordon. Given that approximately one-fifth of smokers in Canada are non-daily smokers and that locally in Simcoe County the majority of adult smokers say they are thinking about trying to quit smoking within six months, power walls are a significant marketing tool to keep people smoking, she said.

"Tobacco companies pay out $77 million every year to keep power walls front and centre because they work," said Gordon. "All it takes is one purchase to turn an ex-smoker back into a smoker, and power walls are an extremely effective temptation."

A ban on tobacco advertising and promotion will help reduce tobacco use and protect children from exposure to tobacco promotion, said Gordon.

http://www.simcoe.com/sc/barrie/story/2497925p-2894388c.html

 

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Ontario Boosts Cigarette Tax to Add C$52 Mln in Annual Revenue -ON

Jan. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Ontario boosted cigarette taxes 5.6 percent, adding C$52 million ($43 million) to provincial revenue annually, and said the higher prices will help cut tobacco consumption among young people.

The price of a carton of 200 cigarettes rose C$1.25, or 16 cents for a pack of 25, at midnight. The average price of a pack of cigarettes in the province is now about C$9.

The increase comes as Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara tries to reduce the provincial budget deficit, estimated at C$2.1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31. The minister has said he plans to raise cigarette taxes to the national average of about C$30 a carton.

The most recent increase, the third in 14 months, brings Ontario taxes on a carton of cigarettes to C$23.45. A carton costs about C$70, including federal taxes.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000082&sid=aN8uvx2GgGo0&refer=canada

 

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Letters to the editor - Calgary Sun - Jan 19/05
Apparently Ralph Klein can't please anyone. I, too, would love to see people free of the dangers of smoking, both smokers and non-smokers. An all-out smoking ban like the one proposed is not enforceable. Where are all the "civil libertarian types?" Is this not a case of smokers' charter rights being violated? Ralph is right in saying a ban is wrong and won't work. It doesn't address the real problem, which is a poison with debilitating addictive effects permitted by the federal government. If we ban everything bad for us what next? Cheesecake? Butter knives?
Keith Spielman
(No one is talking about a total ban on smoking.)

 

Has Paul Jackson ever heard of second-hand smoke? ("Butt-brained idea," Jan. 18.) This is the difference between cigarettes and fast food or VLTs. No one has ever shoved a Big Mac down my throat or put my money in a VLT. Is it not hypocritical of Ralph Klein to posture himself as saviour of health care while ignoring the leading preventable cause of death in Alberta? Jackson talks of freedom being chipped away but never mentions the rights of the 80% of Albertans who don't smoke. Where is my freedom to breathe clean air? Iris Evans has better insight into democracy than Jackson.
Gord Miszaniec
(Non-smokers are free to choose where they go.)

 

RE: "CREDIBILITY question," Jan. 16. This article says that Liberal health critic Laurie Blakeman said she had hoped Ralph Klein would introduce a smoking ban after a number of smokers in the Tory caucus either retired or were defeated in the November provincial election. Is she saying that if there were no smokers in cabinet that we would all be forced to not smoke? That sounds like a dictatorship, not democracy.
Robert Hogg
(The government sets the rules.)
 

RALPH KLEIN is nuts if he doesn't entertain the idea of implementing a smoking ban in all public places in Alberta. What part of "smoking and second-hand smoke kills" does this dinosaur not understand?
Robert Stock
(Ralph's not in favour of a ban.)

http://www.canoe.ca/CalgarySun/editorial.html#letters

 

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No place for tobacco

Pharmacies are health-care centres and pharmacists are members of your health-care team. The Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Allliance (MANTRA) believes it is wrong for in-store or stand-alone pharmacies to sell and advertise tobacco products for the following reasons:

1. Tobacco is about addiction, disease and death not health and life.

2. By selling this product pharmacies lend a false sense of credibility to it.

3. It is an inherent conflict of interest to sell both the cause of the disease and the remedy.

4. Tobacco money buys silence. The tobacco industry spent $77million in 2002 and $88 million in 2003 in Canada to buy the right to promote their products in retail outlets (including pharmacies).

5. It is contrary to the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Association.

If pharmacies won't or can't act, maybe the government should pass legislation just like they have in every province east of Manitoba.

Murray Gibson

Executive Director

MANTRA

(Then they'll have nothing to hide.)

http://www.winnipegsun.com/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/Letters/

 

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They puff in comfort at post office and CBC Federal workers exempt from city's smoking ban -MB
      By Rick Lawler Thursday, January 20th, 2005
      WHILE most Winnipeggers who smoke have to shiver outside while enjoying their cigarette, some federal employees can smoke in heated comfort right where they buy their lunch.
      Canada Post Corp. employees working at the Graham Avenue main post office have a designated smoking room beside their publicly accessed cafeteria.
      Federal jurisdictions in Manitoba are exempt from municipal and provincial smoking restrictions but are required to restrict smoking in the workplace, according to the website of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, a federal agency.
      "We follow Health Canada options for banning and or restricting smoking in the workplace," Canada Post spokesman Brian Garagan said.  The post office smoking room has a ventilation system that vents directly outside. It has a swipe-card access and is not open to the public.
      Designating a smoking room "was a local decision in consideration of the needs of our union members" who smoke, Garagan said.
      "That is a concern, to continue to encourage smoking in the workplace," said Murray Gibson, executive director of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA).
      MANTRA is a non-profit group that works with other health organizations to help Manitobans quit smoking.
      "We are asking federal organizations to respect the legislation (of the city and province)," Gibson said.
      "Health Canada supports our efforts, but some organizations like Canada Post and the CBC choose not to."
     Some casual diners in the post office cafeteria seemed unconcerned about the nearby smoking room. Married couple Kevin and Karen Dyck meet there twice a week for lunch. They are both non-smokers.
     "I like the rule that there is no smoking in public. They (Canada Post employees) need a swipe card to get in (the smoking room), so it's not a public space," Kevin Dyck said.
      "I don't smell the smoke; it's not an issue to me," said Karen Dyck.
      Gibson doesn't agree that the ventilated room doesn't create a hazard to diners in the cafeteria.
      "In spite of the best efforts of filtration or ventilators, it doesn't protect bystanders from the hazards of second-hand smoke," he said.
      "It's time the feds acted" to ban smoking in the workplace completely, he said.

www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

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Cars bad for health, Ontario MDs warn -ON

      Thursday, January 20th, 2005
      TORONTO -- Dependence on cars is so harmful to people's health it is tearing at the social fabric of the province, the Ontario College of Family Physicians warned yesterday.
      A daily commute raises one's blood pressure and pollutes the air, while keeping people from their families, friends and leisure pursuits, said Janet Kasperski, chief executive officer of the professional development group for doctors, at a Toronto press conference that was ostensibly about suburban sprawl and its deleterious effects on a healthy lifestyle.
      But the real bugaboo was the car, and the dependence of suburbanites on it, even for such mundane tasks as going for a carton of milk.
      A report released yesterday by the college cites four dangers of uncontrolled urban growth, and only the fourth -- a lack of suburban green space appropriate for daily exercise -- had nothing to do with cars.
      The other three were:
      * Air pollution, which increases with more drivers on the road and is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease, cancer and reproductive damage.
      * Fatal traffic accidents, two-thirds of which occur on highways, as opposed to urban roads.
      * A host of mental health dangers, brought about by too much time in a car, and not enough time at leisure.
      As Dr. Riina Bray, chair of the college's environmental health committee, put it, a daily commute from the suburbs can lead to "isolation depression, commuter stress, road rage."
      The study argued the government's "greenbelt" proposal -- under which urban development would be halted on a vast swatch of land around Toronto -- ought to be extended to all Ontario urban centres.
      "Once sprawl occurs, you can never go back," Bray said.

www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

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Smoking ban enforcers raid Weyburn hotel  -SK

CBC News Last Updated Jan 20 2005 03:03 PM CST

WEYBURN – In what is a first under Saskatchewan's new smoking law, a Weyburn hotel has received multiple tickets for smoking violations.

The Royal Hotel has been given six tickets, each for more than $500.

The tickets are for setting ashtrays on the tables, not having "no smoking" signs, and for allowing patrons to smoke.

Several customers have also been fined for lighting up in the hotel.

According to bar manager Denny Joyal, officials raided the hotel around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Five public health officers and three city police officers were involved, he said.

One of the public health officers blew a whistle, and started to read a statement, he said.

"It was a bit of overkill. I'm not sure why it was necessary," Joyal said.

"Perhaps they were anticipating some sort of trouble. Obviously nobody was going to give them a hard time."

Joyal said the hotel will not be paying the tickets. Instead, it will go to court over the matter sometime in February, he said.

He said the company wants the option to have a ventilated smoking room. It also believes the hotel should be on a level playing field with First Nations casinos, he said.

Under the provincial ban that went into effect Jan. 1, smoking is prohibited in all bars, restaurants and other enclosed public places.

However, the White Bear First Nation has passed its own bylaw that allows smoking at its on-reserve casino near Carlyle.

http://www.smokersclubinc.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=943

http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/weyburn-smoking050120.html

 

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Nilson responds to smoking ban setback  -SK

CBC News Last Updated Jan 19 2005 04:22 PM CST

REGINA – Health Minister John Nilson says he hasn't given up on his dream to make Saskatchewan smoke free.

On Tuesday, the federal government chose not to overturn a bylaw which allows smoking on the White Bear First Nation near Carlyle.

That makes White Bear and its Bear Claw Casino the only place in Saskatchewan where patrons can legally smoke. The band's bylaw allows smoking in 40 per cent of the facility.

Off the reserve, the provincial smoking ban that came into effect on Jan. 1 is the law of the land.

The two sets of rules create an awkward situation for the provincial government.

Earlier this week, Nilson was telling the public that flagrant violation of the ban would mean fines as high as $500 for individuals and $5,000 for proprietors. He also said there could be tickets given out as early as this week.

On Wednesday, Nilson said he remains committed to the smoking ban, even if it will no longer be province-wide. He said he'll continue to hold discussions with First Nations leaders and the federal government in pursuit of a single non-smoking law.

"This is one of the most important public health laws and one of the laws that will have the greatest effect on the health of our Saskatchewan citizens," he said.

"But you have to work within the rules, you have to work within our Constitution, you have to work with all the people that are involved."

Hoteliers say it's not fair they have to obey a law that an Indian-run casino does not.

Nilson said he does not support a request from hotel owners to allow ventilated smoking rooms.

http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/smoking-ban050119.html

 

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I DON'T think so much fuss should be made about smoking in this society. I think we should spend more time and money on a far more deadly disease, alcoholism. Why don't we have disgusting pictures of road carnage, flaccid penises, cirrhotic livers and shrivelled brains on alcohol bottles? Or how about the violence against family brought on by the consumption of alcohol, homelessness and the myriad of other ills?

Renate Van Dorsser

(Booze has its benefits.)

http://canoe.ca/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/Letters/

 

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Used to be a great country

Fri, January 21, 2005Re: No place for tobacco (Murray Gibson Letter of the Day. Jan. 20).

The government regulates and legislates way too much already. The owners of pharmacies, or any other business for that matter, should have the right to sell anything they wish as long as it is not illegal; last time I checked tobacco is still legal. What concern is it of yours or anybody's how much the tobacco companies spent on advertising? They are a company and I am quite positive that companies advertise to sell their product.

Canada used to be considered a great country because of its rights and freedoms. Not any longer with the government and groups like yours interfering wherever they choose and much too often.

Enough already; if tobacco is about addiction, why don't you get a group going to ban VLTs and liquor? How much are these addictions costing the taxpayer? What about the government wanting to legalize marijuana? Better yet, I don't like vehicle exhaust fumes in the air that I breathe, so maybe the government should ban all vehicle use too, get with the program. If you don't smoke then don't let it be your concern!

M. Stevens

Winnipeg

(Voice in the wilderness.)

http://www.winnipegsun.com/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/Letters/

 

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Kwong comes down on side of smoking ban -AB

Lieutenant-governor starts term by wading into contentious public debate

Larry Johnsrude and Bill Mah The Edmonton Journal Friday, January 21, 2005

EDMONTON - Newly appointed Lt.-Gov. Norman Kwong waded into the contentious smoking debate Thursday, publicly disagreeing with Premier Ralph Klein's stand opposing a provincewide ban on smoking in public places and at work.

Less than an hour after officially taking over as ceremonial head of state, Kwong shunned royal protocol and made an unusual public pronouncement when he said he supports a provincewide ban on smoking.

"I hate to jump on people, the way they live their lives," the former Edmonton Eskimos football player told reporters after a ceremony installing him as Alberta's 16th lieutenant-governor.

"But if you asked me if I was in favour or not, I think I'd have to be in favour of a ban."

Representatives of the Queen are expected to avoid commenting on controversial public issues. Kwong had said he would likely be less outspoken than his predecessor, Lois Hole. But when asked for his opinions on a smoking ban, he said he felt it would deter young people from taking up the habit.

Earlier, the premier had rejected a provincewide ban as ineffective in getting people to quit or cut back.

But anti-smoking advocates say he is ignoring his own government's studies.

"One thing the research has been clear on is that when smoking bans are in effect, more people quit and those who don't quit end up smoking less," said Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health.

And an official for the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, a provincial government agency, said research shows smoking bans are effective in getting smokers to kick the habit or cut down.

"The more you limit the places where people can smoke, the more quit attempts they will make," said Lloyd Carr, AADAC's senior manager for tobacco reduction. He would not comment on the apparent contradiction between AADAC's reports and Klein's comments.

"The premier said what he said, and I have nothing to add to that," said Carr.

Dr. Gerry Predy, medical health officer for Capital Health, said a provincewide ban is necessary to promote the health of non-smokers.

"In terms of preventing exposure to environmental (second-hand) tobacco smoke, particularly for people who are working in places like bars, I think it is important to have a smoking ban."

In the latest installment in a debate over banning smoking in public places, Klein said Wednesday a provincewide ban would be ineffective and bad for business. Asked to clarify his remarks, he said Thursday he believed children should be protected from second-hand smoke, but he wouldn't endorse a provincewide ban.

"Let's not be overboard on this issue," he said. "What we need to do is protect children from the influence of smoke and smoking. But at the same time, not be so disruptive to business as to harm business."

Research compiled by AADAC and other health groups, however, suggests banning smoking does encourage people to quit.

"Smokers who are employed in workplaces with smoking bans are likely to consume fewer cigarettes per day, are likely to be considering quitting and quit at a higher rate than do smokers employed in workplaces with no or weaker policies," says AADAC's Tobacco Basics Handbook, based on research from across North America and Europe.

Numerous Alberta municipalities have adopted bylaws prohibiting smoking in public places. Edmonton's ban on smoking in bars, casinos and bingo halls will take effect in July.

Health Minister Iris Evans has proposed a provincewide ban on smoking, but Klein rejected the idea. He said Wednesday that during a recent trip to Central Canada he didn't notice that people from Ontario, where there are widespread smoking bans, were any healthier than in Quebec, which has no smoking bans.

However, statistics show that 25 per cent of Quebecers over 15 years old smoke, the highest rate in Canada, compared to 20 per cent in Ontario. The rate for Alberta is also 20 per cent, the national average.

"There are more smokers in Quebec and there are more people who are unhealthy because of smoking in Quebec," said Hagen.

Ontario has banned smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants, in major cities including Toronto and Ottawa and is planning a provincewide ban in May 2006. Quebec is also considering a provincewide smoking ban, possibly as early as this fall.

Research also suggests fears by bar-owners about lost business may be unfounded. A study by the Ontario tobacco research unit at the University of Toronto found there was virtually no negative economic impact from Ottawa's smoking ban, which took effect in September 2001.

"Communities considering implementing smoke-free bylaws need not be concerned that bars and restaurants will be adversely affected," the study said.

The premier also said Wednesday people who don't want to work in a smoking environment should find another job.

Dan MacLennan, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, said that is unrealistic. His union pressed successfully for a ban on smoking in provincial jails after four guards brought Workers' Compensation Board claims arising from second-hand smoke.

"Correction workers were told for decades: If you don't like it, go work someplace else," said MacLennan. "But the province did the right thing there and I'm hoping they do the right thing now."

http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=c1ffd006-50f2-4917-873f-144fd3969b80

*posted comment

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Editorial - Smokescreen -MB

Friday, January 21st, 2005

Manitoba retailers soon will be forced to hide cigarettes, like forbidden fruit, behind blinds or under the counter to prevent public display of tobacco products. A similar Saskatchewan law was upheld this week by the Supreme Court of Canada. The court found the provincial law did not conflict with the federal Tobacco Act, which permits the display of tobacco products in retail outlets.

There's no doubt that smoking carries health risks. The government's campaign to "de-normalize" cigarettes is aimed to help people to quit and to keep young people from picking up the habit. According to Statistics Canada last year, the number of smokers fell to 4.7 million in 2003 compared with 5.8 million nine years earlier. But teenagers, particularly girls, continued to take up the habit. This despite the many years of government anti-smoking campaigns and the increasing restrictions on tobacco advertising. The Manitoba government, like Saskatchewan, believes young people continue to get hooked because they can walk into corner stores and gas stations and see cigarettes for sale. This is theoretical and it beggars belief.

The reasons why teens, why young women take up smoking are not well known, despite all of the statistics gathered on Canadians' love affair with tobacco. Governments are quick to demonize tobacco, but it is unlikely cigarettes will be banned outright, given the hundreds of millions of dollars governments pull in each year in tobacco taxes. Manitoba expects to collect $203.7 million this year alone from its tobacco tax. It spends a tiny fraction of that on anti-smoking campaigns. Instead it will force retailers, many of them small operators, to give up lucrative advertising dollars they get from tobacco companies for displaying the product on a hope it will help cut smoking.

Manitoba should use more of the money it collects from tobacco levies to buy, with other governments, good national research on why young Canadians take up the habit and why teens who don't quit smoking. Then the anti-smoking campaigns and health information pamphlets can be targeted for greatest effect.

www.winnipegfreepress.com

 

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Thou shalt not smoke Bibles -MB

By Kevin Rollason Friday, January 21st, 2005

THE Bible is the hottest read at Headingley jail these days.

Unfortunately, it's because the inmates are using the Good Book's pages to roll cigarettes.

Staff and clergy at Headingley Correctional Centre are trying to get prisoners to stop the practice after dozens of Bibles were defaced and destroyed by inmates who use the thin pages to roll and smoke homemade, uh, cell-made cigarettes.

Prison staff have begun to confiscate all the Bibles distributed to prisoners and are keeping track of who has them and who's defacing them.

In a letter and interview with the Free Press, Robert Mayo, a Headingley inmate, said he has been left with only his own personal Bibles he brought with him to the institution.

"They shouldn't be doing this because the Bible will show (inmates) another path instead of the one they're following now," Mayo said.

"I believe that's what society wants as well."

When contacted, Gideons' Ron Muir said he hadn't heard what the inmates were doing to the Bibles instead of reading them, but when he confirmed it was true he said he would be bringing more Bibles to Headingley.

"They've destroyed about 50 Bibles," Muir said.

"They're going to need more Bibles and I'll bring them more."

Muir said he had only heard of one other prison, in the United States, where inmates used pages from the Bible to roll smokes.

Headingley superintendent Cathy Sandney said even though the provincial institution is smoke-free, it's still hard to stop inmates from smoking.

"It's very difficult to catch them because they're very discreet," she said.

Prisoners are quite creative in an effort to light up. Sandney said inmates use a mixture of tea leaves from tea bags and Nicorette gum. The inmates boil the gum, mix it with tea leaves, dry it, and then put it in some form of rolling paper.

And Sandney vowed -- not necessarily on a Bible -- that there will be consequences to prisoners who rip out pages.

"They may have to pay for it," she said.

"We're just in the process of pulling them. Normally, there's a consequence when you destroy government property."

Mind you, these are inmates who have probably already violated other Bible commandments. Think, Thou shalt not steal.

If they've violated Thou shalt not kill, the inmate most likely wouldn't be at Headingley, which is for prisoners with sentences of less than two years of length, but at the federal Stony Mountain Institution.

At Stony, prisoners can buy and smoke cigarettes in fresh-air areas and in cells.

"Our inmates don't have to use Bibles because our inmates can smoke here -- that's the difference," said Stony spokeswoman Linda Garwood-Filbert, adding smoking is currently under a national review.

Murray Gibson, executive director of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance, was shaking his head at the lengths inmates would go to satisfy their nicotine craving.

"This shows the addictive nature of smoking," Gibson said.

"A person has to want to quit before they quit. Many people just aren't there yet."

www.wiinipegfreepress.com

 

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Holy rollers stopped

By FRANK LANDRY, LEGISLATURE REPORTER Fri, January 21, 2005

Used pages from Bibles to make their cigarettes

Holy smokes! Inmates at Headingley Correctional Centre have had their prison-issued Bibles confiscated because too many pages were being ripped from the books and used as rolling papers.

The jail is supposed to be smoke free.

"We're a little bit surprised (inmates) would go to such lengths to try and make a home-made cigarette," said Cathy Sandney, the jail's superintendent.

Sandney said Bibles used to be available for inmates in the living quarters of the prison -- including cell blocks, dorms and common areas. About two weeks ago the chaplains asked for the books to be removed after it was learned Bibles were being defaced and pages were going up in smoke, she said.

Inmates wanting a copy of the Good Book must now ask for it from chaplains, who assess whether the Scriptures will be read or burned, Sandney said.

Tory justice critic Kelvin Goertzen said he finds burning Bibles offensive, but taking away the scriptures is not the answer.

Goertzen said Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh should have hired additional staff to crack down on prison puffers when Headingley and other provincial jails went smoke free in 2003.

"It's a foolish NDP government system where you can get crack pipes on the street for free if you're a cocaine addict but you can't have access to Bibles in prison anymore," Goertzen said.

SUPPORTS CRACKDOWN

Mackintosh declined to comment on the situation at Headingley, saying he was unfamiliar with what's been going on. A spokesman later said Mackintosh supports the crackdown.

The Winnipeg Sun first reported in December inmates in Manitoba's provincial jails were getting around a smoking ban by making "tobacco" from nicotine chewing-pieces and used tea leaves.

Rolling papers are fashioned from pages ripped out of Bibles, apparently because the paper is thin and burns well.

Sandney said guards have never caught an inmate puffing on a holy smoke, but defaced Bibles and a spike in tea bag sales is evidence it's happening. If an inmate is nabbed, they could be forced to pay for the book or even be charged for damaging government property, she said.

Goertzen said tougher sanctions are needed to discourage inmates from smoking.

Headingley inmate Robert Mayo said the jail's policy is an assault on his religious freedom.

Mayo, who is awaiting trail for a violent home invasion, said many prisoners are afraid to ask for copies because they will be ridiculed by other inmates. He's been lending out a personal copy.

"If you take away the written word of the Lord, where else is there to turn?" Mayo said.

Graham Stewart, executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada -- a prisoners' rights group -- said it seems the provincial jail had no choice but to implement the Bible ban.

"We know chaplains have very few resources in prisons -- practically none," Stewart said. "If this was becoming a significant cost factor than they're doing what they have to do to preserve that resource."

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/News/2005/01/21/905734-sun.html

 

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Smoking 'gestapo' raids bar  -SK

Health inspectors ticket Weyburn hotel

Veronica RhodesLeader-Post Friday, January 21, 2005

A team of health inspectors with a police escort pounced on a Weyburn bar Wednesday night, blowing a whistle and writing up tickets for the business, says the bar owner and a patron.

"This is like the Gestapo, a raid. How ridiculous is this getting?" said Rob Joyal, owner of the Royal Hotel in Weyburn.

Grant Paulson, senior public health inspector with the Sun Country Regional Health Authority, said four health inspectors entered the bar with two police officers and used a whistle to get the attention of the patrons and the staff.

Two inspectors returned to the bar Thursday at lunchtime to hand out four more tickets to smoking patrons.

All the fines were for not complying with the Tobacco Control Amendment Act, which came into effect Jan. 1 and calls for all enclosed public places to be entirely smoke-free.

Joyal received six tickets worth $540 each. He was fined for providing ashtrays, failing to post required "no smoking" signs and failing to ask patrons to stop smoking or holding lighted tobacco.

"Three of them are under my personal name then three of them, exact duplicates, are under my company name," said Joyal.

Paulson could say little about the ticketing because it is an on-going investigation, but said under the Act, both the proprietor and the business can be fined. He defended the manner inspectors used in handing out fines Wednesday night.

"We have a protocol to follow and it's a legal process. We just wanted to make sure we were following our protocol and doing things properly," said Paulson.

Weyburn Police Chief Rod Horsman confirmed uniformed officers accompanied inspectors at their request, but couldn't say how many officers were involved.

Joyal said there were three police officers and five health inspectors, with two of them coming into the bar undercover before the rest arrived 30 minutes later.

"Judging by the tickets and judging by the duplicated tickets, obviously the word from the top is, 'let's hit them, let's hit them hard, let's shut them up and put this to sleep'. I'll tell you right now, that's not going to be the case," said Joyal.

In December, the government announced a 60-day grace period, where public health officers would focus on educating businesses and individuals about the ban, rather than ticketing. But earlier this week, Health Minister John Nilson said any establishment or patron in flagrant non-compliance of the law would be fined.

Since the smoking ban came into effect, Joyal has made customers aware that he disagrees with the ban and will continue to allow patrons to smoke in the bar. Joyal contends no level playing field exists if First Nation-run casinos can allow smoking while he can't have a ventilated smoking room.

"I'm calling on smokers, non-smokers, anyone who believes in equal rights to make some noise over this, to back me up on this. Phone your MLAs. This issue has gone beyond smoking, it's more about equality now," said Joyal.

Tom Mullin, executive vice-president of the Hotels Association of Saskatchewan, said he is still hoping the province will consider rescinding the law to allow ventilated smoking rooms. The association has sent a letter to Nilson, Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline and Deputy Premier Clay Serby asking to meet with government.

"We haven't strayed from our point that the ventilated rooms will work. All we want is the option to do that," said Mullin.

Paulson said ticketing will happen whenever the offence occurs and inspectors may be putting in longer hours until the region has full compliance with the ban.

"We are very committed to this. It is really one of the most effective pieces of legislation that we will come across in our lifetime, as in our careers. I can't think of any other piece of legislation that could have a wider, more beneficial effect to the population," said Paulson.

For now, Joyal is keeping ashtrays out on the tables and will keep letting patrons smoke. He said he will fight the tickets in a Weyburn courtroom Feb. 21.

http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/news/story.html?id=f014bfc4-4a92-4cd6-b9b1-aa7b41e45b69

 

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To all you anti-smoking nazis, there are already a lot more places where I can't smoke than places I can, so if my smoking is still interfering with your carbon monoxide exhaust intake, then it's your own fault. Quit your whining and sniveling, get a life, and get off your holier than thou horse. You'll live
longer!

Robert McMechan
(High blood pressure is harmful to the health, too.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Klein's comments on the overall health of non-smoking vs. smoking jurisdictions just slays me. ("Puffing paradox," Rick Bell, Jan. 20.) Words describing his ignorance don't exist. Being a slave to tobacco clearly convolutes any form of lucid thought. Who cares about the health-care costs, ventilation systems, workplace health and safety, second-hand smoke fatalities or the worldwide movement limiting second-hand smoke. After all, Ralph and his friends are too old to change their habits. Klein decides that since he can't quit or control his addiction, others will suffer the consequences. There are no valid arguments supporting smoking in any public place including the age-old argument about declining business revenue. The fact is some but not all
businesses have a short-term drop in revenue, but not for long and in many
cases, business increases.

Wade Wayde
(Customers can vote with their wallets.)

calgarysun

http://www.canoe.ca/CalgarySun/editorial.html#letters

 

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Crusaders target inmates -MB

LettersSat, January 22, 2005

Smoking is the least of all dangers facing an inmate. He can be raped, wounded in a prison brawl, killed by another inmate; he can lose his wife, children and friends; even under the best of circumstances, his future is bleak.

And we want to turn this guy into a sweet, health-conscious New Ager? This is like telling a starving man to stay away from non-organically grown produce.

The anti-smoking lobby, mixing lofty ideals and authoritarian impulses, as most crusaders do, want inmates to take programs to help them break the habit. Why would a method that often fails when applied to well-adjusted citizens be successful in the tense environment of prison life?

Depriving inmates of cigarettes is an imposition of middle-class values on a population that is largely under-educated and thus, as statistics show, more likely to smoke.

Inmates are paying their dues and their cell is their home. How far can the state invade someone's privacy?

Thomas Laprade

Thunder Bay, Ont.

(Just watch 'em.)

http://www.winnipegsun.com/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/Letters/

 

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On smoking, premier is a dinosaur

By MINDELLE JACOBS -- For the Edmonton Sun Sat, January 22, 2005

You have to hand it to Ralph Klein. He may have taken an unconscionable position on the smoking-ban issue but at least he's honest about it.

The premier has weighed business considerations against the need to reduce tobacco consumption, and commerce won out.

"I don't want to be interventionist to the point where we disrupt and hurt businesses," Klein said this week when questioned by reporters on the subject of a provincewide smoking ban.

Klein defended his stance, saying he's not a "dinosaur" on the issue. Well, frankly, a premier who suggests that people who object to working in a smoking environment simply look for other jobs hasn't evolved very far.

He did concede, however, that he would support a smoking ban in places accessible to children. It's a step forward from his earlier position, when he appeared to flatly rule out any ban at all. And yesterday, he seemed even more malleable, saying the issue will be discussed by the Tory caucus.

Perhaps Klein felt pressured after new Lt.-Gov. Norman Kwong spoke out in favour of an Alberta-wide workplace smoking ban in his first news conference.

Whatever the case, it's embarrassing when the premier spouts off on subjects with which he is clearly not familiar.

Smoking bans are "useless," he told reporters.

On the contrary, such bans mean smokers don't smoke as much, those who have quit aren't as tempted to light up and non-smokers aren't exposed to tobacco in public places.

Since Big Tobacco is doing all it can to entice people to smoke, it's the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments to retaliate by denormalizing tobacco.

Leaving it up to municipalities to decide whether to institute smoking bans is a cop-out.

More Canadians die from smoking annually (about 45,000) than from car accidents, suicide, murder, AIDS and drug abuse combined.

Dan MacLennan, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, is right that a seat-belt law would have never seen the light of day in Alberta if it had been left up to local communities.

We expect decisive, responsible governance from our federal and provincial politicians on subjects of overriding importance - like tobacco reduction.

So let's get with the picture and bring in a provincewide smoking ban. The worry over lost jobs is largely a red herring. Most people don't smoke.

The ones who do can take their smelly habits outside.

And now that the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a Saskatchewan law banning the retail display of tobacco products in stores accessible to children, Alberta should follow suit with similar legislation.

This week's Supreme Court decision was a big loss for the tobacco industry. Since it's killing its current customers, it must constantly woo new ones.

Most smokers begin puffing in their teens, and you can't miss the massive displays of tobacco products in stores across the country.

"Such displays ... could be on countertops next to bubblegum or hockey cards, or could form a power wall behind the counter," noted the Canadian Cancer Society and three other intervenors in their written arguments in the court case.

In 2003, tobacco manufacturers in Canada paid stores $88 million to give cigaret

Butt-brained idea-AB

Smoking ban only first move for those who wish to control us

By Paul Jackson Calgary Sun Tue, January 18, 2005

We true conservatives find it somewhat exhilarating that Premier Ralph Klein has finally awoken from his slumbers and slapped down provincial Health Minister Iris Evans.

After sleepwalking through the past election -- and handing a stack of seats over to the Liberals -- and making a yawning speech last week in which he talked about a "third way" to reform the mess in health care -- without saying what that "third way" was -- I had again pondered whether our premier had become feeble-minded.

Then, suddenly, he seems to have a grasp of reality again.

Evans caused an uproar when she declared she intended to push for legislation this spring to ban smoking in every public place province-wide.

Since this has basically been achieved -- smoking in bars and restaurants in Calgary will be banned absolutely as of Jan. 1, 2008 -- and other cities have already either done this or have it on the books for dates in the near future, Evans' action seems pointless.

Now this is not a pro-smoking column.

Personally, the only time I smoke is at a regimental dinner when I have a fine cigar in one hand, a superb glass of port in the other, and await the coming of a sniff of snuff.

I tried smoking as a teenager -- didn't we all -- but thankfully, didn't get hooked.

When Sean Connery played a smooth James Bond, unlike his silly successors, I tried it again.

Once more, thankfully, I didn't get hooked.

But each person to their own poison.

To me, VLTs in bars are a menace.

I've never put $5 in them.

Yet, if as a conservative, you believe in an individual's right to choose, you have to allow them.

So, no, this is not a pro-smoking column, but it is a column against the tiresome meddling busybodies who would regiment every aspect of our lives: Thoughts, words and deeds.

I name two who one might regrettably say are now starting to only masquerade as true conservatives, the aforementioned Evans and Calgary Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart.

Both appear more to be CINOS (Conservatives in Name Only) who have been waylaid and duped by the Lib-Lefters.

Wake up, Iris and Diane -- and get back on the straight and narrow.

Why would Colley-Urquhart be a cheerleader for Evans when she had already won her battle on city council?

It simply doesn't make sense.

Klein, for the first time in a long time, did make sense.

He told Evans to back off.

Yet never forget this: The Lib-Left set is never satisfied.

This or that victory is never enough.

Lib-Lefters have to push on, and on, and on.

That's why the anti-smoking brigade, having already won this victory, is moving to get junk food banned, fast-food restaurants restricted, pushing a vegetarian agenda, and, in the animal rights movement, planning to forbid people to own pets. To them, owning pets is the enslavement of animals.

Just let them try and take my Shih-Tzu puppy "Muffin" away.

Now, I do not say either Evans or Colley-Urquhart belong to this bunch of fanatics, but they should be aware Lib-Lefters know how to manipulate and deal with the gullible.

By the way, Ralph, I suggest Evans may soon make you wish you had never defrocked ex-health minister -- and prominent CINO -- Gary Mar.

If Evans can go off on a tangent like this even before she has her new portfolio files in order, what will she do when she feels she has a real angle on the job?

A point Lib-Left zealots forget is a bar or a restaurant is not, in actuality, a public place.

The owner can allow you to enter, or forbid you to enter.

If you disobey his rules, he can kick you out on your rear end.

I know this because in my more raucous days, I was ejected from a bar or two myself.

When I see the Lib-Left set trying to engineer society, I always think of George Orwell's frightening novel, 1984, and wonder if, rather than seeing Winston Smith as the hero, they think Big Brother and the interrogator O'Brien are quite OK.

All who fear the regimentation of society should read 1984 -- or see one of the two movie versions of Orwell's harrowing novel of a society under absolute state control: The 1955 version with Michael Redgrave and Jan Sterling, or the "commemorative" 1984 version with John Hurt and Richard Burton.

Freedom must not slowly and insidiously be chipped away.

Either by the dictatorial types or the naive types.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Calgary/Paul_Jackson/2005/01/18/901594.html

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Klein rules out province-wide smoking ban

Broadcast News January 14, 2005

MONTREAL - Premier Ralph Klein says Alberta will not have a province-wide ban on smoking.

Klein says municipalities should be free to set their own rules on smoking.

The premier's comments came during a news conference in Montreal today following an address to the city's Board of Trade.

He calls smokers -- quote -- "stupid," but says he doesn't believe it's his job to impose a smoking ban in his province.

He also says he'd prefer to see family restaurants where children dine with their parents to be smoke-free.

Earlier this week, Health Minister Iris Evans said she was going to revisit the debate that started a few years ago on a smoking ban.

The initiative was later shot down by the government caucus but Evans said she believed the caucus and premier were now more willing to take another look at regulating smoking.

http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=5ac15fbe-1d76-43da-8244-f89cda4997eb

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Pharmacy cig sales mixed message -MB

Tops anti-smoking group's report card

By FRANK LANDRY, LEGISLATURE REPORTER Tue, January 18, 2005

An anti-smoking group is urging the province to crack down on the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies. Dr. Mark Taylor, chairman of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA), said yesterday it sends the wrong message to allow pharmacies to sell tobacco products.

"Kids hear how dangerous tobacco is, then they go to the pharmacy to get medications to make them better and at the front of the pharmacy, in full view, are mountains of cigarettes," said Taylor, whose group yesterday released its third annual Manitoba tobacco control report card. "It's clearly a hypocritical message."

Taylor said all provinces east of Manitoba prohibit pharmacies from selling cigarettes, and we should do the same.

Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald would not commit to a ban but said she's in favour of anything that would discourage teens from trying tobacco in the first place.

"The whole issue of placement of cigarettes ... the whole issue of availability of cigarettes, all of those issues are things that I'm prepared to examine," Oswald said.

In its report card, MANTRA gave the provincial government passing marks for its Manitoba-wide smoking ban and legislation that will one day outlaw tobacco displays in retail stores where children are permitted.

FREE QUIT-SMOKING AIDS

MANTRA failed the province for continuing to allow the sale of smokes in pharmacies.

The anti-puffing group also urged the Doer government to give quit-smoking aids such as the nicotine patch free to low-income Manitobans and prohibit smoking in aboriginal casinos and gambling halls. Unlike smoke bans in other provinces, First Nations are exempt under Manitoba's Non-Smokers Health Protection Act.

Oswald said there are no plans to alter the way the smoking ban is written.

Despite his group's criticisms, Murray Gibson, MANTRA's executive director, said a national tobacco report card being released today will rank Manitoba second best only to Nunavut when it comes to cracking down on smokers.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/News/2005/01/18/901765-sun.html

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Province best at butting out -MB

But, report criticizes natives exclusion from smoking laws

Tuesday, January 18th, 2005

By Mia Rabson

A coalition of Manitoba's anti-smoking activists says the province could -- and should -- have included First Nations when it banned smoking indoors in public last October.

The Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (MANTRA) kicked off national non-smoking week yesterday by releasing its annual report card on provincial tobacco control efforts.

MANTRA's report card said overall Manitoba is doing well in its efforts to reduce smoking.

In fact, a national report card to be released today will rank Manitoba first among the provinces for its efforts to curb smoking.

Overall MANTRA was pleased with the province's performance, particularly with the smoking ban, which prohibits smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces, and partially enclosed public patios.

But the group's chairman, Dr. Mark Taylor, said the failure to enforce the ban on First Nations is a black mark on the province's mostly good record.

When it introduced the smoking ban legislation, the provincial government indicated First Nations fell under federal jurisdiction and therefore could challenge the bill if it was enforced there.

But Taylor said all other provinces that have or are working on a provincewide ban included First Nations.

"It's very difficult for us to understand why Manitoba felt they did not have jurisdiction," Taylor said.

MANTRA executive director Murray Gibson said at the very least the province should refuse to grant a gaming license to First Nations casinos if the casino won't ban smoking.

"How can you license something that is an unhealthy workplace," Gibson said.

The exclusion of First Nations was a main criticism of the ban by the provincial Progressive Conservative party, the first party out of the blocks to call for a provincewide ban. Tory Leader Stuart Murray said yesterday he hopes the additional pressure may convince the NDP to expand the bill.

"I think everyone should be treated equally," Murray said.

But Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald stuck by the provincial line yesterday saying enforcing the bill on First Nations could spark a court challenge, and that wasn't something the province was willing to undergo.

"At this time we're not choosing to make any amendments to the legislation," she said.

MANTRA's report also calls for Manitoba to increase the amount of money it spends on smoking cessation programs. Gibson said Manitoba has one of the higher cigarette taxes but one of the lowest expenditures on anti-smoking programs in Canada.

Manitoba's 2004-05 budget for anti-smoking programs was equal to 58 cents per person. Gibson wants it to be at least $3 per person.

One provincial campaign, a television advertisement selected by 31,000 Grade 6 to Senior 4 students, will air in March. The graphic ad shows a teenage girl's skin rotting and tar oozing out of her mouth in an attempt to make smoking look as gross as possible.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca

Winnipeg Free Press

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Drug stores must butt out: anti-smoking group  

By DIANA PEREIRA Globe and Mail Update

Western Canadian pharmacies still sell cigarettes, and an anti-smoking group in Manitoba wants that to change.

Manitoba should join eastern Canada and ban tobacco sales in pharmacies, said Murray Gibson, executive director of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance (Mantra).

According to the national report card on tobacco control, released Tuesday, most provinces still allow cigarette sales in pharmacies. Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and the Yukon have no laws banning the practice.

In Prince Edward Island, which still allows the sale from pharmacies, a ban comes into effect on June 1.

The report was published by the National Clearinghouse on Tobacco and Health Program, managed by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control.

The national report used five factors in its calculations: provincial/territorial tobacco-tax rates, percentage of smoke-free workplaces, percentage of smoke-free public places, bans on retail displays and bans on sales from pharmacies.

In the category of tax rates, the Northwest Territories ranked first, receiving a grade of A+ for its territorial tax rate of $42 per cartons of 200 cigarettes. The report states that several studies show that a 10-per-cent increase in price decreases smoking by about 4 per cent and will curb youth smoking as well. British Columbia received an A for its tax rate of $35.80.

In the category of keeping workplaces smoke free, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Yukon all failed. British Columbia, Newfoundland, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec achieved incomplete grades because they still have designated-smoking rooms in some workplaces.

When it comes to 100 per cent smoke-free public places, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Quebec and Yukon all failed. Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario and PEI received incomplete grades because of various designated-smoking rooms.

Most provinces and territories failed when it came to retail display bans, with the exception of Manitoba, Nunavut and Saskatchewan. PEI received an incomplete grade because the Supreme Court of Canada is deciding whether to move ahead on banning the ads.

The Manitoba association released its third provincial report card on tobacco control in the province on Monday.

An additional problem area identified by the Manitoba report is government support for programs and services that promote quitting smoking.

“We are encouraging the government to support cessation programs,” Mr. Gibson told globeandmail.com.

The Manitoba report also noted that 17 per cent of children in the province aged 17 and under are subjected to second-hand smoke in their homes on a regular basis.

According to Mr. Gibson, a 2004 report released by Environics Canada prepared for Health Canada that said 96 per cent of smokers surveyed said children should be protected from second-hand smoke. At the same time, 64 per cent of smokers said they smoke at home.

Mantra is planning on co-ordinating a committee to come up with recommendations to increase people's understanding of second-hand smoke.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050118.wsmoke0118/BNStory/National/

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Gov't criticized for not enforcing smoking ban on reserves -MB

Broadcast News January 18, 2005

The Manitoba government is being criticised for not enforcing its provincewide smoking ban on reserves.

Dr. Mark Taylor, of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance, says all other provinces that have or are working on provincewide bans included reserves.

When it introduced the legislation, the provincial government indicated First Nations fell under federal jurisdiction and therefore could challenge the bill if it was enforced on reserves.

Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald says enforcing the bill on reserves could cause a court challenge -- similar to one that is underway in New Brunswick -- and that's not something the province is willing to do.

The Manitoba government is being criticized for not enforcing its provincewide smoking ban on reserves.

Dr. Mark Taylor, of the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance, says all other provinces that have or are working on provincewide bans included reserves.

When it introduced the legislation, the provincial government indicated First Nations fell under federal jurisdiction and therefore could challenge the bill if it was enforced on reserves.

Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald says enforcing the bill on reserves could cause a court challenge -- similar to one that is underway in New Brunswick -- and that's not something the province is willing to do.

http://www.canada.com/fortstjohn/story.html?id=8e631e0f-c608-4ce1-a50b-eabade4d15dc

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Gov't should give away nicotine patches: anti-tobacco group -MB

Broadcast News January 17, 2005

WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba government is being urged to hand out free nicotine patches to people who can't quit smoking.

A group called the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance gives the province high marks for increasing tobacco taxes and banning smoking in all indoor public places.

But the alliance says the government should be spending more of its tobacco tax money on helping smokers quit.

Spokesman Murray Gibson says free nicotine patches should be offered to people on low incomes or the mentally ill.

Gibson recommends patches should also be given to anyone employed by Manitoba Health because health-care workers set an example for everyone.

He says the province should pay the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba to offer counselling to people addicted to smoking.

The group also wants the province to enforce legislation prohibiting retail displays of tobacco products.

http://www.canada.com/fortstjohn/story.html?id=fcdadbe1-8b1a-4a1f-81dc-6779cff3a638

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Evans to keep looking at smoking ban  -AB

CBC News Last Updated Jan 17 2005 04:31 PM MST

EDMONTON – Health Minister Iris Evans says she will proceed carefully with her proposed province-wide smoking ban, after Premier Ralph Klein said he would never support it.

But she's getting backing from at least one cabinet colleague and the opposition.

Evans has raised the possibility of no smoking in workplaces across the province, which would essentially make restaurants and bars smoke-free.

Klein said he would never support such a ban, and that municipalities should be able to make that decision on their own.

Evans says the premier cautioned her to consult with all interested groups before moving ahead.

"I'll pay attention to that caution, where communities or neighbourhoods or individuals in communities share a different opinion, and many of those people have contacted me already, we'll see how we can look at some of the leadership in other jurisdictions and come up with the very best possible beginning of a better policy relative to smoking in public places in Alberta," she said.

Former Health minister Gary Mar, who tried to get a similar ban approved a few years ago, says Evans is doing the right thing. Mar, now minister of Community Development, says Klein has said he will respect the will of caucus, even if he doesn't agree with it.

"I think that everybody's entitled to their view and perspective, but if the Minister of Health and Wellness Iris Evans wants to bring it forward, I'll support her and I think there's many people that would support her, both within our government, but outside of government as well," Mar said.

NDP Leader Brian Mason says Klein is preventing Evans from doing her job.

"I think it would be very difficult for his Health minister to actually proceed with this approach now that he's undercut her," Mason said. "And that's really the problem, is that the premier seems to encourage his ministers to show some initiative and then when they do, he undermines them, cuts them off at the ankles and leaves them with egg on their face."

Mason said Klein's stance is contrary to his talk about creating a healthier Alberta that places fewer demands on its health-care system.

http://calgary.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/ca-evans-smoking20050117.html

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Boutilier nixes provincewide smoking ban - AB

By JACQUIE MCFARLANE Today staff and The Canadian Press
Quitting smoking is the responsibility of individuals and should be handled by municipalities, said Wood Buffalo MLA Guy Boutilier, when asked about the government’s flip-flop on a province wide smoking ban last week.
He ruled out support for a provincewide ban.
“The ideal situation is as a New Year’s resolution is for people to consider giving up smoking and then what’s done by the municipality or the province doesn’t matter because everyone is working towards the goal of giving up smoking,” said Boutilier.
Putting a smoking ban in place, said Boutilier, falls under municipal jurisdiction, which is the best way to handle it.
“We’ve given municipalities that authority rather than going provincewide where one rule fits all,” said Boutilier.
Health Minister Iris Evans announced last week she was taking the first step in what she hoped will lead to a provincewide ban on smoking in the workplace. At the time Evans was optimistic, saying “I think the premier indicated he’s very willing to take another look at how we regulate smoking or restrict tobacco use in Alberta.’’
However, Ralph Klein, speaking in Montreal Friday, said his government is not looking to implement a blanket ban on butts in public places, instead leaving that decision up to individual municipalities.
Evans retreated from her stand after Klein’s remarks. It was the second time the premier has shut down a health minister’s attempt to restrict smoking provincewide.
Gary Mar broached the subject in 2001, suggesting higher cigarette taxes at that time.
Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake said dealing with an anti-smoking bylaw in the municipality was challenging when it was passed in 2000. Now she’d like to see the province take a leading role in making legislation that’s equal across Alberta.
“I think the province should take some initiative and make it a provincewide issue. It would take all of the uncertainty out of the jurisdictions that haven’t gone as far as we have,” said Blake.
Municipalities have been pushing the government for a provincewide ban, passing a resolution at their Alberta Urban Municipalities Association meetings in 2001 and 2003. Blake noted that most of the municipalities were in support of those resolutions.
Boutilier acknowledged that health was a provincial issue but wouldn’t commit to whether that made the government responsible for regulating smoking.
Sunday marked the first day of National Non-Smoking Week, Jan. 16-22. Health Canada is working with Wal-Mart stores to get out information about quitting smoking.

http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/daily/pages/news2.html

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Butt out of city business: Rice -AB

Provincial legislation restricting smoking unwarranted: Alderman

By KEVIN CRUSH Herald-Tribune staff Januar

Premier Ralph Klein appears to have nixed any plans for a comprehensive provincial smoking ban for now, but the debate still burns on.
 

After a speech in Montreal, the premier insisted his government will not be imposing a provincewide smoking ban, preferring instead to leave it up to municipalities to decide for themselves what they want to do.
 

That comes the same week that Health Minister Iris Evans said she would seek some form of provincial smoking legislation and it is believed she will still be drafting legislation for a Tory policy committee.
 

Governments should not be butting into what should be a business decision, said Ald. Helen Rice.
 

"I believe that government has no business putting in place what I call oppressive legislation that inhibits businesses from operating in a manner that they feel most meets the needs of their customer," said Rice.
 

"Businesses, if they're going to stay in business, will meet the needs of their customers, and if they don't they won't have customers and will close, and they don't need government telling them that."
 

Grande Prairie's smoking bylaw allows smoking in any public place or workplace that doesn't allow entrance to minors. That allows some businesses to create walled-off smoking sections, to allow all smoking, or to be smoke-free. Since the bylaw came into place, Mayor Wayne Ayling said the city has received many requests from residents and non-residents to extend the bylaw to all public and workplaces. While he wants to see what Evans has in mind for legislation first, Ayling said provincial guidelines of any sort would be helpful.
 

"We welcome any initiative by the health minister to reduce the negative impact on second-hand smoke on people in the workplace or in other public places."
 

Ayling rejected arguments that a provincial smoking ban would hurt businesses.
 

"Every province or state that has imposed a jurisdiction-wide no smoking legislation has been able to show that the no-smoking legislation does not negatively impact business and does positively impact health."
 

The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association came out last week in support of a provincial smoking ban on the grounds that second-hand smoke is unhealthy in the working place. In 2001 and 2003, the association's members passed resolutions calling for provincial laws to prohibit or regulate smoking in the workplace.
 

Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Gordon Graydon hasn't made up his mind on whether he would support a smoking ban or not as he believes both sides have valid points.
 

"I'm kind of torn. I hear from constituents on certainly both sides of the issue," said Graydon.
 

"As the former chair of the South Peace Health Unit, I'm very conscious of the health costs of smoking, so with my health hat on I'm in favour of a provincewide ban. But generally I don't like the government to interfere in every single aspect of my life. You can have too much government."
 

The biggest problem in Alberta right now is the patchwork of municipal policies on smoking. Without any provincial guidelines, towns and cities have had to deal with smoking in their own way - if they deal with it at all. That can cause confusion from one place to the next.
 

"As a smoker, I guess you need to know what community you are in today and what are the rules today, which isn't good," said Graydon. "Uniformity across the province would solve that."
 

But Rice says uniformity can't exist from municipality to municipality on any matter.
 

"There's a patchwork of bylaws in terms of snow removal standards, and dog control bylaws. Each municipality has different ones of those things because they're different places," said Rice.
 

"It's absurd to think that everyone should have the same bylaws. I mean, people move from Edmonton to Grande Prairie fully recognizing there will be different rules and different ways."
 

Rice suggested a better option is for the province to force all municipalities to draft smoking legislation and then let them deal with the issue as they see fit, something Graydon said could be an option.
 

The Peace Country Health medical officer of health would welcome a provincial smoking ban.
 

"If we can get all workplaces - that's all office buildings, that's all restaurants, all bars, all schools, everywhere... We'll do whatever we can do as Peace Country Health to support the province in going in that direction, because it's been long overdue we think," said Dr. Albert de Villiers.
 

He said the province is lacking when compared to other provinces who have instituted smoking bans. Similar smoking bans are in effect in New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan and are pending in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/Z03_00asmoking0117.lasso

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Smoke from a distant fire

Mixed messages out of Edmonton on provincial smoking ban

The very contentious issue of smoking bans and how far they should reach is gearing up again, thanks to conflicting commentary out of the Klein government last week.
Pro-smoking-ban proponents were happy to hear Health Minister Iris Evans suggest that a province wide ban of smoking in the workplace was a very real possibility.
The announcement was met by optimism from the anti-smoking lobby; disappointment and disdain from the laissez faire and pro- smoking-choice camp.
However, Premier Klein seemed to pooh-pooh the whole notion with comments late last week, saying the government would not be implementing such a wide-reaching ban. His justification was that community dynamics are so different across the province, it was not right for Big Brother government to impose operational restrictions on municipalities, rather, if the municipalities chose to do so – fine.
Blue Tory Ralph Klein has found an unlikely local ally in Red Liberal Helen Rice – longtime city alderman and manager of the DownTown Association.
First, Rice is a longtime smoker – that’s no secret.
But her tack on the issue comes from a business perspective, arguably in support of businesses involved in her workings with the association.
Rice, like Klein, believes that businesses can make and/or break their own fortunes without the help of the provincial government.
With respect to the premier, one wonders how much of his decision on the issue is politically motivated and how much is simply buck passing.
While the message of government keeping its fingers out of the day to day operations of Alberta’s small businesses resonates with many in the province, the health issue surround smoking and its societal costs continues to bear pressure.
Many governments in Canada - provincially - have adopted restrictive smoking legislation – the latest being Saskatchewan.
And if a case study in socio-economic integration of policy and practice needs a model, Lloydminster is a good one as Saskatchewan businesses complain they are losing their business to the Alberta side where smoking is still allowed.
This game of political ping pong can continue ad nauseum.
What is required is the courage of leadership and a direct attempt to solicit the views of Albertans – including Grande Prairians – on how restrictive or widespread they want smoking bans to be.
Medical evidence speaks for itself on smoking and its effects. It’s a no-brainer.
What is at issue is freedom of choice and individual rights. Should society have the right to prevent a person from smoking themselves to an early grave? It seems to have made it clear second-hand smoke is unacceptable and now most places in Canada where minors can be do not allow smoking. But how far do we go?
Governments – both provincial and municipal – have a duty to find out what their constituents want and then have the courage to implement that wish and then damn the torpedoes.
It’s as simple as that.

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/1editorial1.lasso

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Bylaw prediction comes true for local bar-SK
Just as predicted by management, business is suffering badly at one local bar ever since the smoking ban came into effect on January 1.

By Colin McGarrigle of the Journal
Tuesday January 11, 2005

Just as predicted by management, business is suffering badly at one local bar ever since the smoking ban came into effect on January 1.
Waneta Goldstein, manager of Chances R Motor Hotel said that her bottom line has taken a drastic and sudden drop now that previously loyal customers are spending more time at home.
"Business is very noticeably down. In such a short time, that's very scary," said Goldstein.
"They (customers) pop in quick, have a beer and leave. They're not sitting for two, three, four beer, or for the evening any more," said Goldstein on the pattern she has seen since Jan. 1.
"If they smoke, they go outside. But most of the time they just guzzle a beer and leave," she added.
In December, Goldstein was forced to lay off two bar staff because of her prediction that her business would take a turn for the worst with the smoking ban.
She added that they are enforcing the smoking ban at Chances R even though many bars in the province have been allowing their customers to smoke since the government announced there would be a two-month transition period.
However, Health Minister John Nilson clarified his position last week on the transition period and stated that bars would be ticketed if they do not enforce the smoking ban.
"During this initial 60-day period, we want to give everyone the opportunity to comply. This period does not mean, however, that smoking in public places can continue until March 1, 2005," said Nilson.
"If, after information, education and verbal or written warning, establishments or individuals remain in flagrant non-compliance they may well face tickets or charges," Nilson added.
Goldstein said that even though there are no tickets being handed out, she fears that non-compliance over the two-month period could hurt her chances of renewing her liquor license.
"They won't ticket us or the patrons for the two months, but they will write us up and send it off to the Liquor Control Board.
"Then it could be held against you when your liquor license has to be renewed," said Goldstein on the chance she is not willing to take.

http://www.melfortjournal.com/story.php?id=136983

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Smoking ban stays at psych facilities -ON

MARY-JANE EGAN, Free Press City Hall Reporter 2005-01-18

A bid to allow smoking in psychiatric facilities gained sympathy but insufficient support at a city committee last night. Kathleen Gillard made an emotional pitch to the community and protection services committee to exempt psychiatric facilities from the no-smoking bylaw, arguing the ban discriminates against the mentally ill who can't deal with the stress of nicotine withdrawal while trying to cope with their illnesses.

Most mental illness patients smoke, Gillard said. And her sister, Janet, who suffers from schizophrenia, has escaped needed care at London psychiatric facilities when she's been allowed out of lockdown to smoke outside.

"Who is going to pay for the two police officers who are called when my sister goes AWOL? This is her home. Why shouldn't she be able to smoke in her home?" she said of her sister's stints at St. Joseph's Regional Health Care's former London Psychiatric Hospital.

When London's smoking ban went into effect in 2003, a one-year moratorium was placed on psychiatric facilities because nicotine withdrawal can affect patients' medical regimen.

Coun. Joni Baechler said although she understands Gillard's concerns, the bylaw is designed to protect workers from second-hand smoke.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2005/01/18/901716-sun.html

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Ottawa allows smoking at White Bear casino  -SK

CBC News Last Updated Jan 18 2005 01:56 PM CST

REGINA – There are now officially two sets of laws when it comes to where people can smoke in Saskatchewan.

On Tuesday, the federal government decided it wouldn't block a First Nations bylaw which allows smoking areas in the Bear Claw casino at White Bear First Nation near Carlyle.

It's a significant setback for the Saskatchewan government, which has been trying to impose a province-wide smoking ban in all enclosed public places, including bars, restaurants and casinos.

Maynard Sonntag, Saskatchewan's Minister of First Nations and Metis Relations said he is hopeful that he can still reach some kind of deal with aboriginal leaders.

Sonntag said the province is willing to be flexible on other rights for aboriginal people, if the two sides can reach an agreement on the smoking issue.

"The discussions I've been having is essentially to determine whether or not there is room for movement from the FSIN (Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations) and from the chief to determine whether or not they're interested in trying to advance the causes of inherent rights with the province," Sonntag said.

Sonntag would not be more specific about which rights the province is willing to negotiate on with aboriginal people. He said if he gave details, he might jeopardize the talks.

Last week, federal Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott said he'd need some time to think about whether or not to approve the White Bear smoking bylaw.

http://sask.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/casino050118.html

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New calls to fast-track Calgary smoking bylaw -AB

CFCN.ca POSTED AT 5:21 PM Monday, January 17

Some Calgary aldermen say they will try to push city council to move up the public ban on smoking.

The ban is set to go in effect in all public places in 2008.

But anti-smoking activists say three years is too long to wait.

They pushing council to re-open the debate and speed up the implementation of the bylaw.

Ward 13 alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart agrees the ban should be brought in sooner.

"Now is the time," she says. "All of the research tells us that we have a responsibility to ensure the public health of the citizens of Calgary."

Colley-Urquhart says she will wait until after the Ward 10 by-election in February before bringing up the smoking bylaw again.

http://www.cfcn.ca/servlet/RTGAMArticleHTMLTemplate/B/20050117/smokingbylaw?brand=generic&hub=&tf=CFCNPlus/generic/hubs/frontpage.html&cf=CFCNPlus/gene

ric/hubs/frontpage.cfg&slug=smokingbylaw&date=20050117&archive=CFCNPlus&ad_page_name=&nav=home&subnav=fullstory

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Dr. Albert Schumacher, CMA President, speaks out on pivotal tobacco case before the Supreme Court of Canada

MEDIA ALERT - Attention Assignment Editors:

    OTTAWA, Jan. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is proud that during National Non-Smoking Week a critical tobacco court case will be heard by the Supreme Court. The case involves the tobacco industry's challenge of Saskatchewan's ban on tobacco displays in premises accessible by minors.
    The Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Lung Association, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society have made a written submission to the Court in support of the ban. The case will be heard January 19 - Weedless Wednesday.
    CMA President, Dr. Albert Schumacher will be available by phone to discuss the importance of the case.

For further information: Carole Lavigne, (613) 731-8610 or  1-800-663-7336 ext. 1266
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/18/c4178.html

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Understanding tobacco -ON

By PETER SELBY
head of the Nicotine Dependence Clinic Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto
Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - Page A18

Toronto -- Re No Smoking Ban Planned In Alberta, Klein Says (Jan. 15): I was alarmed by Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's conclusion that smokers are stupid. It's disconcerting that there continues to be a serious lack of understanding of Canada's No. 1 public health problem.

Like other addictions, the drive to smoke can be too powerful for a person to resist. In fact, 50 to 60 per cent of smoking behaviour is genetically determined. The addiction to tobacco is a real disease, classified as such by the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association.

Just like any other chronic disease, tobacco dependence has biological, social and environmental determinants characterized by remission (stopping) and relapse (starting again). Many smokers relapse because their brains have been seriously affected by tobacco, and studies show that these abnormalities can persist for years after a smoker stops. We know that comprehensive strategies, including smoke-free environments, help smokers quit for good.

Mr. Klein should consider educating himself about how he could help Albertans by realizing that quitting smoking is a process and not an event.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050118/LETTERS18-6/TPNational/Canada

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Ontario tobacco taxes rise by $1.25 a carton at midnight -ON

Canadian Press

Toronto — Smokers in Ontario will have to pay $1.25 more per carton as of midnight Tuesday as the provincial Liberal government raises tobacco taxes for the third time since coming to office.

“With this increase, Ontario comes one step closer to its plan to raise tobacco taxes to the national average,” Finance Minister Greg Sorbara said Tuesday.

The current national average is about $30 in provincial tobacco taxes. This increase boosts Ontario to $23.45, a spokeswoman for Mr. Sorbara said.

Since the Liberals were elected in October 2003, they have raised provincial tobacco taxes by $6.25, including this increase.

Mr. Sorbara said this move “is part of our comprehensive strategy to eliminate tobacco consumption, especially among young people.”

The higher tax means the cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes will rise by about 13 cents and a pack of 25 cigarettes will be up by about 16 cents.

Mr. Sorbara said this is part of the province's Smoke-Free Ontario campaign, which aims to reduce the number of smokers in the province and ties in with National Non-Smoking Week.

“Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of premature death and illness in Ontario, and it costs an estimated $1.7-billion a year in health-care spending to treat diseases directly caused by tobacco,” Mr. Sorbara said.

When the Liberals came into office they boosted provincial tobacco taxes by $2.50 a carton as part of other tax hikes, then raised them by $2.50 in last May's budget.

As part of its efforts to curtail smoking, the government has also introduced legislation to ban smoking in all workplaces and all public places, and aims to prevent young people from picking up the habit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050118.wonta0118/BNStory/National

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Promise of help for tobacco farmers unfulfilled, marketing board chairman says -ON

Fred Neukamm appears before the Ontario Legislature’s standing committee of finance and economic affairs

By Patrick Brennan Times-Journal Staff Tuesday January 18, 2005
LONDON, Ont. -- Fred Neukamm is a man running short on patience.
The chairman of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers’ Marketing Board appeared Monday before the Ontario Legislature’s standing committee of finance and economic affairs and pleaded the case for the government to live up to its promises.
“We need a fulfillment of the promise for immediate assistance,” Neukamm said. That promise was made by the Liberals as they campaigned in the provincial election.
“As of yet, we’ve not seen that promise fulfilled,” Neukamm said outside the room at the Four Points Sheraton where the committee heard him and a long list of groups appearing to make their point before the budget is handed down.
Neukamm said the tobacco growers are looking for assurances from the provincial government on whether they are prepared to sustain the tobacco industry as long there is consumption.
If the answer to that is issue is yes, Neukamm said long-term strategies are needed.
“Right now, we are in crisis management,” he said, referring to the tobacco board which represents 1,000 farm families, many of them in east Elgin, the Tillsonburg area, and Norfolk county.
If the government does not want to support sustainability, there is a need for more money to address growers’ needs, said Neukamm.
“We need immediate help right now because policies have driven the market down faster than any decline in consumption,” he said.
High taxes are only one issue, he said. That is having the net effect of forcing smokers to look for black market cigarettes.
Cigarette manufacturers, in turn, are looking to import cheap tobacco to keep their costs down and protect their share of the market, Neukamm said.
Overall, he said, compound problems are forcing about 100 growers out of business a year.
Neukamm said growers know the industry is in decline because of fewer smokers and need government help to manage a drop in consumption.
He said he took advantage of the opportunity to address the committee because of the issues are much broader than the provincial agriculture portfolio.
“Every opportunity we have to talk about this, we will take,” he said.

http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/story.php?id=137975

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Scott will accept smoking bylaw for First Nations casino: report SK

Broadcast News January 18, 2005

REGINA -- A media report says the federal Indian Affairs minister will not intervene in a bylaw that allows smoking at a First Nations casino in southeastern Saskatchewan, despite a province-wide ban on smoking in public places.

The report on CBC says minister Andy Scott told his Saskatchewan counterpart of his decision last night.

The province outlawed smoking in all enclosed public places on Jan. 1, but aboriginal leaders argued that the law doesn't apply on their land.

The White Bear First Nation passed the bylaw last month that allows smoking in its Bear Claw casino and bingo halls on the reserve near Carlyle.

Under the Indian Act, if a band has a bylaw that conflicts with provincial legislation, the bylaw prevails unless the federal minister objects.

Saskatchewan's aboriginal affairs minister, Maynard Sonntag had asked Scott to quash the bylaw.

Sonntag says he'll continue pressing to get the same set of rules for all businesses in the province.

He also says he will continue to talk to First Nations officials in an effort to reach an agreement on the smoking issue.

http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/news/story.html?id=c72f4e1b-04cf-44fa-8f82-1d805b4132f6

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Supreme court to hear Sask tobacco law case -SK

Dan Dugas Canadian Press January 18, 2005

OTTAWA (CP) -- As Canadians mark Weedless Wednesday, the country's highest court will be the scene of a high-stakes tobacco showdown.

Supreme Court justices will hear arguments on a Saskatchewan law barring cigarette promotional displays in stores accessible by children.

The Saskatchewan law was struck down by a lower court as butting into federal jurisdiction -- a ruling that could eventually quash similar laws in other provinces -- and the provincial government is appealing.

The federal government, six provinces, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Society, the Canadian Medical Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada are intervenors.

On the other side of the argument is Rothmans, Benson and Hedges Inc.

The company will argue that Saskatchewan cannot enact legislation that goes further than the federal Tobacco Control Act, which already places severe restrictions on cigarette advertising.

Health groups say it's a pivotal case.

"Obviously, (the industry is) looking at any argument it can to strike down legislation that's having an impact on its sales and profits,'' said lawyer Rob Cunningham of the cancer society.

"Ultimately, what's driving the decision making at Rothmans, Benson and Hedges is its desire to maximize profits and sales.''

Health groups estimate the tobacco industry paid $90 million to retailers in Canada in 2003 for promotional displays as a marketing tool to boost sales.

They say young people should not be exposed to displays of addictive and potentially lethal tobacco products.

"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable lung disease and the leading cause of preventable death in Canada,'' said Deirdre Freiheit, president of the Canadian Lung Association.

"Retail displays have been used by the tobacco industry to target and manipulate youth. We must protect Canadians, especially our children, from inducements to consume this deadly product.''

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled in 2003 that the ban on retail displays was in conflict with the federal Tobacco Act.

Manitoba and Nunavut have adopted legislation similar to that in Saskatchewan and Ontario introduced anti-tobacco legislation late last year that would, among other things, curb displays of cigarettes in stores.

Sally Brown of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada said it's critical to uphold the Saskatchewan legislation because of its affect on other provinces.

On Tuesday, Ontario hiked tobacco taxes by $1.25 a carton -- the third increase since the Liberals took office in 2003.

Finance Minister Greg Sorbara said the move "is part of our comprehensive strategy to eliminate tobacco consumption, especially among young people.''

http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/news/story.html?id=4b8d7a94-ebe3-4b72-9dfa-577935ee7970

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Butt out, Ralphie -AB

For Klein to lecture Albertans on health is bizarre

By Ezra Levant -- Calgary Sun Mon, January 17, 2005

Premier Ralph Klein had said he wanted to put up billboards saying "if you're stupid, smoke".

Did he mean that only stupid people smoke? Surely not. Because he smokes himself. And Klein isn't stupid. Many intelligent people smoke. Einstein was a chimney.

So maybe Klein meant that while stupid people smoke, some smart people, like himself, smoke too, for reasons that are stupid. Perhaps there are some stupid reasons to smoke. But how about the main reason people smoke? They like the taste, and the unique feeling that nicotine gives its users: Simultaneous relaxation and stimulation.

Liking that sensation isn't stupid, even though it may be unhealthy. The premier and his health minister, Iris Evans, are both overweight, too.

That's just as unhealthy as smoking -- but is it stupid? Would Klein and Evans put up billboards saying: "If you're stupid, eat dessert?" Everyone who smokes knows it may be unhealthy, just as anyone does who eats hollandaise sauce or cheesecake. But we don't call that stupid. We call that a personal choice, because enjoying life is a part of living. At least it still is, for now.

Perhaps by stupid, Klein and Evans mean that smoking costs the government money in health care.

Could be -- but smokers more than make up for it through high taxes and, frankly, by dying a few years earlier than the rest of us. Which means they take less pension money. It's a ghoulish calculation, but if cost to the taxpayer is a reason not to be "stupid," then dying the day one stops working is the new definition of "smart".

Smokers know smoking may not be healthy. They do it anyway, because it's a free country. For the government to tax, and condemn, and regulate, and ban, and eventually criminalize smoking is the government's way of saying that you no longer own your body -- they do.

Klein changed his mind on banning smoking province-wide late Friday and one has to wonder who or what got to him. Perhaps common sense. Maybe his hypocrisy, since obviously he and Evans can't govern their own appetites, yet wanted to govern yours.

But how about those other unhealthy appetites? Klein has admitted to a problem with alcohol. Evans, before she was elected to public office, had a habit that could only be described as bizarre -- her "occupation" was entering contests and draws. I don't know if that's a gambling addiction, but it's odd. Yet these two were ready to cast the first stone at tobacco sinners.

They failed, of course. People don't smoke because Klein and Evans, or the government, approve or disapprove. They didn't start because of Klein's bad example, and they won't stop because he's now holier than them.

It's another sign of Klein's drift. There are real problems out there -- a socialist health-care system, a renewed Kyoto threat, Ottawa disparaging our elected senators, an energy tax grab against Newfoundland that looks like a dry run for a swipe at Alberta. But instead of dealing with any of these real issues, Klein and his red Tories are focusing their laws and our tax dollars on being busybodies, nannies and nags.

Sorry. Free men wouldn't listen to such preaching even from a lean, fit abstainer. Coming from Klein and Evans, a mixture of curses and jeers is in order.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Calgary/Ezra_Levant/2005/01/16/900586.html

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Attention News/Health/Environmental/Assignment Editors:

Media Advisory - Rising Health Risks Linked to Urban Sprawl: Family Doctors to Release Comprehensive Research Review

    On Wednesday, join us for the results of a comprehensive review of research on the links between urban sprawl and public health
    TORONTO, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - On Wednesday, January 19th, the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP) will release an exhaustive review of research on the relationship between urban sprawl and public health. A group of distinguished family doctors authored the study in order to provide policy makers with the clearest research summary on the topic of urban sprawl and public health - critical for planning our communities - and to help educate Ontarians about the choices we make as a society.
    The results of this review cover selected studies and describe the findings regarding major adverse health effects associated with urban sprawl.
Come to find out more about the study's findings, which include:
    -  Longer commuting distances mean increased traffic fatalities (one of our populations leading causes of death);
    -  Greater travel distances lead to increased air pollution, which is worsening in Ontario and contributing to rising incidences of respiratory and cardiovascular disease;
    -  Sprawl makes public transit less financially feasible;
    -  People in car-dependent neighbourhoods walk less, weigh more, have  higher blood pressure, and more incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular disease; and,
    -  People in sprawling communities are more likely to suffer mental health problems.
    Who:   Jan Kasperski, RN, MHSc, CHE, Executive Director and Chief  Executive Officer, OCFP; Riina Bray, BASc, MSc, MD, CCFP, Physician - Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Chair OCFP's Environmental Health Committee; Cathy Vakil, MD, CCFP, Lecturer - Queen's University, Member OCFP's Environmental Health Committee.
    When:  Wednesday, January 19, 2005- 11 a.m.
    Where: Media Studio
           Queen's Park, Main Legislature Building
           Toronto, ON
 For further information: Mike Van Soelen, Environics Communications, (416) 969-2717
 http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c3498.html

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Attention Business Editors:

Consumers' Association Launches Class Action Lawsuit Against Beverage Industry, Retailers and Encorp Pacific

    VANCOUVER, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - The Consumers' Association of Canada today announced that on behalf of all consumers in British Columbia it has filed a major class action lawsuit against the beverage industry, retailers and Encorp Pacific. The focus of the lawsuit is the illegal use of consumer deposits collected under BC's Beverage Container Stewardship Program Regulation.
    Dozens of companies such as Coca-Cola Bottling, Save-On Foods, Wal-Mart and London Drugs are named in the lawsuit. Encorp Pacific is the beverage
container agency, the authorized steward approved by the BC Government under the regulation.
    "The BC beverage container regulation is very clear," said Mr. Bruce Cran, President of the Consumers' Association of Canada, "deposits collected from consumers can only be used for one purpose - paying refunds to consumers when containers are returned. Since 1998 the industry has collected and used over $70 million in consumer deposits for purposes that are not authorized under the regulation."
    For example, consumer deposits were used to pay damages awarded as a result of a lawsuit against the beverage container agency for improper conduct in the operation of its stewardship plan.
    When the Beverage Container legislation was introduced the Government made clear that this legislation was based on an industry stewardship model reflecting the polluter pay principle. "At the time beverage containers were filling up landfills and costing municipalities millions of dollars each year to manage," said Mr. Cran.
    "The purpose of the legislation was to have industry assume responsibility for its polluting product by putting into place a recycling system and paying the costs of this system," said Mr. Cran. "The consumers' role was to pay the deposit, incur the costs of returning the container and then obtain a refund when the container was returned. To date, consumers have carried out their responsibility to a high level and recycling is a major  success in the province."
    Not only did the beverage industry use consumer deposits for purposes not authorized by the regulation they also imposed an additional unauthorised recycling fee on top of the deposit. Since 1999 the beverage industry has collected about $60 million from its Container Recycling Fee without having any legislative authority for this levy. "Simply stated, it's an illegal fee," said Mr. Cran.
    "The industry shifted all its polluter pay costs onto the backs of consumers and did so without any legislative authority," said Mr. Cran. "It's time the industry started paying its fair share of the costs for managing its product."

For further information: Contact Mr. Bruce Cran, Tel. (604) 418-8359

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c3388.html

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Attention News/Health Editors:

Media Advisory - National Health Organizations Participating in Pivotal Tobacco Court Case This Week

    Young People Should Not Be Exposed to Tobacco Promotion
    OTTAWA, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - The Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Lung Association, Canadian Medical Association and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada will be contributing to the fight against tobacco on         
Wednesday, January 19 through their participation in a pivotal tobacco court case being heard by the Supreme Court of Canada. 
    The Supreme Court will be considering the validity of Saskatchewan legislation prohibiting tobacco displays and signage in premises accessible to minors. The four national health organizations have intervener status in the case. The groups have submitted their written argument to the Supreme Court in support of the Saskatchewan legislation. The health groups believe that young people should not be exposed to promotional displays of tobacco products as these products are addictive and lethal.
    "The tobacco industry is fighting the Saskatchewan legislation to protect their sales and profits," says Rob Cunningham, lawyer for the Canadian Cancer Society. "The tobacco industry spends the largest portion of its marketing budget on point of purchase promotion of tobacco products. In 2002, the industry spent $77 million across Canada in payments to retailers."
    In March 2002, Saskatchewan legislation came into force to ban tobacco displays in premises accessible by minors. In an effort to strike down this legislation, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges filed a constitutional challenge with the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench. In September 2002, this Court upheld the legislation, but a year later this decision was overturned on appeal. In October 2003, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled that the ban on retail displays was in conflict with the federal Tobacco Act and, as a result, was inoperative. The Saskatchewan government appealed the case to the Supreme Court of Canada. Manitoba and Nunavut have adopted legislation similar to that in Saskatchewan. In addition, Ontario introduced anti-tobacco legislation in December that would, among other things, curb displays of cigarettes in stores.
    "Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable lung disease and the leading cause of preventable death in Canada," says Deirdre Freiheit, President and CEO of the Canadian Lung Association. "Retail displays have been used by the tobacco industry to target and manipulate youth. We must protect Canadians, especially our children, from inducements to consume this deadly product."
    "We know that the point of advertising is to increase consumption of products, and tobacco is no exception," says Sally Brown, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. "This is why it is so critical to uphold Saskatchewan's attempts to ban the retail promotion of tobacco. Thislegislation will make a difference and will keep our children from being exposed to promotions of a harmful product."
    "Canada's doctors are involved because tobacco kills our patients," says Dr. Albert Schumacher, President, Canadian Medical Association. "Initiatives restricting the promotion of tobacco products to our kids are critical to ensure they are not seduced into this life-threatening addiction."
    January 16 to 22 is National Non-Smoking Week; Wednesday, January 19 is Weedless Wednesday.
    The hearing, which starts at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 19, will take place at:

    The Supreme Court of Canada
    301 Wellington Street
    Ottawa, Ontario

    The four national health groups are entitled to submit written argument (but not oral argument) to the Supreme Court. To view the written submission of the four health groups to the Supreme Court of Canada go to www.cancer.ca.   Six provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) and the federal government have also intervened in support of the Saskatchewan legislation.
    The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and to enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.
    The Lung Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lung health of Canadians through research, prevention and education. With a focus on the prevention and control of lung diseases such as asthma and COPD, The Lung Association also offers help in the area of smoking prevention, cessation and air quality. The Lung Association offers a toll-free line at 1-888-566-5864 (LUNG) and our website at www.lung.ca.
    The Heart and Stroke Foundation (www.heartandstroke.ca) is a leading funder of heart and stroke research in Canada. Our mission is to improve the health of Canadians by preventing and reducing disability and death from heart disease and stroke through research, health promotion and advocacy.
    The Canadian Medical Association is the national voice of physicians in Canada. Representing 59,000 physicians across the country, the CMA's mission is to serve and unite the physicians of Canada and be the national advocate, in partnership with the people of Canada for the highest standards of health and health care.

For further information: Canadian Cancer Society, Rob Cunningham, (613) 565-2522, ext. 305; Canadian Lung Association, Mary-Pat Shaw, Director,
National Programs and Administration, (613) 569-6411, ext. 227; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Heather Rourke, Communications, (613) 569-4361, ext. 318, hrourke@hsf.ca; Canadian Medical Association, Carole Lavigne, Manager, Media Relations, (613) 731-8610/1, 1-800-663-7336, ext. 1266
 http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c2668.html

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Attention News/Health Editors:

Doctors and dentists team up against tobacco

    HALIFAX, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - Health-care providers are continuing to line up against tobacco use. Nova Scotia's doctors and dentists, who see the effects of smoking on their patients every day, have joined forces to talk to their patients about the health impacts of tobacco.
    "Talking about smoking is the first step on the road to quitting," said Dr. Maria Alexiadis, President of Doctors Nova Scotia. "We want to open the dialogue between us, the health-care providers, and our patients."
    Opening that dialogue is easier with a new Why You Want to Quit Smoking information card produced jointly by the Nova Scotia Dental Association and Doctors Nova Scotia.
    "Tobacco cessation is an important initiative for dentistry," said Dr. Heather Carr, a practicing dentist and Tobacco Cessation Representative for the dental association. "From periodontal disease to oral cancer, tobacco frequently causes significant damage in a person's mouth." Statistics show that smokers are between four to 15 times more likely to contract oral cancer.
    Why You Want to Quit Smoking is being distributed to physician and dental offices across Nova Scotia during National Non-Smoking Week, Jan. 16 to 22.  The information is also available on the Doctors Nova Scotia website,www.doctorsNS.com. This tool represents the latest in a series of cooperative
tobacco-cessation initiatives between the two organizations.
    The information card is aimed at making smokers think about their own personal reasons to quit smoking to help them see how they could benefit from
quitting.
    "Together, the membership of our two organizations reaches the majority of Nova Scotians at some point during the year," said Dr. Alexiadis, "and its important that we use that opportunity to help our patients who smoke realize how their habit is affecting their health."
    Doctors Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Dental Association want to ensure all Nova Scotians know there is support for anyone who is thinking about quitting smoking. "Talking with a health-care provider about your reasons to quit," said Dr. Alexiadis, "is an excellent way to start."

    FOR BROADCAST USE:
    Doctors and dentists across Nova Scotia have teamed up against tobacco use.
    Doctors Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Dental Association have jointly produced a new information card, Why you want to quit smoking. This tool is aimed at opening dialogue between patients and their health-care providers.   The province's doctors and dentists want Nova Scotians to know there is
support for tobacco users who want to quit. Talking with a health-care provider is an excellent way to start.
    Doctors Nova Scotia is the professional association that represents over 3,000 physicians, medical students and residents in the province of Nova Scotia. The association works in partnership with other health-care organizations to enhance the quality of medical care for Nova Scotians. This is achieved through health promotion, development of health-care policies, peer review, medical education and negotiations with government on behalf of physicians.
    The Nova Scotia Dental Association is the professional membership organization representing this province's 460+ dentists. The Association is engaged in member advocacy, the advancement of the profession of dentistry and the promotion of the benefits of good oral health to all Nova Scotians.  Dentistry's award-winning children's web site, www.healthyteeth.org, features tobacco cessation information aimed at the province's school children.

For further information: Karla Gimby, Health Promotions/Issues  Coordinator, Doctors Nova Scotia, (902) 468-1866 ext. 239,
karla.gimby@doctorsns.com; Steve Jennex, APR, Communications Director, Nova
Scotia Dental Association, (902) 420-0088, nsda@hfx.eastlink.ca

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c2675.html

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Attention News/Health Editors:

Canadian Cancer Society urges the BC Government to Support Smoke-free Legislation

    VANCOUVER, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - The Canadian Cancer Society believes that the British Columbia government must make curbing tobacco a priority. Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in Canada. More than 47,000 Canadians, including 5,600 British Columbians, die each year from tobacco related illness, including lung cancer, throat and oral cancer, heart disease, stroke, and emphysema. Further, each year more than 500 British Columbians die from exposure to second-hand smoke. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 30% of all cancer deaths and more than 85% of lung cancers.
    "Given these sobering statistics, it is startling that British Columbia's existing second-hand smoke regulation allows smoking in enclosed rooms in restaurants and bars," said Barbara Kaminsky, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division. The regulation, which states that rooms must be separately ventilated and workers can not spend more than 20% of their shift in these rooms, is more cosmetic than real. There is little enforcement of the law and businesses are not held accountable. Research has shown that the designated smoking rooms do not protect workers and patrons to the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke. Something must be done about this. The Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division, believes that the government of British Columbia must enact legislation that would restrict smoking in all public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars.
    In Canada, British Columbia was once a leader in tobacco control. Today, six provinces (Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland) and two territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut) have adopted or announced 100% smoke-free legislation. Several US States (California, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island) have already implemented smoking bans in restaurants and bars. Internationally, in 2004, Ireland, Norway, and New Zealand all implemented nation-wide smoke-free legislation. If Ireland, with its pub culture, can ban smoking in all bars, British Columbia can certainly do the same.
    "Strong non-smoking legislation protects workers and patrons from the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke," said Kaminsky. "Further, non-smoking legislation helps smokers to quit or smoke less, thus reducing smoking rates.  The Canadian Cancer Society would like you to take steps to tell government
that British Columbians want smoke-free public places."
    The BC government's own Tobacco Control Strategy makes no commitment towards announcing or adopting province-wide smoke-free legislation. In November 2004, the Select Standing Committee on Health issued a report entitled, The Path to Health and Wellness: Making British Columbians Healthier
by 2010. While the report contained many good recommendations to government, it fell short of recommending a province-wide smoking ban.
    The Canadian Cancer Society knows first hand the harm and devastation tobacco related disease can cause, and is committed to curbing the tobacco epidemic. National Non-Smoking Week is the perfect time for you to call on your government to protect the health of all BC workers. Let your voices be heard. This election year, ask your MLA his or her position on smoking bans in public places and workplaces. Ask candidates from other parties where they
stand on the issue. Together, we must let the government of British Columbia know that it needs to act now, to protect all BC workers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, and to showcase a smoke-free BC at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In 2004, 8,500 British Columbians were expected to die from cancer. Imagine if this number were reduced by 30%!

For further information: Heather Lochner, Communications Manager, Canadian Cancer Society, (604) 675-7340, hlochner@bc.cancer.ca

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c3344.html

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Attention News/Health Editors:

Blood test could pave way for better use of promising cancer treatment, new Canadian Cancer Society research shows

    Canadian anti-angiogenesis expert leads exciting new study
    TORONTO, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - Canadian Cancer Society researcher Dr. Robert Kerbel has new evidence that a blood test could provide doctors with the first effective way to evaluate a promising experimental cancer therapy in patients.  Dr. Kerbel's findings are published in the January 17, 2005 issue of Cancer
Cell.
    "Anti-angiogenesis is an exciting treatment concept, but a major hurdle to its success in clinical development has been the lack of a valid tool to measure its effectiveness in patients," says Dr. Kerbel, a scientist at Sunnybrook & Women's Research Institute and the University of Toronto.
    "Our research has found that a blood test that measures levels of certain cells circulating in the blood stream is a strikingly accurate way to monitor anti-angiogenic treatments. Moving forward, we now may have a better way to reliably determine optimal dosing for patients, which could be the key piece of the puzzle for bringing anti-angiogenic treatments into standard use."
    Dr. Kerbel is recognized internationally for his pioneering work in the field of anti-angiogenic therapy. This treatment approach - currently being tested on patients in many clinical trials, including trials in Canada - works by interfering with tumour angiogenesis, the process whereby tumours form new blood vessels. By blocking a tumour's access to blood vessels, this treatment aims to starve the cancer of the oxygen and nutrients in its blood supply, slowing its growth and perhaps even causing it to wither away.
    Canadian Cancer Society research spokesperson, Dr. Michael Wosnick, says, "This research is a true made-in-Canada success story. Anti-angiogenic therapy is a prime example of Canadian research helping lead the way towards more selective cancer treatments that target biological processes associated with tumour development and minimize side effects for patients.
    "Anti-angiogenic treatments hold great promise for patients with cancers including prostate, colorectal, lung and breast cancer. With further research in this area, we may see an exciting improvement in the outlook for many of these patients worldwide," adds Dr. Wosnick, who is executive director of the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the research partner of the Canadian Cancer Society.
    In this study, Dr. Kerbel and his research team - including lead author Yuval Shaked, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Kerbel's lab - used a number of mice models to investigate properties of certain blood vessel cells circulating in the blood stream. Their findings show that the levels of these circulating cells correspond remarkably well with new blood vessel formation in tumours as well as blood vessel response to anti-angiogenic therapy.
    More importantly, treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs caused a dose-dependant reduction in the circulating cells that precisely parallel the anti-tumour activity established in animal models of these drugs. The researchers suggest the blood test could therefore be a way to better determine the optimal dosage of anti-angiogenic therapies for patients.
    One of Canada's foremost cancer researchers, Dr. Kerbel is highly regarded for discoveries that are helping to improve cancer therapies and the lives of cancer patients. He is this year's recipient of the Robert L. Noble Prize, the most prestigious research award sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society for outstanding achievements in cancer research. His research, and in particular his development of anti-angiogenic therapy, has been supported with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society throughout his career.
    The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and to enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

For further information: contact: Carmen Kinniburgh, Communications, Canadian Cancer Society, (416) 934-5684; Fiona Taylor, Public Affairs,  Sunnybrook & Women's Research Institute, (416) 480-4040

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c3345.html

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Stores want in on booze action
By Chen Chekki - The Chronicle-Journal
January 17, 2005
A handful of grocery stores and convenience stores around Thunder Bay are generally mixed about the idea of being allowed to sell wine and beer in their stores.
Ontario is reviewing Ontario’s liquor laws that have not been changed in about 80 years and several top cabinet ministers in the Liberal government, according to a Toronto Star report, think that letting corner stores sell wine and beer is not such a bad idea.
And neither does the co-owner of Northwood Foods.
“Ontario is the only place in the world where you can’t get beer in a grocery store,” said Jim Morancy, co-owner of the grocery at 425 Edward St. N. “For some reason, Ontario has stricter controls.”
His enthusiasm is shared by Lynn Tapak, owner of Tapak’s Grocery at 601 McTavish St.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” she said.
Selling wine and beer could help offset any revenue losses from a provincial plan that could see countertop cigarette displays eliminated, she said.
A part-owner of Westfort Foods at 111 Frederica St. E. is also warm to the idea of selling wine and beer.
Rob Van Dyk said he would be interested in getting involved with wine and beer sales as long as there was proper staff training for handling it and to get age identification from customers buying it.
Others stores in the city, however, appear to be sitting on the fence.
Quality Market grocery stores had no comment and the owner of Renco Foods said he needed more information before he could decide whether it would be a good idea.
“If it’s done right, there would be no problem with it,” Naz Larizza said.
Roy Semeniuk, owner of Shop and Snack Confectionery at 2247 Isabella St., said he is opposed to the idea because he is worried about wine and beer serving as another temptation for would-be robbers and leading to a rise in the rate of break-ins.
“You don’t need them in the corner stores,” he said.
Victoria Park Variety owner Def Kargatzis said she isn’t sure if it would be the right or wrong thing to do.
“I don’t know how that would work out at a corner store,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Liberal MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North said it is important to note that nobody is making any official recommendations for corner stores to be allowed to sell wine and beer just yet.
Michael Gravelle said the four-person panel that will report back to Finance Minister Greg Sorbara in the spring may or may not recommend it. The privatization of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario has already been ruled out, Gravelle added.
If wine and beer is recommended to be sold in corner stores, however, Gravelle said he wouldn’t have any huge problems with it, as long as strict controls are put in place.
“I am one of those people who tends to think it’s not a bad idea,” he said. “We are a modern society.”
He said he wants strong regulations in place to keep young people from accessing wine and beer if it is allowed to be sold in a corner store.
Ontario’s New Democratic Leader Howard Hampton said the idea is another way for the McGuinty government to get some “quick money.”
Bill Mauro, Liberal MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, was unavailable for comment.

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=25351

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Editorial: Get serious on Kyoto -ON

Jan. 17, 2005. 01:00 AM

When Ottawa and the provinces finally got serious about getting Canadians to butt out, they augmented their television and newspaper ads telling us that smoking is bad for our health with regulatory and tax changes that were far more effective in getting people to quit.

Bans on smoking in public places, stiff penalties for retailers who sell tobacco to minors, and a big increase in cigarette taxes accomplished far more than gratuitous advice.

As a result, smoking across Canada is on the decline.

 Now Ottawa wants us to curb another bad habit, our wasteful use of energy, which is contributing to climate change. Canada's obligations under the Kyoto agreement call for us to cut our emissions of greenhouse gases by 240 million tonnes over the next seven years.

But just as it did with smoking, the federal government started out taking the easy road. They did it by encouraging business and consumers alike to reduce their energy usage because it is the right thing to do.

Everyone has seen Rick Mercer on TV asking Canadians to take "the one-tonne challenge" — to take public transit, buy energy efficient appliances, turn down the thermostat, do the things we already know we ought to do, but don't.

Like smokers, we are all creatures of habit, and habits are hard to break.

And so, as with smoking, Ottawa has come to the realization that if it doesn't introduce carrots and sticks that push us to change our behaviour, we will continue to let our cars, appliances, homes, offices and factories just keep on smoking, as it were.

As part of the budget preparations currently underway, Ottawa is reportedly considering billions of dollars in new spending on inducements to encourage Canadians to reduce their emissions. Under discussion are a wide range of incentives to help consumers make the switch to energy-efficient appliances, hybrid cars, solar power and other environmentally friendly technologies as well as tax credits for businesses that reduce their energy use.

The degree to which such measures survive the finance minister's axe will provide the clearest signal yet as to how serious the government is about meeting its commitments under the Kyoto accord.

If Ottawa is serious, it should also consider big-picture initiatives that could pay substantial dividends, including major investments in big-city transit and in a national power grid to move clean renewable energy from Manitoba, Quebec and Labrador to areas of the country that currently rely on coal.

The Kyoto agreement comes into force on Feb. 16. With the clock starting to tick on that day, Ottawa must move beyond jawboning, and get on with a serious action plan.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=110574377123

8&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

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Saginaw native creates a less stinky cigarette

SAGINAW, Mich. Is there a way to make cigarettes less smelly and annoying?

Yes, says a Saginaw native at the helm of a small independent cigarette company.

John Czerewko is vice president of E Tobacco. The lifelong smoker was recruited about two years ago to bring his new cigarettes to market.

 

Because smokers' bodies are depleted of vitamin E by their habit, Russo invented and patented a tobacco blend and chemical process that allows smokers to absorb the nutrient as they puff.

 

Besides the benefits of vitamin E, Czerewko said, the additive in E Cigarettes produces several beneficial side effects. But he concedes smoking is still a dangerous habit.

 

He says noticeable effects include reductions in both lingering smoky odor and throat irritation.

 

The cigarettes, manufactured in South Boston, Virginia, are available at several locations throughout Michigan.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2819389

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Senate Republicans Planning to Unveil Health Plan  -KS
Senate Republican leaders are planning to unveil their health care plan. They have a news conference scheduled Tuesday morning in the Senate chamber at 9:30 a.m.

Details are not being released yet, but Majority Leader Derek Schmidt of Independence said the plan will address health care and prescription drug costs.

The effort is being led by Senator Jim Barnett. The Emporia physician is chairman of the Public Health Committee.

Governor Sebelius, a Democrat, outlined a proposed $50 million health package in November, designed to extend state or private health coverage to as many as 100,000 uninsured Kansans.

Her plan would be financed mainly by increasing the state cigarette tax by 50 cents a pack to $1.29.

http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/1356626.html

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Damp and mould in homes causes asthma

Posted By: News-Medical in Medical Research News Published: Monday, 17-Jan-2005

Researchers at the University of Birmingham's Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine are citing damp and mould in homes as a cause of asthma. The study is published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal and links the University of Birmingham with the University of Helsinki, Finland and the Diwan College, Taiwan.

The 6 year study followed 1,984 Finnish children aged 1 to 7 years to see if they developed asthma. Researchers recorded if a child's parents had asthma or allergies, and looked at the condition of their houses, noting histories of water damage, presence of moisture and visible moulds, and perceived mould odour in the home. A total of 138 children developed asthma, 7.2% of the study, with mould cited as a contributing factor independent of parents' medical histories.

Professor Jouni Jaakkola, Director of the University of Birmingham's Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine explains: "These finding strengthen evidence that exposure to moulds increases the risk of developing asthma in childhood. They also show the importance of heredity - children of parents with asthma have a two-fold risk of asthma compared with children of non-asthmatic parents".

He adds: "The results of this study are of interest in every country where housing stock is prone to damp, and add to previous studies linking asthma with chemicals and cigarette smoke. Simple ways to protect children against developing asthma include keeping damp and mould at bay, exposing children to fresh air, and never letting them breathe second hand cigarette smoke".

The University of Birmingham started to work in this area 70 years ago with the establishment of the Department of Industrial Hygiene and Medicine, and has changed emphasis along with changes in working life from the industrial revolution to today's mobile and dynamic workplace. As we are interested in the how the environment as a whole affects human health there is now more synergy between occupational and environmental health in research and teaching.

A recent study led by Prof Jouni Jaakkola identified jobs that put people at higher risk of developing adult asthma. Asthma risk was increased consistently in heavy industries such as chemical, rubber and plastic, and wood and paper. More nonindustrial employees such as waiters, laboratory technicians and dentists are also at risk. This study was the first to identify an increased risk of asthma among waiters and waitresses, likely to be explained by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

National Asthma Campaign statistics state that over 5.1 million people in the UK have asthma -around 1 in 13 adults.

http://www.bham.ac.uk

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=7326

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Konkona's cigarette creates a problem By Vickey Lalwani ©2005 Bollyvista.com

Did you know that director Manu Rewal's 'Chai Pani Etc' met with stiff resistance from the unpredictable Censor Board?

The censors objected to a scene showing Konkona Sen Sharma smoking a cigarette. Thereafter, the film got stuck for seven months! The director was keen on entering the competition section of the International Film Festival in Goa. By then, the cut-off date for entering the film had elapsed. Strange, hot smooching and lovemaking scenes are allowed to go by but just one cigarette isn’t!!!

http://www.bollyvista.com/article/a/32/4026

*goa is the festival in India

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LEARY LOVES GOLDEN GLOBES FREEBIES -CA

Comedian DENIS (corr) LEARY was delighted when he was nominated for a GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD because he loves stealing items from backstage at prizegivings.

The funnyman, who was nominated as a Best Actor in a TV Drama Series for his part in firefighter series RESCUE ME, admits he grabs all the freebies he's offered, and then some.

He said, "I'm thinking about grabbing some free stuff and stealing ashtrays.

"They give celebrities all this free stuff but, here's the thing, in the rooms where you go to get the free stuff there's stuff that's not free that you can stick in the bags; they'll never notice.

"Plus, you're a celebrity; they're not gonna stop you... I take everything that's not bolted down."

Leary also hinted before last night's (16JAN05) ceremony that he might steal someone else's award - if he doesn't get one.

He added, "In that room, when you go to sneak a smoke with those other guys... there's gotta be a table full of those things.

"My award is up early and if I lose I go out, smoke a cigarette, fling - I got a Golden Globe. Three years from now no one's gonna remember."

17/01/2005 04:49

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/leary%20l

oves%20golden%20globes%20freebies

* held Sunday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills the great nonsmoking state.

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Blood test could pave way for better use of promising cancer treatment, new Canadian Cancer Society research shows

    Canadian anti-angiogenesis expert leads exciting new study
    TORONTO, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - Canadian Cancer Society researcher Dr. Robert Kerbel has new evidence that a blood test could provide doctors with the first effective way to evaluate a promising experimental cancer therapy in patients.  Dr. Kerbel's findings are published in the January 17, 2005 issue of Cancer
Cell.
    "Anti-angiogenesis is an exciting treatment concept, but a major hurdle to its success in clinical development has been the lack of a valid tool to measure its effectiveness in patients," says Dr. Kerbel, a scientist at Sunnybrook & Women's Research Institute and the University of Toronto.
    "Our research has found that a blood test that measures levels of certain cells circulating in the blood stream is a strikingly accurate way to monitor anti-angiogenic treatments. Moving forward, we now may have a better way to reliably determine optimal dosing for patients, which could be the key piece of the puzzle for bringing anti-angiogenic treatments into standard use."
    Dr. Kerbel is recognized internationally for his pioneering work in the field of anti-angiogenic therapy. This treatment approach - currently being tested on patients in many clinical trials, including trials in Canada - works by interfering with tumour angiogenesis, the process whereby tumours form new blood vessels. By blocking a tumour's access to blood vessels, this treatment aims to starve the cancer of the oxygen and nutrients in its blood supply, slowing its growth and perhaps even causing it to wither away.
    Canadian Cancer Society research spokesperson, Dr. Michael Wosnick, says, "This research is a true made-in-Canada success story. Anti-angiogenic therapy is a prime example of Canadian research helping lead the way towards more selective cancer treatments that target biological processes associated with tumour development and minimize side effects for patients.
    "Anti-angiogenic treatments hold great promise for patients with cancers including prostate, colorectal, lung and breast cancer. With further research in this area, we may see an exciting improvement in the outlook for many of these patients worldwide," adds Dr. Wosnick, who is executive director of the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the research partner of the Canadian Cancer Society.
    In this study, Dr. Kerbel and his research team - including lead author Yuval Shaked, a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Kerbel's lab - used a number of mice models to investigate properties of certain blood vessel cells circulating in the blood stream. Their findings show that the levels of these circulating cells correspond remarkably well with new blood vessel formation in tumours as well as blood vessel response to anti-angiogenic therapy.
    More importantly, treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs caused a dose-dependant reduction in the circulating cells that precisely parallel the anti-tumour activity established in animal models of these drugs. The researchers suggest the blood test could therefore be a way to better determine the optimal dosage of anti-angiogenic therapies for patients.
    One of Canada's foremost cancer researchers, Dr. Kerbel is highly regarded for discoveries that are helping to improve cancer therapies and the lives of cancer patients. He is this year's recipient of the Robert L. Noble Prize, the most prestigious research award sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society for outstanding achievements in cancer research. His research, and in particular his development of anti-angiogenic therapy, has been supported with funds from the Canadian Cancer Society throughout his career.
    The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and to enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.
 For further information: contact: Carmen Kinniburgh, Communications, Canadian Cancer Society, (416) 934-5684; Fiona Taylor, Public Affairs,  Sunnybrook & Women's Research Institute, (416) 480-4040

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2005/17/c3345.html

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Treherne hotelier to fight butt-ban charges in July -MB

Saturday, January 15th, 2005

TREHERNE hotel owner Robert Jenkinson will go to court in mid-July to fight the charges laid against him under the province's new anti-smoking legislation.

Jenkinson's lawyer, Art Stacey, said three days beginning July 18 have been set aside for the trial, which will be held in Portage la Prairie.

Jenkinson faces 13 charges under the new law, including failure to have proper signage, allowing ashtrays to be on tables, and failing to prevent customers from smoking.

Under the law, individuals can be fined $500, and businesses face a maximum fine of $3,000.

Stacey said he decided to forego a separate constitutional challenge of the new law, adding he will make those arguments as part of Jenkinson's defence.

More than $15,000 in cash and an equal amount in pledges has been raised by the Rural Hotel Owners, a provincewide group of business people opposed to the law, to help Jenkinson with his legal bills.

winnipegpress.com

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Alberta's Health Minister, is pushing too hard letter- AB

IRIS EVANS, Alberta's Health Minister, is pushing too hard for banning  smoking, along with anti-smoking activist Les Hagen, just so they can get their names in the history pages. Welcome to Communist Canada.  Considering the revenue received from smokers, it will put quite a dent in  the government's cash-flow if we all butt out. I find it very ironic that these people are so against smoking and I've never heard of anyone hurting, killing or having a vehicle accident due to smoking. How about  getting rid of alcohol instead? Or would this be stepping on political toes?
Carol Koellmel
Redcliff, Alta.
(Klein has backed off on a province-wide ban.)

http://www.canoe.ca/CalgarySun/editorial.html#letters

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Ralph butts out ban plan -AB

By JERRY WARD, LEGISLATURE BUREAU Sat, January 15, 2005 

Premier wants to leave public smoking decision to municipalities

EDMONTON -- Premier Ralph Klein yesterday snuffed out a plan by his health minister to start discussions on invoking a complete public smoking ban in Alberta. After a speech in Montreal, Klein said his government is not looking to implement a blanket ban on butts in public places, instead leaving that decision up to individual municipalities.

"I've never called for a smoking ban and never will. But I think if you smoke, you're stupid," said Klein.

Provincial Health Minister Iris Evans said Wednesday in Edmonton she'd be bringing up the idea of a blanket public smoking ban for Alberta in the legislature by April.

"No, she wasn't presumptuous," said Klein's communications director Marisa Etmanski, who was travelling with the premier yesterday.

Etmanski said Klein and Evans, "haven't had a chance to talk" since he left the province for Eastern Canada on Tuesday.

Evans said she will still put forward a plan to a Tory MLA policy committee to look at ways of reducing smoking among young people to protect their wellness.

"I will clearly pay attention to the fact that the premier does not want a provincewide blanket over everything so that people who are legionnaires or people who have their favourite space to smoke can still enjoy those privileges," she said.

"I will bring forward some things that talk about the workplace, for the caucus' information, and I hear the premier clearly on this."

Klein has repeatedly said his government will not force no-smoking laws on businesses that can make their own decisions.

Les Hagen of Action on Smoking and Health described Klein's comments as "terrible news.

"I'm disappointed," he said.

Meanwhile, a Calgary alderman who's been pushing for a similar ban in this city said she's sure Evans will have no trouble gaining support for her plans.

"I know that the minister is very persuasive (and) she has a very strong voice on cabinet -- cabinet is more than one vote," said Ward 13 Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart. "I have a lot of confidence in her ability ... you always know where you stand with Iris Evans."

-- with files from Bill Laye

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/CalgarySun/News/2005/01/15/899353-sun.html

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January the worst time to start smoking ban -SK

The Leader-Post January 15, 2005

I am writing with a question for the Saskatchewan government: does it know one end of profitable business management from another?

The decision to make all public places, including bars and restaurants, smoke- free on Jan. 1, was totally flawed in its timing. January and February are traditionally the coldest months of the year, which in turn are the lowest months for revenue for small restaurant owners in Saskatchewan due to the inclement weather. People who would ordinarily enjoy a stroll for coffee or for lunch are naturally more inclined to remain at work. This keeps their pennies in their pockets while reducing income for the local coffee shops. It's understandable, but the loss is recoverable later on in the year through increased traffic when the weather becomes nicer.

The anti-smoking law could NOT have come at a worse time. Not only is my income reduced as expected due to the cold weather, but it is also further drastically reduced due to the new law. If my customers can't smoke at the restaurant, why should they brave the cold? My estimated losses for January are $2,800. This is roughly equivalent to my gross income. Considering I have bills to pay at home and a family to support, what does the government suggest I do? Work for free? Get another job on top of the 12-hour days I now work just to keep the restaurant in business? Would government members work 20-hour days?

Would it not have been a better plan to bring this into law during the summer months when people could still smoke outside on decks and patios and get accustomed to a non-smoking environment slowly? Other provinces did it.

I agree that smoking is bad for everyone's health and I will never argue that the cost to my business due to burns in the carpet and inconsiderate smokers butting out on anything handy is not substantial. However, this anti-smoking law was brought into effect at the worst time of the year.

I may not be able to recover from this loss. Further, I am not alone in this.

Other restaurant owners with whom I have discussed this issue are feeling unseasonably high losses as well and are also considering the feasibility of remaining in business. To open my restaurant five years ago, I invested approximately $30,000 of my own money and went into a debt from which I am still trying to recover -- and there was no offer of assistance to me to open up a business, unlike the offers and tax breaks given to large chain stores to bring their big-box stores to this area. Consider that if 100 restaurants in Saskatchewan go out of business, and if each of those businesses employs at least five people, you will not only have 500 former employees of those businesses either swelling the welfare rolls or collecting Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, you will also have an additional 100 former business owners looking for employment who do NOT qualify for EI. If we can't find jobs, what do you suggest we do . . . leave the province? All of this because government members can't think further than the end of their collective noses. Will that look good come next election?

This leads me to wonder . . . has any one in the government ever run a restaurant, or been self-employed to the point where government decisions could make or break them in one fell swoop? Have any of them learned how NOT to immediately give in to the demands of whatever group is pressuring them at any given moment?

I didn't think so.

Paul Perreault

Perreault is owner of Pavlo's Eatery

Regina

http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/news/letters/story.html?id=be30a18e-376d-44f8-ba72-81860bcce710

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Carry on smoking!

JERRY WARD, LEGISLATURE BUREAU Sat, January 15, 2005

Premier Ralph Klein yesterday snuffed out a plan by his health minister to start discussions on invoking a complete public smoking ban in Alberta. That left advocates "mystified" and "disappointed."

After a speech in Montreal, Klein, a longtime smoker, said his government is not looking to implement a blanket ban on butts in public places, instead leaving that decision up to individual municipalities.

"Smoking is still legal in Canada," Klein told a news conference after giving a speech to the Montreal board of trade.

"I've never called for a smoking ban and never will. But I think if you smoke, you're stupid."

That comment came despite the fact that Klein himself has tried frequently - and unsuccessfully - to kick the habit.

"I think the focus is going to be better spent on trying to get kids not to start, that kind of thing," said Klein's communications director Marisa Etmanski, who was travelling with the premier yesterday.

"You know, it's not an illegal thing, right? And some municipalities feel differently than others about it."

Etmanski said the premier and Health Minister Iris Evans, "haven't had a chance to talk" since he left the province for Eastern Canada on Tuesday.

"No, she wasn't presumptuous," Etmanski said.

Evans said she will still put forward a plan to a Tory MLA policy committee to look at ways of reducing smoking among young people to protect their wellness.

"I will clearly pay attention to the fact that the premier does not want a provincewide blanket over everything so that people who are legionnaires or people who have their favourite space to smoke can still enjoy those privileges," she said.

"I will bring forward some things that talk about the workplace, for the caucus's information, and I hear the premier clearly on this."

Klein has repeatedly said his government will not force no-smoking laws on businesses that can make their own decisions.

In March 2002, Klein said he wasn't about to order "old timers" in places like Crossfield's Oliver hotel to butt out.

"What are you going to do? Have a whole bunch of smoke cops saying, 'C'mon old-timer, put that cigarette out?'"

Les Hagen of Action on Smoking and Health described Klein's comments as "terrible news.

"I'm disappointed. They were on to a good thing," he said.

Dan MacLennan, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, said the issue is about health, not right-wing or left-wing ideology. "Cancer is an equal opportunity killer so let's reduce its opportunity," he said. "I'm hopeful he'll change his mind."

D'Arcy Lanovaz, president of CUPE Alberta, said Klein is going against the grain. "I think it's a regressive move on the premier's behalf," he said.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/News/2005/01/15/899454-sun.html

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Reserve smoking ban creates conflict -SK

Tim Cook January 14, 2005

REGINA (CP) - The federal Indian Affairs minister acknowledged he's in a dilemma when it comes to dealing with smoking bylaws enacted by First Nations that attempt to do an end run around provincial rules.

Speaking in Regina on Thursday, Andy Scott said there are two conflicting issues at play - health and aboriginal self-government. "We would wish that communities have more authority over decisions," Scott said. "At the same time I believe strongly that we should do what we can to mitigate the health risks associated with smoking."

Scott made the comments when he was asked about the problems Saskatchewan is having with its tough new anti-smoking law.

Effective Jan. 1, smokers have had to butt out in all public buildings in the province or face fines. The law was meant to apply across the board, both on reserve and off.

But under the Indian Act, if a band were to pass a bylaw that conflicts with the provincial law, the band bylaw would prevail. For a bylaw to come into force, however, it must be first forwarded to the federal minister, who has 40 days to object.

Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan government came forward asking Scott to quash any bylaws that are weaker than the provincial anti-smoking legislation.

Scott said that he wants to consult with all of the stakeholders as well as his cabinet colleagues before he makes a decision.

But that will have to be done quickly.

The White Bear First Nation in the southeast corner of the province submitted a bylaw for approval on Dec. 9. It would allow smoking in bingo halls and casinos.

That means Scott's decision will have to come within a week.

Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations vice-chief Morley Watson said it should be up to native people to decide what is best for their health.

He said there are some bands in the province that came forward with anti-smoking bylaws before the province's rule came into effect.

"We're fully aware of making the best decision in our own lives," Watson said. "We cannot continue to have governements come along with very paternalistic attitudes that they have shown all along."

Saskatchewan Aboriginal Affairs Minister Maynard Sonntag got a chance to press the province's case with Scott on Thursday afternoon.

After the meeting, Sonntag told reporters that the Saskatchewan government respects First Nation self-governance, however, the province feels strongly about the health issues related to smoking.

"I don't think we are forcing anything on the federal minister at all," Sonntag said. "We are stating to him what we think is just a critically important health issue and want him to be aware of that."

Two other provinces, New Brunswick and Manitoba, have public smoking bans similar to the one in Saskatchewan. Quebec, Ontario and Newfoundland all have laws on the way and just this week Alberta's health minister mused publicly about getting on board.

New Brunswick is in the same situation as Saskatchewan in that politicians there have asked First Nations to respect the new rules, but can do little should a bylaw be passed

Manitoba avoided the issue by making reserves exempt from its smoking ban. The exemption has created controversy, however, with non-reserve business owners claiming it's a two-tier system.

http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=2d8246af-c276-422d-a9da-f5a4b562da9b

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Poll 'shows smoke ban opposition'  -UK

Two thirds of Scots believe that pubs and clubs should be able to accommodate smokers, according to a survey for the smoking lobby group Forest.

The poll found that a majority of Scots supported new smoking legislation.

Forest said when people were quizzed in more detail they were opposed to "sweeping proposals that would leave smokers nowhere to smoke in public".

But ministers said they had public backing for an outright ban which would reap "huge rewards" for health.

The Scottish Executive proposals to outlaw smoking in enclosed public places would bring in fines for pub licensees and persistent smokers who flout the law from spring 2006.

Ministers described the bill as "the most important piece of public health legislation in a generation".

However, Scottish Forest spokesman Neil Rafferty said people did not support the executive's proposed approach.

"Our research shows that the Scottish public overwhelmingly believes that people should be allowed to smoke in some public places," he said.

"Scots support a reasonable, rational, middle way, and when questioned in more detail are opposed to the sweeping proposals that would leave smokers nowhere to smoke in public, not even in a separate, well ventilated smoking area within pubs, bars or members' clubs."

The poll was conducted by Populus, which interviewed 1,000 people earlier this month.

Of those questioned, 59% said they supported new legislation on smoking.

When they were offered choices other than a blanket ban, 66% said that pubs, bars and clubs should be able to accommodate smokers.

Two-thirds of those surveyed said they thought it should be up to licensees rather than politicians to determine their own smoking policy.

More than 75% of those questioned said that people have the right to smoke in public as long as they do not inconvenience non-smokers.

Health Minister Andy Kerr said opinion polls had offered a mixed feedback on smoking.

"But we are not running government by opinion poll," he said.

"We have taken a decision that will reap huge rewards for the health of this and future generations.

"What we are doing is right for the people of Scotland - and we have their backing, as shown by the overwhelming response to our public consultation."

Populus, which conducted the survey, said it interviewed a sample of 1,000 people across Scotland from 6 to 8 January.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4169797.stm

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Most say drinkers should be able to smoke UK

TWO thirds of Scots believe pubs and clubs should be able to accommodate smokers in separate areas when a smoking ban is introduced next spring, according to a survey published today.
More than half of those interviewed for a poll commissioned by smokers’ lobby group Forest backed the Executive’s ban on lighting up in enclosed public areas, but favoured options other than the planned blanket ban.
The findings were released as a pub smoking seminar was due to be held at Edinburgh’s Holyrood Hotel.
According to the poll, more than 75 per cent of Scots believe smokers have the right to smoke in public providing they do not inconvenience non-smokers. It also found two thirds of interviewees believe the decision to implement a ban should be up to pub owners rather than politicians.
Neil Rafferty, Scottish Forest spokesman, said the results were significant. He added: "The Scottish Executive must listen to what the public is telling them.
"Our research shows that the Scottish public overwhelmingly believes that people should be allowed to smoke in some public places."
Health minister Andy Kerr said: "We are not running Government by opinion poll. We have taken a decision that will reap huge rewards for the health of this and future generations."

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=44752005

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Vice Mayor Announces Steps Toward City Smoking Ban -OH

Reece To Launch Stop By Campaign

January 12, 2005

CINCINNATI -- Many Ohio cities have adopted smoking bans and there is speculation that Cincinnati could be next.

Vice Mayor Alicia Reece announced Wednesday the next steps toward a potential smoking ban.

Discuss: Cincinnati Smoking Ban?

First, Reece said she will launch a stop by campaign where she will make visits to restaurants, bars, bingo halls, bowling alleys and other establishments to talk with owners and citizens about the issue.

Then Reece will meet with advocating and opposing groups and organizations. A citizen survey will also be launched.

Reece, in conjunction with the late Dr. Malcolm Adcock, launched the smoking advisory group last fall to study the issue of a potential smoking ban.

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/4076590/detail.html

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Bid to Give Welsh Assembly Smoking Ban Powers  -uk

By Tomos Livingstone, PA Welsh Affairs Correspondent
An attempt to give the Welsh Assembly the power to introduce its own ban on smoking in public places will be launched today.
Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan will formally launch a Private Member’s Bill that would transfer the relevant powers to the Assembly – where her husband, Rhodri Morgan, is First Minister.
A White Paper unveiled by Westminster Health Secretary John Reid last November proposed a similar move, but Ms Morgan’s bill would transfer the powers immediately.
The White Paper proposed a ban on smoking in England’s restaurants and offices, and a restriction in pubs, by 2008. Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell has promised to introduce a “comprehensive” ban by Spring 2006, while Ireland introduced a ban in March 2004.
Ms Morgan is due to be joined at the Westminster launch of her bill by members of the British Medical Association and representatives from anti-smoking charity Ash.
She said: “The purpose of the bill is to give powers to the Assembly to restrict smoking in whatever way it wishes. Without this bill the Assembly would be dependent on public health legislation from Westminster. This bill would enable Wales to do what it wants.”
She denied Dr Reid’s announcement had made her bill redundant.
“The White Paper would give the power to Wales, but that is dependent on if and when legislation is introduced, whereas it can be done quickly with a private members’ bill,” she said.
The public now had the appetite for a ban on smoking public places, she said.
“The tide has turned fairly recently. I wouldn’t have anticipated we would be in this situation two or three years ago.”
A similar private bill, which fell, was introduced in the House of Lords by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff in 2003.
The Welsh Assembly has already overwhelmingly backed the idea of a smoking ban in a free vote. An Assembly committee is currently investigating policy options, and is due to report in May.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3990033

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Blair 'in the clear' over holiday  -UK

A watchdog has concluded Tony Blair did nothing wrong by failing to declare a holiday with a tobacco industry figure, Downing Street has said.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Sir Philip Mawer, investigated the prime minister's stay at a French home of Alain Perrin.

A Tory MP, Chris Grayling, had complained the stay was not in the MPs' register of interests.

But the stay did not need to be declared, Downing Street said.

"Sir Philip Mawer, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, has dismissed a request from Chris Grayling MP that he should investigate whether or not the prime minister should have registered his stay with Alain Perrin in August 2002," the spokesman said.

"Sir Philip agreed with the prime minister's decision not to register the hospitality and said there was no merit in pursuing the issue further."

The Blairs stayed with Alain Perrin, then chairman of a company said to have a stake in British American Tobacco, in 2002.

The Sunday Telegraph newspaper said the family spent five days in Mr Perrin's 15th Century chateau in south-western France.

The Commons rules state that an MP is required to disclose any information of any "material benefit which ... might reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her actions, speeches or votes".

Mr Blair caused controversy three years ago when his family stayed in Sharm-el-Sheik at the Egyptian taxpayers' expense.

Since then he has paid for two further visits.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4176381.stm

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Doctors and Charities Join Forces over Smoking Ban
By Tomos Livingstone, PA Welsh Affairs Correspondent
Doctors’ leaders and health charities joined forces today to back a bid to allow the Welsh Assembly to introduce its own ban on smoking in public places.
Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan today formally launched a Private Member’s Bill that would transfer the relevant powers to the Assembly – where her husband, Rhodri Morgan, is First Minister.
A White Paper unveiled by Westminster Health Secretary John Reid last November proposed a similar move by 2008, but Ms Morgan’s bill would transfer the powers immediately.
The British Heart Foundation said Ms Morgan’s bill would be the “quickest route towards protecting the health of the Welsh public“, while the BMA said waiting until 2008 for a ban would mean more deaths from smoking-related illnesses.
The White Paper proposed a ban on smoking in England’s restaurants and offices, and a restriction in pubs, by 2008, and giving Wales the option to follow suit.
In a free vote last year the Welsh Assembly voted in favour of a complete ban, but cannot introduce one without a change in the law at Westminster.
Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the BMA’s Welsh council, said: “We feel that the Westminster government, when it published the Public Health White Paper, missed a huge opportunity because they haven’t gone for a complete ban in enclosed public spaces.
“All this absurd nonsense about whether places serve food and so forth – the reality is that passive smoking is a huge issue.”
Dr Calland added: “I’m pleased there is a momentum behind a ban, unfortunately the momentum is everywhere but Westminster. John Reid is talking about a ban three years away; you can have an awful lot of people die of smoke-related disease in those three years.”
Peter Hollins, director general of the British Heart Foundation, said: “We are delighted to support Julie Morgan’s Private Member’s Bill. There is widespread support for this action from the medical community and the public based on strong evidence of the dangers of passive smoking.
“We believe it will provide the quickest route towards protecting the health of the Welsh public, and in particular those pub workers who will be regularly left to breathe damaging smoke under the UK Government’s Public Health White Paper proposals.”
The bill has also been backed by anti-smoking charity Ash and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.
Labour MP Ms Morgan said: “The purpose of the bill is to give powers to the Assembly to restrict smoking in whatever way it wishes. Without this bill the Assembly would be dependent on public health legislation from Westminster. This bill would enable Wales to do what it wants.
“The White Paper would give the power to Wales, but that is dependent on if and when legislation is introduced, whereas it can be done quickly with a private member’s bill.”
A similar private bill, which fell, was introduced in the House of Lords by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff in 2003. With a General Election expected in the spring, Ms Morgan’s bill stands little chance of becoming law.
Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell has promised to introduce a “comprehensive” ban by spring 2006, while Ireland introduced a ban in March 2004.
 

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3991475

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Parents told to butt out- AU
By MARY PAPADAKIS
January 16, 2005

ANTI-smoking campaigners want Victorian drivers to butt out.
Health groups are calling for a ban on smoking in cars for medical and road safety reasons.

The Asthma Foundation of Victoria has launched an appeal asking parents to stop lighting up when in their car with children.

The foundation will send letters to Victorians written from the perspective of a child sitting in the back of a smoke-filled car.

"I'm asking you not to smoke. You may not think it is affecting me, but it does," it reads.

"Tobacco smoke and poisonous chemicals enter my lungs, and boy, do I hate it."

Almost two out of three smoking parents in Victoria light up in their cars when their children are present.

Passive smoking puts a child at risk from asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, cot death and middle ear disease and it also has an adverse impact on learning and awareness development.

The foundation's chief executive, Robin Ould, said: "Smoking is a major trigger for people with asthma.

"It also inhibits the development of lungs in young children."

Mr Ould said the letter would be sent to people who purchase Dunlop Foams booster seats and cushions from KMart and Big W stores across Australia.

The Australian Medical Association and Action on Smoking and Health have called for smoking bans, which will affect pubs, clubs and other licensed premises in Victoria from July 2007, to be extended to the family car.

AMA Victoria president Dr Sam Lees said people who smoked in cars were ignoring a child's right to a healthy environment.

"The concentration of cigarette smoke in cars, I'm sure, is higher than that in a bar," he said.

"To be depositing carcinogens in young lungs is not appropriate from a health perspective and an ethical and moral perspective."

ASH chief executive Anne Jones said: "We believe it's time for governments to extend smoke bans to all forms of transport."

She said smoking while driving was as distracting as talking on a mobile phone and a danger.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11948249%255E2862,00.html

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Steelermania runs rampant -pa

By Paul Paterra TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, January 15, 2005

Stacy Clemmer could be attending today's Steelers playoff game against the New York Jets with her brother.

However, she will not be joining him.

Clemmer is the director of conferencing at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, which has its annual La Cultura planned tonight. La Cultura is the primary fund-raiser for the school's travel fund, and Clemmer is on the prize and sponsorship committee.

"I was a little disappointed at first, but I knew that this was for a good cause," Clemmer said. "I'll probably be making sure I'm getting score updates."

Yes, Steelermania has taken hold of western Pennsylvania. That's what happens when you're 15-1.

The condition seems to have affected attendance for La Cultura. Karen Gavula, UPG's secretary of university relations and institutional advancement, said 175 people are expected, down from last year's capacity crowd of 240.

"We think it has had an effect," Gavula said. "We don't know positively. They haven't actually called and said they are going to the game." She did say scoring updates will be provided by students carrying placards during the cocktail hour only from 6-7 p.m.

Greensburg YMCA has begun raising money for this year's Strong Kids Campaign for disadvantaged youths, day camps and child care.

Executive Director Rick Nedley said Patti Peters, administrative assistant, suggested riding this Steelers wave and raising money for Strong Kids at the same time.

If any of the YMCA's 225 employees wear Steelers garb on Fridays while the Black and Gold stays alive in the playoffs, they donate $1.

"We could raise about $600," Nedley said. "It's kind of a fun way to get psyched up for the Steelers and raise money for Strong Kids."

That psyched-up feeling seems to be hitting schools as well.

Friday was Steelers Day at Dr. Robert F. Nicely Elementary School, in Greensburg. The lunch menu was loaded with Steelers fare, such as "Roethlisburgers," hotdogs with "Cowher" kraut, Randle El barbecued rib sandwiches, Bettis baked beans, fries with "Hines Ward" ketchup, Polamalu pineapple, black and yellow Jell-O and a black-and-gold Steelers cake.

Students, teachers and staff alike wore the black and gold.

"It's just a lot of fun," said Principal Dr. Luanne Matta. "It was really neat to see them coming off the bus. It gets the kids excited and makes them part of something happening in the area. "

Speaking of menus, restaurants too are capitalizing on the team's season. Several have sandwiches named for rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, such as the Big Ben wrap at Mr. Bones in Greensburg.

Then there's the "Steeler Burger" at This and That Coffee bar in Punxsutawney. The creation by co-owners Patricia Stewart and David Miller contains beef, hot sausage, grilled onions, mushrooms, American cheese and honey mustard and is available Mondays and Fridays.

An ounce of beef is added with each consecutive victory, bringing the current total to 14 ounces. "David and I were watching the game when they won their sixth straight," Stewart said. "We got all excited and said, 'Let's add an ounce every time they win.' We never make it until the day we need it. I don't want to jinx it."

Steelers paraphernalia is sprouting up everywhere.

But it's always present in the yard of Regis Klimchok, of Youngwood, which has held a Steelers sign for some 20 years. Among the current messages: "This is the Year."

"We never take it down," Klimchok said. "We leave it up because we believe in the Steelers."

Jerseys, hats, pennants and, of course, the Terrible Towel, are available at several outdoor stands.

Joe Sprinko traveled to Steelers Country from Florida to "sell T-shirts" and other items. He's been doing just that for a few weeks in the parking lot of the Sheetz convenience store along Route 22 in Murrysville.

"Everybody's on pins and needles. They're waiting for the Steelers to start winning (playoff games)," Sprinko said. "We'll be here as long as the boys keep winning. It's up to the Steelers how long we stay."

Leo Hammer, of Big Top Sports.com, has set up shop in the parking lot of Choice Cigarette Discount Outlet on Route 22 in Murrysville for five weeks. "It was huge before Christmas," Hammer said. "With the playoff games coming, they're into it big time."

They seem to be, indeed, which experts feel is a great thing.

Dr. Audrey Guskey, professor of marketing and consumer trends expert at Duquesne University, said the timing is perfect because bad news has been prevalent in a city where retailers have been closing and population has dwindled.

"I think it has a huge impact," Guskey said. "It boosts everybody in the city. Post-holiday is a real downer for everybody. This comes at a wonderful time to give people something to look forward to and follow carefully. It's putting Pittsburgh in the winner's bracket across the country. It's just phenomenal. It's great for the city economically and psychologically.

Paul Paterra can be reached at ppaterra@tribweb.com or (724) 836-6220.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/regional/s_293511.html

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Justices' conflicts called immaterial

The Associated Press Jan 15, 2005

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A group overseeing payments from a 1999 tobacco settlement said yesterday it has no objection to the state Supreme Court hearing a dispute over whether major cigarette-makers must pay $424 million to leaf farmers in 14 states, including Virginia.

The 1999 agreement gave North Carolina jurisdiction in the case for all states involved.

Five of the seven justices, including Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr., said this week that they had potential conflicts of interest in the case, including stock ownership in tobacco-related companies and interests in tobacco farming.

A statement from lawyers for the North Carolina Phase II Tobacco Certification Entity called the potential conflicts "immaterial and insubstantial," and said the group felt the justices were qualified to hear the case.

Among the justices with Virginia connections, Lake and his wife own 2,000 shares of stock in Altria Group Inc., the parent of industry leader Philip Morris USA, which has its headquarters in Richmond. Justice Robert Edmunds and his sister own tobacco allotment on a family farm in Halifax County, for which they receive a yearly income of about $1,600.

A state Business Court judge ruled last month that cigarette companies didn't have to make a final, $189 million payment to growers because the 1999 settlement was superseded by Congress' October approval of a $10.1 billion tobacco buyout. He also ruled that the companies were due a refund of payments they made to farmers in 2004.

Agencies that oversee the Phase II payments in all 14 states asked the state Supreme Court last week to hear an expedited appeal that would bypass the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780264309

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Philip Morris, Lorillard raise U.S. prices, cut promotions -

NEW YORK Two cigarette makers are raising some prices. Analysts say it is the latest indication that conditions have stabilized in the U-S market.

Lorillard and Richmond-based Philip Morris are raising wholesale prices on a number of smaller brands, including Chesterfield and Kent, by one-dollar a carton.

The changes do NOT affect Marlboro, the leading U-S cigarette brand. Analysts say the brands going up in price reflect only a small percentage of business for both companies.

Both companies are also cutting back on some promotional discounts.

http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=2812845

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Pence pushes tax reform -KY

By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET

The parking lot overflowed at the State Theater Friday morning as people flocked to hear Lt. Gov. Steve Pence discuss Gov. Ernie Fletcher's tax modern-ization plan, also known as JOBS for Kentucky. The presen-tation was one of 13 scheduled to be held across the state.

Pence said there were twice as many in attendance at Elizabethtown as showed up in Louisville to hear about the program that he said focuses on economic development.

"What Governor Fletcher has done with this tax modernization program is find a way for us all to move Kentucky forward," Pence said.

Compared with the current tax code, which was written in the 1950s, Fletcher's plan is reliable, fair and friendly to businesses, Pence said.

"If corporations are not willing to locate here, we're not going to have good jobs," he said. "The majority of businesses are small companies that want to move here," and when they look at the bottom line, they look at the tax structure to see how it's set up.

The best and brightest young people are leaving the state to find more and better jobs, he said.

"That's the primary purpose of this — to bring better jobs to Kentucky."

The state is the 10th friendliest for manufacturing jobs, but it's in the bottom 10 for knowledge-based jobs, and that's the direction the economy is taking, Pence said, making his point by holding up his cellular phone and asking how many in the audience of about 140 had one.

"We have got to do a better job of preparing for the knowledge-based economy," Pence said, drawing an analogy of how jobs and education run on parallel but interdependent tracks.

"You do not get the money for education by taxing more," he said.

You get it by bringing more money into the state, he said.

The plan Fletcher is proposing lowers the tax rate for most companies by broadening the base of those taxed and redefining which and how businesses are taxed in a manner that is more fair, the lieutenant governor said.

For example, some cable television is taxed, while satellite is not.

About 300,000 low-income Kentuckians would be taken off the individual tax rolls, and 98 percent, or 1.25 million people, would have a tax reduction, he said.

Most people don't want to have to think about what the government is doing in Frankfort, Pence said. With no budget approved last year before the legislative session ended, and a judicial mandate to pass one or cut back to essential services by the end of June, everyone needs to take note, he said.

"This time it is important that our legislators deliver tax modernization, which has been talked about but never acted on," he said, and there has to be a budget.

If Fletcher's plan is approved, "it will send the right message to companies," and 7,000 jobs would be created in the first year of implementation, Pence said.

Rep. Mike Weaver, D-Radcliff, said the tax modernization plan would have to be in the hands of the House of Representatives' leadership as soon as it reconvenes at the first of February in order for there to be enough time for it to be dealt with during the 30-day session. The leadership of both chambers, with help from the Legislative Research Commission, should work on it at the same time, he said.

"I think we have an opportunity here to do something," Weaver said. There are three ways to do it: pass a budget; pass a budget and tax modernization together; or pass the two things separately. He's willing to work with any of the three approaches, he said. "It's going to take a lot of negotiations and a lot of thought to make it happen."

Part of the budget standstill in the 2004 General Assembly came from disagreement over whether tax modernization should be attached to the budget bill.

At least 15 attendees were employees of Hardec's Wholesale, which, among other things, distributes tobacco products. An increase in the commonwealth's cigarette tax is going to be a key component in the tax plan, Pence had said.

Hardec's president, Charlie Casper, questioned the plan after Pence's presentation, stating that the low cigarette tax rate (3 cents per pack) that Kentucky has now gives it a competitive edge. Many people come from neighboring states to buy cigarettes and spend money on other things while they're here, he said, predicting a $60 million loss of revenue and job losses as well.

Further, he said, the 40 cents a pack rate he's heard mentioned as a possibility would be a 1,300 percent increase that is not fair and puts more of a burden on people who can afford it the least.

"We couldn't agree with you more about Kentucky needing jobs and tax modernization," Casper said. But he asked what other types of tax changes the state has investigated.

Pence countered that although the 40-cent figure is one that has been "out there," he doesn't know that it is the one that will be final.

"One of our biggest expenses is Medicaid costs, and much of that is related to people who smoke," and smoking's associated health risks, the lieutenant governor said.

A higher cigarette tax would place more responsibility on smokers to help offset that cost, but that is "only one component of a multifaceted tax plan," Pence said.

Other questions from the audience centered around Medicaid costs and fraud, concern about whether the equine industry is being treated fairly, and whether tax incentives to encourage companies to revitalize older buildings would be part of the tax modernization plan.

After the forum, Pence said that, overall, the plan had received "a very favorable response" from the public.

"I think all voters believe we need this, but they're skeptical because of the last session," he said, adding that many of them had made their dissatisfaction with the lack of a budget known to their representatives and senators.

"I think most of the legislators got the message."

Melinda J. Overstreet can be reached at 769-1200, Ext. 240, or at moverstreet@thenewsenterprise.com

http://www.newsenterpriseonline.com/articles/2005/01/16/news/news2.txt

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In Illinois, cigarette tax hike hasn’t hurt sales

By Kate Thayer Of the Post-Dispatch 01/15/2005
For most Illinois cigarette smokers, it seems that convenience trumps frugality.
Two years after Illinois increased its cigarette taxes to 98 cents, up from 58 cents, Metro East retailers report that cigarette sales are strong as ever - even though smokers can save $1 or more a pack by crossing to Missouri, where the tax is 17 cents. (The spread is slightly smaller in St. Louis County, which has an additional 22-cent tax.)
Illinois officials, who raised the tax to offset budget shortfalls, say new revenue is finally approaching levels they had hoped for. Steady sales boosted revenue by $86.1 million last year in Illinois.
Revenue from the tax initially fell short of expectations. State officials attributed weak early returns to a combination of smokers crossing state lines to save money, and vendors who had stocked up on millions of excise stamps at pre-hike rates.
Kim Schultz, assistant manager at BAC Moto Mart in Belleville, said customers notice the price increase but don't seem to be crossing into Missouri to buy their cigarettes.
"(Customers) talk about getting their cigarettes in another state, but I don't think they do," Schultz said. "Our sales haven't decreased."
She said it appears that customers are more likely to respond to price hikes by switching to cheaper brands.
Time mattered more than money for smokers who bought Marlboros last week at the Club Centre Moto Mart in Edwardsville.
"I don't have time to go to Missouri to save on cigarettes," said John Leitschuh, 26, a landscaper from Edwardsville. He had paid $4.21 for a pack of Marlboro Reds.
Leitschuh said he has smoked a pack a day for 10 years. "If I don't have them, I stop where I am and get them," he said.
Joe Hicks, 26, a construction worker from Granite City, ducked in to the convenience shop on his lunch break and bought a pack of cigarettes to go with a deli sandwich.
"If I'm closer to Missouri, I might go over and get a pack, but not usually," said Hicks, who has smoked for nine years.
Store manager Jim Warnecke said he also sees customers continue with their smoking habit, despite higher taxes.
"There are some who go across the border to buy (cigarettes), but for the most part, people say they're going to quit or cut back, but that may only last for about one to two weeks."
Raking in revenue
Mike Klemens, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Revenue, said since the 40-cent increase, sales have generated a total of about $215 million in additional revenue since 2002.
Revenue officials first estimated that the tax increase would bring in about $230 million in additional revenue in the first year, but those figures fell short because retailers stockpiled packs with the old 58-cent tax before the new rate started, Klemens said.
In the fiscal year ended in June 2003, the first year with the higher cigarette tax, the state collected $643.1 million from the tax. That was a $178.6 million increase over 2002. A fiscal year runs from July through June.
Although the first year's revenue from the tax fell short of expectations, Klemens said last fiscal year - ended in June 2004 - made up most of the difference.
"People stocked up at a lower price, so that pushed off receipts to (the 2004 fiscal year)," Klemens said.
In 2004, the state collected an additional $86.1 million, bringing the total new revenue from the tax to $264.7 million.
However, about $50 million of that was advance payment for cigarette tax stamps for the coming year, bringing total take of the new tax to about $215 million.
If figures remain steady, the tax will continue to bring in about $700 million each year, as opposed to less than $500 million before the tax increase.
Kicking costly habit
Kathy Drea, public policy director for the American Lung Association, said cigarette tax increases often prompt smokers to kick their habit for good. She also said the higher the cost for cigarettes, the less likely teens will start smoking.
When there is a tax increase, the volume of calls to the Lung Association's Illinois Tobacco Quitline also increases, she said. Drea added that even though revenue is pouring in for the state, it does not mean people aren't quitting.
"People want to quit," she said. "(The tax increase) makes them think about it twice."
Diane Moore of Brighton said she considered quitting after the tax increase but opted instead to cross the Clark Bridge to St. Charles County to stock up on cartons of Doral. She pays $21.46 a carton at the Fisca gas and convenience store in West Alton. Dorals average about $27 a carton in Illinois.
"I save on gas here, too, so it's well worth it," Moore said. A gallon of regular gasoline at Fisca was $1.76 on Friday, about 14 cents cheaper than in Illinois.
Fisca manager Randall Brown said the tax increase in Illinois "was the best thing ever for our business."
"I wish they'd raise it again," Brown said. "Our business is up 30 to 40 percent since the tax hike."
A Peoria smoker, John Quinlan, 49, was installing a new ATM at Fisca on Friday morning.
His work brings him to Missouri twice a month.
"I resent that Illinois is balancing the budget on smokers' backs," said Quinlan, who favors Marlboros. "I refuse to buy (cigarettes) in Illinois. And I think anybody who does is a fool."
Paul Hampel of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Reporter Kate Thayer
Phone: 217-782-4912

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/metroeast/story/991B40CB92D5887786256F8A00376C72?OpenDocument&Headline=In

+Illinois,+cigarette+tax+hike+hasn%E2%80%99t+hurt+sales

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buyers to cough up tax -NY

By Reuters January 14, 2005,

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday that smokers who bought cigarettes over the Internet had better be prepared to cough up taxes they tried to avoid by going online.

"The law says you got to pay your taxes. The handful of people who don't are just stealing from the rest of us," Bloomberg said in a weekly radio address.

The city's finance department this week sent letters to 3,700 smokers asking them to fork over $1.3 million in city taxes from Internet tobacco purchases.

The annual loss to the city from online tobacco sales totals $40 million, according to Joanna Perlman, a finance department spokeswoman. Some individuals owed as much as $10,000.

"If you have a bill for $10,000 for cigarette taxes, you're a dealer, you're not just smoking," Bloomberg said.

"The finance commissioner is required by the city charter to enforce the law. It's against the law to buy something out of state and bring it in and avoid sales tax," he said.

http://news.com.com/N.Y.+asks+online+cigarette+buyers+to+cough+up+tax/2100-1030_3-5537213.html

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Governor Mike Easley takes the oath of office Saturday -NC

By: Tim Boyum & Web Staff 1/14/2005

Saturday morning Governor Mike Easley takes the oath of office for his second term.

Easley beat Patrick Ballentine convincingly in the November election. He also enjoys a General Assembly controlled by fellow Democrats.

Four years ago Mike Easley walked into office facing a major budget crunch. This time he faces another shortage, close to $1 billion.

“I think the major thing he's going to do in his second term is continue to do what he did with the Dell deal which is bringing new business to North Carolina,” David McLennan, Peace College political expert, said.

Beyond business, Easley made early education his priority in his first term. Political experts believe he'll focus on high schools in his second term.

“I heard a legislator the other day say’ that's all I ever hear from him education, education, education,’” Ferrell Guillory, UNC political expert said. “The legislator was grumbling because he wanted to