November 26, 2001  

Minnesota City Passes The Buck - Hibbing officials have opted out of the debate on smoking prohibition.  Claiming that the state is best able to decide whether to ban smoking or not, the city government will not consider legislation to ban smoking in restaurants but will urge the state to set the smoking policy for all of Minnesota.

Anti-tobacco special interest groups have been swarming throughout the state, taking their divisive prohibitionist agenda from town to town.  Their bully tactics have succeeded in a few locations but in general they have been rebuffed.  Transferring the issue from localities to the state will enable anti-tobacco to concentrate on the legislature which could result in a California-type ban that has been disastrous for countless small businesses.  On the plus side, state legislatures are less easily bullied than are small towns subjected to an onslaught of smoke hysteria and the abusive tactics employed by anti-tobacco.

November 14, 2001  

Smoking Resumes As Taliban Flees.  The New York Times reports that celebrations are breaking out in the Afghanistan territories liberated from the Taliban.  In Taloqan the people are throwing off the restrictions that have governed the most intimate aspects of their lives.

"Men tossed their turbans into the gutters.  Families dug up their long-hidden television sets.  Restaurants blared music.  Cigarettes flared, and young men talked of growing their hair long."

Anti-tobacco is anti-freedom and anti-life.  Rendering New York Times pundit Thomas L. Friedman's insane analogy of smokers-as-terrorists even more absurd, the liberated Afghanis demonstrate that anti-tobacco is just one more component of totalitarianism, one they are eager to flush.

November 2, 2001  

NO NEW TOBACCO TAXES - The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Lt. Governor Corrine Wood will refuse to raise taxes should she be elected governor of Illinois next year.  She also vows to push for a constitutional amendment that mandates a three-fifths majority approval in each house for any tax increase.  Sin taxes will not be exempt from Wood's pledge.

"I would not make an exception," she said. "As popular as it might be to increase taxes on liquor, tobacco and gaming, it is still a tax increase."

 October 29, 2001

KUDOS TO THE RED CROSS - Two weeks ago a suspicious package was delivered to a workplace in Maine, on which was a powdery substance was noticed.  The facility was shut down while the fire department, police and the FBI investigated.  The employees had to shower twice and could not leave the building.  A few hours later the Red Cross arrived bearing pizza, soft drinks, coffee and cigarettes.  The frazzled employees, awaiting release in the gym, gratefully  lit up their smokes, enjoyed their food and blessed the Red Cross.

October 29, 2001  

GOOD FOR BUSINESS?  IN A PIG'S EYE - In the October 28 edition of the Kansas City Star, the president of the Food & Beverage Association of San Diego County reports that there are more California state liquor licenses available than there are people willing to buy them.  Until the bar smoking ban went into effect, liquor licenses were worth their weight in gold.  Now, after hundreds of bars have gone out of business, the state can't give the licenses away since anti-tobacco's promise that non-smokers would flock to the smoke-free bars has not materialized.

October 29, 2001

NO TO STATE SMOKING BAN - Associated Press reports that Governor Mike Huckabee did NOT approve the statewide smoking ban approved by the health council.  The Governor said in essence that education is better than prohibition. He apparently also believes in private property rights for business owners.

October 29, 2001

PAYBACK'S A BITCH - Several years ago North Miami, Florida made a decision to refuse to hire smokers.  The policy was challenged but upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.  The city manager who spearheaded the North Miami job discrimination rule contacted Action on Smoking and Health for assistance in defending the city in court.  More than $22,000 of city money was spent denying smokers from seeking employment.

Flash forward.  The city manager seeks a better job in another Florida city and is one of six finalists for the position.  Local residents contact that city's mayor and city council informing them of the job applicant's unsavory connection to the radical ASH as well has his involvement in job discrimination.  The North Miami city manager is dropped from consideration for the job.

October 15, 2001

OBESE EPIDEMIC IN CHINA - [Press release 079909 01/10/01 Tuesday] - "Within ten years there could be over 200 million obese in China - a problem that has become the greatest public health policy challenge in China. The figure, that is the equivalent of the population of Germany, Great Britain, and France, could even be higher. Last June the World Health Organisation has stated that one third of the Chinese population is obese, and that the average weight of the people grows faster than in other area of the world." Now, put it together with the information above, and the picture is clear.

October 11, 2001

Massachusetts City Sees The Light - The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported Tuesday that the city council and the board of health see no reason to enact the sort of smoking bans that have been infecting Massachusetts.  Some great quotes from Selectman E. Lee Bombria IV:

“I think capitalism is the best regulation for that. If people don't like it (smoking) then they don't (have to) patronize the establishment.  We always claim to be pro-business, and I think that that (a smoking ban) is counter to that, if you're trying to cause unnecessary regulation that the general public isn't requesting or other (town) offices aren't requesting. I don't see that something like that is a selectman's responsibility. We want to help our businesses be as strong as they can.”

Would that all politicians had such rational thought processes.

September 17, 2001

CURBS ON SMOKING IN PRIVATE VEHICLES SOUGHT - According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Wednesday, September 12, while the American people were in shock and mourning, the Health and Human Services in Salt Lake City were meeting to find another way to persecute smokers! This time they would like to fine people who light up in a car with people who are under 19.

September 14, 2001

SMOKING ORDINANCE IN MINNESOTA REJECTED - The burning issue of smoking in Hutchinson restaurants and bars was apparently snuffed out, at least for now, when the Hutchinson City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday to reject a proposed ordinance that would have banned smoking in all restaurants and bars except for private clubs.

August 17, 2001

SMOKERS LAWSUIT MOVES FORWARD - The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of FORCES Action Project and hundreds of smokers challenging the legality of the tobacco settlement.  The ruling allows the plaintiffs to proceed with the class action suit which seeks to cut the price of tobacco products by half.

"This is welcome news for smokers, as well as all Americans, who are fed up with the shakedown of a huge segment of the population", said Enoch Ludlow, President of FORCES, Inc.  "The tobacco settlement is an affront to the principles upon which this country was founded and an unfair attack upon people whose only offense is to enjoy a product deemed politically incorrect."

For more information about the Smokers' Class Action Suit, click here.

August 13, 2001

Comprehensive New Study Finds Michigan Ranks 47th in Nation in Workplace Smoking Protections, Reports Tobacco-Free Michigan Action Coalition
Gains in Smoke-Free Workplaces Said Slowing

"Many states make progress but nearly one-third of American workers still unprotected", American workers still unprotected", squack propaganda articles like the ones reported. Just a few short comments on these ones: there is nothing to protect against, as there is no danger in passive smoke. It is a fraud created to induce smokers to use the deadly pharmaceutical cessation products. The dangers of passive smoke are a scientific fraud, and those who say there are dangers are either incompetent, or liars. For ample scientific information on the passive smoke fraud, click here. The good news is that "smoker-free" workplaces "gains" are slowing down. It is always a pleasure to see the work on con men in trouble, as we can happily do without that kind of "progress". Keep on smoking: don't believe their lies.

July 10, 2001

Pro-Pot ASH - The Observer reports Sunday that Action on Smoking and Health, United Kingdom is calling for the legalization of marijuana.  Calling policies on tobacco, soft and hard drugs irrational, ASH appears to be trolling for support from pro-pot interests which, irrationally, are often rabidly anti-tobacco.  ASH hedges its bets by calling for the legalization of cannabis only in its non-smokeable forms.  It's unclear why the views of ASH were sought and why on earth its musings are relevant to this subject.

July 6, 2001

Smoking Bans Preempted - KATU news, Portland, reports that the Oregon state senate approved a bill that prevents localities from banning smoking in restaurants and bars.  Those few localities that have already banned smoking in bars and restaurants will be allowed to let their laws stand, although pressure will be mounted locally to water these laws down.  The governor has said he will sign the bill.

July 6, 2001

Cheaper Smokes - Bloomberg News reports that Philip Morris will cut wholesale prices of its cigarettes.  The move is due to the company's declining share in the booming US cigarette market.  Rival R.J. Reynolds has been increasing its share through offering price discounts.

July 3, 2001

Delaware Ban Postponed - Despite an intense PR and lobbying effort by anti-tobacco, the Delaware legislature has decided to postpone voting on a California-type smoking ban bill.  Legislators were flooded with protests by residents and promises not to visit Delaware by out-of-staters.  Delaware has a thriving tourism industry that would be devastated by the smoking ban.  Local pro-liberty activists were key in postponing discussion of this bill and could be instrumental in driving a stake through its heart.  Although the ban may rear its ugly head in January of next year, with the ending of the legislative year, Delaware has beaten anti-tobacco this year. 

June 26, 2001

No Statewide Ban...Yet - The New York Times regretfully reports that a bill prohibiting smoking in restaurants throughout New York State will most likely not make it through the legislative process this year.  The anti-tobacco rag holds out hope that such a bill will be enacted in the future.  The Times is gleeful that the sponsors for this bill are New York Republicans who not long ago were opposed to onerous regulations.  Although anti-tobacco has no real constituency and cannot drum up any block of voters, the Republicans in New York are willing to trash property rights in an ultimately futile attempt to garner the praise of the "progressive" elite.

June 12, 2001

Lay Off The Teachers, Replace With Anti-Tobacco Flacks - The Rockland County (NY) legislature just voted "overwhelmingly" to hire four new employees for the sole purpose of doing anti-tobacco work. The county budgeted $190,691 for these workers. [Source: "County to hire 4 anti-tobacco workers," Jeremy Wallace, The Journal News, 6/6/01].  That works out to $47,670 per worker. Keep in mind that few public school teachers get this much money even after teaching for years, nor do entry-level police or college professors.  Even if that figure includes benefits the county will pay, it's still more than the cost of new teachers and police personnel. 

And what will these new workers have to do? What all paid anti workers do: Attend meetings near and far (all expenses paid by local and national taxpayers, of course, sit on their butts and think up new ways to make smokers' lives miserable, and arrange little anti propaganda parties and projects for school kids to brainwash them.   Not a a bad job if you can stomach being a brown shirt. Of course, in many areas these sorts of workers are already anti-tobacco workers hired by the American Cancer Society (or ALA) who just switch over to the county or state payroll.

June 7, 2001

Public Hates Iowa Anti-tobacco Ads - Protests are arising from Iowa's decision to attack chewing tobacco with gruesome billboard images of open sores instead of lips on the faces of those who chew the stuff.  The protests are from adults but the kids are laughing like hell.

June 6, 2001

Connecticut Kills Smoking Ban  - Lost in the shuffle is some good news from Connecticut.  Anti-tobacco earlier this year had convinced a few knuckle-headed legislators that what the state really needed was a good strong dose of California's patented intolerance and foolishness.  A flurry of anti-smoker bills hit the bill mill, the most irritating being a smoking ban that would have been right at home in Berkeley or Santa Monica.  Late last month the restaurant/bar smoking ban was killed by the Judiciary Committee.  Thumbing their noses at anti-tobacco the legislators had the guts to place the interest of the citizens of Connecticut above the financial interests of the prohibition crowd.

May 14, 2001

Another Federal Cigarette Tax In The Works  - One of the landmines left by the Clinton Administration could explode in the faces of America's 60 million smokers.  A commission the former President established recommends that a 17 cent-per-pack tax be enacted to be used to pay tobacco farmers to stop growing the crop. Although President Bush, as well as the Republican controlled congress, are said to be opposed to any tax increase on any segment of the population, the lobbying efforts of the anti-tobacco enterprise pushing the tax will be intense.

May 3, 2001

Maine Butt Bill Is Dead  - When a Maine legislator proposed tacking on  5 cents per cigarette as a deposit to prevent littering, the nation guffawed.  Visions of people pushing wheelbarrows full of butts to recycling centers provided joke fodder to late night comedians.  The chuckling obscured the real reason for the law which was to provide money for the anti-tobacco enterprise without the painful necessity of actually raising the cigarette tax.  The legislators in Maine weren't fooled and have overwhelmingly rejected the Butt Bill.  Expect a push to raise the state's cigarette tax shortly.

APRIL 23, 2001

Big Tobacco Wins Again   - The tobacco industry has prevailed in another sick-smoker case, with the Indiana Supreme Court upholding a jury verdict dating back to 1996.  Reuters reported April 18 that the family of smoker Richard Rogers sued the industry, claiming that cigarette companies sold an addictive product that caused Rogers' cancer. A jury found in favor of the industry, but the plaintiffs appeals to the state Supreme Court, saying that the judge in the case improperly communicated with the jury.

The high court agreed with lawyers for the industry, who said the jury was unaffected by the judge's action and deliberated for seven more hours after he replied to a query from jurors.

APRIL 17, 2001

The word is getting out   - A story in the San Francisco Examiner reports a downturn in the city's hotel, restaurant and service industries.  Hotels are suffering a 26 percent vacancy rate while some restaurants report  significant drops in business.  This story follows on the heel of a San Francisco Chronicle account of a rah-rah speech Mayor Willie Brown delivered to convention planners where he extolled the "any thing goes" atmosphere supposedly permeating the city's atmosphere.  Since enjoying a smoke in the bars frequented by tourists is completely forbidden in "America's favorite city", the convention planners knew full well they were being fed a load of bull.  The California travel, convention and hospitality industries do not mention the 100 percent smoking ban in their travel brochures but over time the word is leaking out that San Francisco, as well as the entire state, is very unfriendly to smokers.  When a quarter of the population, and higher percentages of foreigners, are treated like scum, it's not surprising that they take their dollars to locations where they can have a good time and be treated with respect.

FEBRUARY 28, 2001

Where did the customers go?   - The operator of Coco's and Carrows, restaurant chains headquartered in Irvine, California, has filed bankruptcy.  The restaurants were acquired in 1996 by Advantica Restaurant Group of South Carolina which was unable to make the restaurants profitable in California where smoking in banned.    Advantica's core restaurant, Denny's, is doing well and provides smoking sections where allowed.  Carrows, especially, made it very uncomfortable for smokers by putting them in the bar at small cocktail tables for dinner, prior to the smoking ban because of complaints by the anti-tobacco operatives.  Looks like Carrows didn't know how to cater the right sort of clientele.

FEBRUARY 13, 2001

This time Philip Morris is on board   - Three U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate cigarettes, a scheme that former President Clinton attempted to impose.  His effort met defeat by the Supreme Court last March. This time, instead of vigorously opposing this unwarranted intrusion, Philip Morris says FDA regulation "is an idea whose time has come".  Why the change of heart?  Could it be that PM's support of the FDA's authority to regulate so-called safer cigarettes and internet sales is motivated more by devotion to its bottom line than to any epiphany that now is the time to massage its critics?  RJ Reynolds may be poised to market Eclipse, its non-combustible cigarette and Brown and Williamson is currently developing an internet direct sales program.  PM's support for legislation that hampers its competitors looks less like corporate altruism than old fashion empire building.