Florida
Floridians,
demand real local control for smokefree air!
Florida's enclosed workplaces, including restaurants and public places, are 100% smokefree as of July 1, 2003 as a result of a state constitutional amendment. Bars are exempt from the smokefree requirements. Florida law still preempts local governments from enacting smokefree regulations, stating, "This legislation expressly preempts regulation of smoking to the state and supersedes any municipal or county ordinance on the subject."
Check
out our fact sheet, Preemption
of Smokefree Air Laws in Florida.
See the local
control resolution adopted by Cape Canaveral, FL
Read more about current tobacco-related legislation in Florida.
ANR has additional information on Florida economic impact and public opinion data.
2013 State Legislative Session: 3/5/2013 - 5/3/2013
State Quitline Number: 1-877-U-CAN-NOW (822-6669)
State Law Information and Compliance Complaints: 1-800-3FRESH-AIR or 1-800-337-3742
American
Cancer Society Quitline: 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
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Smokefree & Related News
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Local
Area Continues Fight Against Flavored Tobacco Jury
awards Delray Beach man $1.2M from tobacco companies for wifes death
from smoking Smoking
on Public Property: Legislature Ignores Harm Outdoor smoking bans are seen by some people as an intrusion on individual rights. However, it's important to note that the restrictions involve parks and ...
Students
debate smoke-free campus …Soon, however, smokers at Florida State University will be forced to leave campus to smoke, as FSU has just become one of the 783 tobacco-free campuses across the country. The policy, which will go into effect in January 2014, is part of a health initiative to make FSU a more health-focused campus. … Daytona
State holds final vote on smoke-free campus SSC
goes smoke-free, approves affiliation agreements with CVS, Walgreen Palmetto
pushes state for candy tobacco restrictions FAMU's
tobacco-free policies help students to breathe easy Many people say it's disgusting to see a tobacco-free commercial of a woman who has no teeth and a hole in her throat as she battles with oral and throat cancer ...
Holy
e-smokes! Some businesses allow vaping cigarettes in workplace With the growing trend of electronic cigarettes, a few Southwest Florida businesses are allowing vaping in the workplace. Safety Harbour Insurance Inc., which serves Lee and Collier counties, allows its employees to e-puff away at work. “We absolutely l UF
celebrates five years of tobacco-free campus Florida
Smoking Ban Smoldering, Nearly Snuffed Out Smoking
Ban Bill Stalls in Subcommittee Housing
authority battles bedbugs, may ban smoking Milton
goes tobacco free October 1st Health
briefs: Tobacco Free Florida week begins April 6 Flavored
cigars still on store counters despite Treasure Coast ... Florida
ruling could force tobacco sector's hand in Engle cases FSU
to Become Smoke-Free Campus Editorial:
Stealing control Campus
to become tobacco-free: Trustees approve smoking ban, plan to raise
FSU’s ranking Florida
Top Court Affirms Ruling Enabling Tobacco Suits Smoking
Bans Finding Opposition Smoke
ban bill gets split vote Will
Smoking Keep You From Getting Hired? Smoking
in Public Areas: Clear The Air Orlando
Health to start tobacco-free hiring policy Editorial:
Leave smokers alone Clearing
up the public smoke Palm
Coast City Council takes on tobacco Bill
would bring back beach smoking ban Beach
smoking ban bill clears first test Black
Diamond Casino Cruises cancels trips Gulfport
lifts smoking ban on beach, in city parks Daytona
State to reconsider tobacco policy Senate
committee reviews outdoor smoking ban Gulfport
will no longer issue citations for beach smoking Protecting
Renters From Secondhand Smoke Beach
Smoking Ban Lifted Barry
Hummel: Fight for right to be smoke-free Hager's
Bill Could Ban Smoking At The Beach Outdoor
smoking bans may be coming to South Florida beaches ... Bill
would allow smoking ban in parks, playgrounds Broward
survey finds smokers want smoke-free housing Poll:
Does smoke-free housing appeal to you? VIDEO:
Do smokers like smoke? Council
Poised to End Beach Smoking Ban Gulfport
Rescinds Smoking Ban on Beach, Asks For Permission to ... Campus
officials say smoke free is the way to be Lyons:
Anti-smoking crusaders went too far Clear
the public's air: Legislature should help reinstate smoking bans at
beaches and parks County
Can't Ban Smoking at Public Beaches, Commission Told Tobacco
Free Florida offers help to smokers HCC
Campuses Go Tobacco-Free Solutions
to Seeping Secondhand Smoke $39M
verdict against tobacco co. reversed in Fla. EDITORIAL:
It's Time For Disney To Ban Smoking Campus
Smoking Ban: A Secondhand Student Health Issue Great
American Smokeout – Nov. 15 Movers
& Shakers: Changes at Tobacco Free Florida and State ... Future
of campus smoking rights cloudy Letter:
We need to stop people from smoking on the beach Agencies
Join Tobacco Free Partnership To Work For A Butt Free Hollywood Beach Seminole
County schools have gone tobacco free "Staff is instructed to not be confrontational, but give the card
to them and let them know we're a tobacco-free campus," Reichert
said. He said that the ... Manatee's
$30,000 grant designed to convert properties to "smoke-free" A $30,000 grant has been awarded to the Manatee County Health Department
to promote smoke-free policies in multiunit apartments, condos and dormitories. County
offers landlords help in going 'smoke-free' Bay
Pines VA tightens tobacco rules Housing
Authority units to become smoke-free Smoking
ban enforcement begins
The tobacco-smoke free regulation prohibited the use of any smoking or tobacco ... Several other colleges and universities in Florida have enacted a ban on .. HCC
Campuses To Be Tobacco-Free With Start of New Year Fla.
Supreme Court hearing argument in 1st tobacco case since justices voided
class-action Push
for tobacco-free schools on backburner Local anti-drug groups likely won't be pushing to have all school sites become tobacco-free in light of state officials removing the measure from its list of priorities ... Holly
Hill snuffs out park smoking University
of Central Florida becomes smoke-free today Attitudes
toward outdoor smoking ban at Moffitt Cancer Center evaluated Golisano
Children's Museum of Naples bans smoking Tampa
Palms game room goes smoke-free Second-hand
smoke creating a stink Smoke Free Housing is a 63 page compilation of material that includes
specific ... Smoke-free housing saves on property maintenance costs
from cleaning and ... Signs
to thank visitors for not smoking in parks Oakland Park, the latest to tackle secondhand smoke, is erecting "Young
Lungs at Work: Thank You for Not Smoking" signs near playgrounds,
picnic areas and ... Jacksonville
colleges vary in smoking rules Jacksonville's colleges and universities are a mixed bag of smoking
regulations. …In 2008, the college received the Tobacco-Free Jacksonville
Empty Ashtray Award, ... We're pushing toward becoming a totally tobacco-free
campus," said Blake ... $75
Million Expansion Makes Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino ... Grow Financial recently implemented a new smoke-free campus. As of
July 1, all Grow Financial locations became tobacco and smoke-free environments
at the ... Students
Working Against Tobacco commend Speedway for smoke ... ... our fans from tobacco smoke and are showing young fans that smoking
is no longer ... “We should never underestimate the dangers of
secondhand smoke. … Daytona
Speedway to make grandstands smoke-free He is a spokesman for Tobacco Free Florida. The grandstands will officially
be smoke-free starting with the Subway Jalapeo 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
on July ... Lawsuit
Challenges Smoking Ban
The Gulfport City Council will meet to discuss a lawsuit filed by St. Petersburg attorney Andy Strickland regarding the ticket he received for smoking on the beach.
Daytona
speedway grandstands now smoke-free Fans at Daytona International Speedway will no longer be allowed to smoke in the grandstands.
Teens
applaud Speedway for smoking ban in grandstands Teens applaud Speedway for smoking ban in grandstands ... Starting with events July 6 and during the Coke Zero on July 7, smoking in the track grandstands ... Tobacco
Free Leon looking for volunteers Tobacco Free Leon Partnership is seeking dynamic community members,
organizations, local businesses, and any other persons or groups to
get involved. Anti-Tobacco
Organization Encourages Smoke Free Rentals In an effort to decrease and eventually eliminate health issues caused
by secondhand smoke, the Tobacco Free Partnership of Jackson County
is asking those who live in apartments to encourage the management and
ownership of the rentals to provide units that are completely smoke-free.
... Board
urging officials to ban cigarettes on beach If smoking can't be banned at the beach, Katz said he would like to
see a "smoking ... urging Tallahassee to permit local governments
to enact smoking bans. Family
loss prompts owners to make sports bar smoke free ...A recent change was a tough one for Trish because it was prompted
by the loss of her mother. "In February I decided to make Connolly's
smoke free," she said. "After my mother passed away from lung
cancer, my kids begged me to make the place smoke free. They really
voiced their concerns, and how could I say no to them? Plus it is nice
to leave work and not smell like smoke." For years Connolly's was
one of the only establishments in the area that could still allow smoking
inside. "We were grandfathered in when the laws changed,"
she said. Trish said that although she has gotten some backlash from
regulars she has also had new customers thank her for making the place
smoke free. The plan, she said, is to add an outdoor patio where customers
can still smoke. … Comissioners
Attempt To Ban Flavored Tobacco MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The future of flavored tobacco products being sold
in Miami-Dade County may not be so sweet. On Tuesday the Miami-Dade
commissioners will take a preliminary vote on a measure which would
make it illegal to sell flavored chewing tobacco and cigars like blueberry,
peach, grape, strawberry and others. … Menthol, mint and wintergreen flavors would be exempt. Federal law
outlawed the sale of candy-flavored cigarettes in 2009. But some local
governments felt ... Armed with statistics that show 90 percent of cigarette smokers start
before age 18, a group of Lee Middle School students is pressing the
Manatee school board to declare all of the county's schools "tobacco-free"
campuses. … Bal
Harbour restricts sale of candy tobacco By Rodolfo Roman The Village Council unanimously approved a resolution
on April 17 prohibiting the sale and marketing of all flavored tobacco
products at ... Instead, commissioners voted 7-0 to expand a pilot program designating
parks as smoke-free zones from five parks including the downtown
plaza to all ... Local
Apartment Complex Goes Smoke-Free A local apartment complex is now smoke- free. Tobacco free Florida
believes it's the first in North Florida to have such strict smoking
policies. Oakland
Park to consider smoking ban in parks 'Smoke
In' Results in Second Citation for Attorney New
USF rules puts damper on smoking FSCJ
votes to go completely smoke free In an effort to make the Florida State College of Jacksonville campus a healthier place to work and learn, the school voted on a drastic change. And it has many students fuming. … The Board of Trustees voted Tuesday that beginning March 1 of next year, this campus will go completely smoke free. "I pay money to go to school here… Smoke-free
cities, schools get Orange health awards Jupiter
Medical Center goes tobacco free Effective May 1, Jupiter Medical Center is implementing a tobacco
free policy. … The majority of the hospitals in Palm Beach and
Martin counties have voluntarily adopted 100 percent tobacco free policies
in an effort to promote the ... Smoking
ban in city parks, downtown plaza still up in the air The possibility of a smoking ban for the downtown Bo Diddley Community
Plaza and city parks remains up in the air. … In 2009, the federal
government banned the sale of candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes but
that prohibition did not apply to other tobacco products. … The fourth annual Tobacco Free Florida week is underway, from March
26 - April 1, the prevention campaign is raising awareness about tobacco
use, ... Daytona
State votes down smoke-free campus The majority of the Daytona State College board of trustees voted today against a new policy that would have prohibited smoking and tobacco use on its six campuses in Volusia and Flagler counties. ... concern that such a policy was going too far in infringing on people's rights. … Nationally, more than 640 colleges and universities have some type of smoke-free or tobacco-free policy, including about 10 in Florida, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation in California. Daytona
Speedway to ban smoking Daytona
State, Stetson considering smoke and tobacco-free campuses … Smoke-free and tobacco-free policies are a national trend in
recent years. More than 640 colleges and universities nationally have
policies, including 10 at Florida colleges and universities, such as
the University of Florida, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights
Foundation, a California-based group. … Smoking
banned on campus Tobacco
Free Florida Unveils User-friendly Online Tools with New Website The Florida Department of Health's Tobacco Free Florida has launched
a new and improved website with valuable tools and resources for Floridians,
... Barry
Hummel: Smoking bill merits hearing I recently heard state Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, on a syndicated,
national radio talk show discussing his effort to undo a statewide ban
on “dwarf-tossing.” … Meanwhile, there is a bill before
the House Community and Military Affairs Subcommittee (HB 143), chaired
by Workman, which is designed to do away with a far more pressing regulation,
which affects every citizen in Florida and potentially could impact
tourism statewide. However, Workman is keeping the bill off his committee’s
agenda. This regulation is a clause in the Florida Clean Indoor Air
Act (FCIAA) that mandates how every local community in Florida must
handle outdoor smoking. As written, the FCIAA “expressly pre-empts
regulation of smoking to the state and supersedes any municipal or county
ordinance on the subject.” This means smoking is allowed in every
outdoor location in the state, including parks, playgrounds and beaches.
Why is this important? Because the current FCIAA does not allow communities
to make common-sense decisions about smoking based on local needs. ... Protesters
Light Up at 'Smoke In' on Gulfport Beach Miami-Dade
parks go smoke-free Policy
bans all tobacco on all county property By ED BALDRIDGE SEBRING -- Commissioners discussed a new policy Tuesday
that bans all tobacco use on all county property including boat ramps,
parks, ... Cities
aim to ban smoking Cigarette smoking in public parks could be banned if the ... the gun
on tobacco regulation, instituting their own smoking bans that will
... Gulfport
bans smoking on beach, parks, other areas Multi-Unit
Housing Smoke-Free Initiative A new statewide push aims to protect non-smokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke, meaning smokers could be told not to light up in their own apartments. ... How
Will Officials Enforce the Smoking Ban? Five
Years Later: A Look at Tobacco Control in Florida Florida
prison smoking amended to exclude employees, others ... But inmates are still banned from smoking under the new policy put in place by ... principles and instead use the heavy hand of government banning. ... Rep.
Passidomo proposes giving cities, counties authority to outlaw smoking
at public sites Perspective:
Local governments, not state, should have final say ... No
More Smoking in Florida Prisons The ban was ordered by former Corrections Secretary Edwin Buss, who banned tobacco as corrections chief in Indiana in the mid-1990s. Proposed bill would give cities say on smokingHouse bill would allow locals to ban smoking on the beach Beaches Leader (Jacksonville Beach, FL), 2011-09-28 A bill introduced into the Florida House of Representatives may allow individual cities and counties to designate smoke-free zones or ban smoking all together on public property... Gulfport
Moves Forward With Proposed Smoking Ban on Beaches, Play ... More
Orange County cities consider smoking resolution City
Council To Light-Up Discussion On Proposed Beach Smoking Ban Orlando
Council Passes Resolution To Limit Smoking Orlando
to Ban Smoking in Parks and Playgrounds? Soon you may have to butt out - *outdoors* in Orlando. Lawmakers are
considering a plan to ban smoking in some parks and playgrounds. However,
it's getting bad reviews from some businesses. ... Gulfport
vice-mayor David Hastings wants ordinance prohibiting ... Economic
impact of smoking ban in Orlando has positive side
CEBALLOS:
Secondhand smoke is first-rate problem Some people have proposed the idea of designated smoking areas as a possible solution. This would require public locations to set up shelters that will need to be cleaned on a regular basis. … Florida's enclosed workplaces, including restaurants and public places, are smoke-free because of a state constitutional amendment passed in 2003, according to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights. … Sarasota
bans smoking in public parks Port
St. Lucie restricts smoking in city parks What
Sarasota Patch is Covering This Week USF
to ban smoking on most of Tampa campus She attended a community college with a partial smoking ban and found
it annoying. "I don't like being around sick people," Dearden
said. "We don't have sick zones." Others say they'll live
with the new rules. Robert Ebert, 53, works in maintenance and … Parks
& Rec Board Recommends Smoking Ban in Public Parks Florida
Department of Corrections facilities to be tobacco-free Tobacco-Free
Lee Coalition meeting March 16 New
Data Shows Tobacco Prevention Program Helped Produce 500,000 Fewer Smokers
and Save $1 Billion in Health Care Costs According to new data, Floridians are paying $1 billion less in smoking-caused
health care costs and there are more than 500,000 fewer smokers in the
state since the Florida Department of Health's Tobacco Free Florida
(TFF) program was created by voters in 2006. ... Sarasota
Housing Authority bans smoking in units Following a national movement to curb secondhand smoke in public housing
units, the agency charged with housing Sarasota's poorest families has
banned smoking at more than 500 of its homes. ... Tobacco
litigation pushes Shook Hardy toward record revenue Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP may inch its way to another record thanks in no small part to the old trick that made the Kansas City law firm one of the nation’s largest: tobacco litigation. Kansas City-based Shook Hardy could beat its revenue record of $330.5 million in 2009, but it depends on how bill collections go in the last two months of the year, firm Chairman John Murphy said. Although lawsuits against tobacco companies largely have fallen out
of the public eye in recent years, a flood of more than 8,000 lawsuits
is making its way through Florida courts, with Shook Hardy serving as
lead counsel for Philip Morris USA. ... Naples
mayor plans to get county legislative delegation involved smoking ban
NAPLES — A discussion about whether to ban smoking on Naples beaches could be heading to the state Legislature. Naples officials said Wednesday they plan to ask the county’s legislative delegation to work with them to change a state law that says who can regulate smoking. The law — dubbed the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act — has a section that “preempts regulation of smoking to the state and supersedes any municipal or county ordinance on the subject.” That preemption is believed to apply to all smoking laws, said City Attorney Bob Pritt, and it would make it easy to toss out a local law if it was contested in court. There are at least a dozen local governments in Florida that have banned smoking, Pritt said. Naples Mayor Bill Barnett said he wanted to request the help of the county’s legislative delegation, rather than going forward with a discussion about whether it was feasible to ban smoking on city beaches. “This is the real deal,” he said. “We want to change the statute, or at least have the Legislature tweak it. We want home rule. We want to make our own decisions." ... Venice
bans smoking at beaches and parks Sebastian
River Medical Center plans smoke-free facilities Nov. 1 Sebastian River Medical Center is going tobacco-free, campus wide on Nov. 1. As of that date, no tobacco use of any kind will be permitted inside or outside any of the hospital facilities. This initiative will include the elimination of designated smoking areas outside of the hospital, where employees, patients and visitors currently may use tobacco products. As a healthcare organization, committed to the health and safety of patients and the community, Sebastian River Medical Center has a responsibility to take a leadership role on this major health issue. The hospital’s goal is to treat the whole patient, both mentally and physically. Allowing patients to use tobacco products while undergoing medical care and treatment is contrary to the facility’s mission. ... The
Jackson County Commission Formally Adopted a Smoke- Workplace Policy
Smoking
still an issue at RTS bus stops The city-imposed smoking ban at Regional Transit System bus stops wasn't news to the people waiting at the Rosa Parks Downtown Station Thursday. But it didn't stop a handful of bus patrons from lighting up as they waited for their buses. And that didn't please Elizabeth Gaines, who suffers from asthma, one bit. "No one wants to smell that," said Gaines, who added she may carry a sign to protest smoking. RTS bus rider Elizabeth Gaines said, who also suffers from asthma.
Gaines says that she will be out with her own sign next time they protest
smoking ... Battle
Over Smoking in Condos Catches Fire in Florida If you can smell it, it can hurt you. That contention has churned up debate among condominium owners over the right to smoke cigarettes in one's own unit versus a neighbor's right to breathe clean air. Lawsuits are being filed around the nation, and some attorneys who represent Florida condominium associations say the issue could soon be coming to a court here. Coral Gables real estate agent Ana Anderson moved out of her Silver Palms condo last month because her neighbors' smoke was seeping into her walls and through her ventilation system. Minimally, Anderson wants to recoup the cost of medical bills, sealing off her apartment from smoke, and wages lost due to illness. She also wants Silver Palms to become a smoke-free building. She said she will sue if she has to and is in the process of hiring attorneys who are well-versed in the issues. Anderson now lives in the in-law quarters of a house she owns. It is smoke-free and she has control over the environment. Anderson became physically ill several days after her November move into her new condo. She muscled through her allergic reactions before asking the condo association for help to seal off smoke wafting in from two neighbors' apartments, one next door and one beneath her unit. Her neighbors at the Dadeland-area complex were sympathetic, and tried to remedy the situation but could not, she said. They washed down their walls with bleach, but fresh second-hand smoke kept pouring in, according to Anderson. Had her neighbors stopped smoking, the air would have cleared up in a very short while, she said. "I understand that people have a right to do what they want [in
their own homes] but here's the problem: I spent over $2,000 sealing
my apartment from smoke," Anderson said. ... Ordinance
would ban smoking on town property ORANGE PARK – Town Councilman Steve Howard wants to turn the council’s recently adopted no-smoking policy into an ordinance that would carry fines up to $100 for first offenses and $500 for repeat violations by citizens caught using any type of tobacco product on town property. Howard also wants signs prohibiting the use of tobacco products to be written in English only. The first-term councilman drafted his own ordinance before learning that such action should be handled by Town Attorney Rob Bradley. But after presenting his 4-page draft during an Orange Park Town council meeting on Tuesday, July 20, the council voted 4-1 to have Bradley write a proposed ordinance based on Howard’s draft. Bradley declined comment after Tuesday’s meeting, saying he needed
some time to study Howard’s proposal. ... Poll:
Should Naples ban smoking on public beaches? Orange
County: No more smoking outdoors The Orange County Health Department could be telling you no smoking outside. On March 19th Orange County was awarded a $6.6 million grant from the
Center for Disease Control (CDC). The grant is part of the CDC's Putting
Prevention to Work campaign. Dane Wiester of the Orange County Health
Department said that this whole process has just gotten started and
a lot of the details are still to be worked out. Their first official
meeting is set for Friday between the state controlled Orange County
Health Department and a few employees of the county. ... City
to discuss smoking in parks No one will stop you from lighting up, but smokers in West Melbourne parks might soon get disapproving looks from city officials. The West Melbourne City Council will consider tonight a resolution that discourages people from smoking or using other tobacco products in city parks. Mayor Hal Rose asked for the resolution after a student made a presentation to city leaders at the last meeting. "We need to provide a safe, clean environment for our youth. That's
why we provide these parks," he said. "Hopefully, the adults
won't smoke and the kids won't pick it up. And we can all lead a good,
long, healthy life. ... Tampa
Bay students arguing for anti-smoking bill TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Eight Tampa Bay high school students are in Tallahassee today to present an anti-smoking bill they wrote before Florida lawmakers. The students from Tampa Bay Tech, Durant High School and Bloomingdale High School go before the Senate Transportation Committee to argue their bill that would outlaw smoking in vehicles when children are present. The students hope to gain enough support that the bill will advance to the full Senate and pass in a vote. ... No
smoking on the beach: Latest Deerfield proposal less ambitious than
outright ban Instead, pending a vote by the commission Tuesday, 15 "no smoking" signs will be installed along the boardwalk and public beach between Southeast Seventh Street and Southeast Sixth Street to notify the public that no pipes, cigars or cigarettes "of any kind" are allowed to be used in those areas. But there's no way to enforce that law either. Compliance will be voluntary ... Smoking
In The Car Could Cost You The federal government finds developing kids exposed to second-hand smoke are at high risk of having weaker lungs or life-threatening illnesses. That's why lawmakers could move to slap a $100 fine on drivers caught puffing with a kid under 16 years old in the car. Smoking is already banned in schools and on playgrounds. Logic follows
the family car ought to be off limits too. “This is going to be a very controversial, hot issue,” said Sen. Victor Crist. The Tampa Republican is backing the bill in the Senate. By his own admission, the opposition will be tough. But he argues the facts are tougher.... Smoking
ban on beaches: Deerfield does not have authority to enact ban, city’s
top lawyer says "Until such time as state law is amended, the city has no authorization to ban outdoor smoking," General Counsel Sharon Cruz told city commissioners Tuesday night. Officials tabled discussion Tuesday until the March 23 meeting. ... Deerfield
Beach smoking ban at public beach considered for new law Deerfield Beach's proposed beach smoking ban is back before the city commission Tuesday. This time, the ordinance would allow tobacco users to light up on the sand only between lifeguard towers 7 and 8. Non-smokers could use the majority of the mile-long beach without being near second-hand smoke. ... Smoking
ban: Bars among target of smoking-ban effort Now, a new study by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that a growing number of states are allowing local communities to pass smoke-free laws that are stricter than state law. If that trend continues, Florida may soon join other states where smoking is outlawed in all public places and businesses - including bars. "It would kill off the bar business. End of story," predicted
Jordan. Meanwhile, the number of states with preemptive provisions in their smoke-free laws for all settings decreased from 15 to 8. "The tide is turning toward allowing smoke-free legislation at the local level," said Nikole Souder-Schale, southeastern regional vice president for advocacy for the American Heart Association. "You have more local elected officials who are interested in having stronger smoke-free laws for their communities." ... Delray
Medical Center bans smoking on grounds Delray Medical Center is enacting a permanent smoke break on its campus. With the move, the hospital joins Boca Raton Community Hospital as a smoke-free medical center. Effective immediately, no one is allowed to smoke on the Delray Medical Center grounds, 5352 Linton Blvd. The hospital said it's helping smokers quit and protecting others from secondhand smoke. Delray Medical Center officials are offering employees a free smoking-cessation course as well as online and telephone coaching. ... Boca
Raton Community Hospital to ban smoking Deerfield
Beach considering smoking ban on part of city's beach Deerfield Beach is considering a smoking ban for part of its mile-long beach and, if enacted, could fine violators $100. Other South Florida seaside cities have considered similar ordinances to prohibit secondhand smoke at the beach. But a 2005 Florida opinion written by then-Attorney General Charlie Crist says that state law pre-empts any city's efforts to regulate outdoor smoking. Deerfield Beach City Attorney Andrew Maurodis said the state opinion was "not binding, because it's an opinion, not law. But that's one of the issues we're exploring." The Deerfield Beach City Commission tabled the ordinance Tuesday night until Feb. 2. Commissioners wanted to know the exact areas where smoking would be banned and how it would be enforced. ... Southwest
Florida International Airport leaders OK outdoor smoking limits The indoor smoking ban at Southwest Florida International’s passenger terminal is going outdoors at certain points. Lee County commissioners this morning unanimously OK’d establishing marked no-smoking zones outside the airport’s terminal within 50 feet of the two main entry doors - numbered 2 and 5 - on both the first and second levels. The commissioners, sitting as the port authority board, followed last month’s recommendation of the Airports Special Management Committee, business people who advise commissioners on policy. ... Airport
committee: Total smoking ban 'not the right move' FORT MYERS: An airport advisory board with Southwest Florida International Airport agreed that a total smoking ban is not necessary. However, they did agree to make some changes. The airport attracts 15-million visitors every year and the decision could potentially affect about 3-million of them. In response to Lee County Commissioners' request to look at the possibility of a total smoking ban on the campus of the airport, members of the Southwest Florida International Airport Special Management Committee instead decided to recommend a compromise. "I think banning smoking is not the right move for us, at least not now," said Kitty Green, of the Management Committee. ... SWFL
Int'l to discuss smoking ban A possible smoking ban takes center stage at the airport today. Proposal
would extend UF smoking ban to Greeks The University of Florida's tobacco ban would apply to fraternities and sororities when it takes effect next year, under a proposal released Wednesday by the university. UF banned tobacco use in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium starting this season and on the property of health-related facilities starting Nov. 1. A university-wide ban is planned for July 1. The proposed regulation, which is scheduled to be considered next month by UF trustees, would prohibit smoking as well as the use of smokeless tobacco and electronic devices meant to simulate smoking. It would apply to university-owned land in Alachua County and Jacksonville. It also would apply to land occupied or controlled by fraternities and sororities recognized by UF, which includes property on and off campus. ... POLL:
Smoking ban proposal: Clean air ahead for Southwest Florida International
Airport? A ban couldn't come soon enough, he said, but he's hopeful a vote can
be held next month when the Board of Port Commissioners meets again. Airports'
smoking ban could go outside Burnt
Out | University of Miami takes first step in effort to start campus
... Smoking is now banned in and around the University of Miami's Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. UM opted to convert not only the building and medical center, but also the outside facilities into a smoke-free environment. "I think it makes sense banning smoking from the medical center, a place that is supposed to promote healthy behavior," said Gabriel Hernandez, a senior biology major at the University of Miami. The ban will include parking lots, garages, parked cars and the area
outside of the Medical Center, according to an article in the university's
student newspaper, The Miami Hurricane. ... Colleges
Nationwide Banning Tobacco On-Campus At Florida State, they can only settle down and light up in certain parts of campus. Throughout FSU's campus, green ash trays designate where smokers can light up. Black ash trays are placed throughout the school to prevent littering. But FSU is phasing in a plan to gradually make the campus more smoke free FSU Health Educator Kevin Frentz says, "We've decided to take a phased-in approach to it, so it's a phased transition and knowing there's a chance we'll never got to a tobacco-free campus, but then, that's the goal." Gradually more smoke free zones will be added to the campus. ... Smokers
may have fewer places to take a puff in Lee Lee
County leaders consider smoking ban outside libraries LEE COUNTY: Lee County leaders are considering a new smoking ban on the grounds of all public libraries. It's an idea that was first posed a few years ago and may now have the support to go all the way. There's one subject that gets Christine Kohler huffing and puffing. "It stinks! People who smoke stink!" she said. "I saw 6 people smoking. I said, 'I can't believe all these people are standing right at the front door.' It was a smoke screen she had to walk through and I felt that we shouldn't have to do that at public libraries." Kohler isn't alone in her battle against the butts. Lee County's library director is now looking into banning smoking from the campus of all 13 county libraries. ... Health
officials aim to ban smoking in Punta Gorda parks PUNTA GORDA: Punta Gorda's waterfront parks, sidewalks and bike paths help promote a healthy lifestyle. But the Charlotte County Health Department wants the city to do even more, and smokers may not like what they hear. "What we'd like to see is a system where we have tobacco-free parks," said Scot Hoverman, a tobacco policy consultant for the Charlotte County Health Department. While a smoking ban in parks is just talk right now, people on both sides are already sounding off. ... Hospitals’
smoking areas to disappear BRADENTON -- Health experts will tell you that smoking can earn you a trip to the hospital. But as of Tuesday, Manatee County's three hospitals will make sure you don't light up anywhere near their buildings. Manatee Memorial Hospital, Blake Medical Center and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center will go tobacco-free Tuesday, following the 2007 lead of hospitals and health departments in Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties. "It's been an ongoing process for the last two years," said Vernon DeSear, Manatee Memorial's vice president of marketing and business development. "The other (counties') hospitals did it back in 2007, and we've been catching up." Smoking has long been banned inside hospital buildings, but it was permitted outside. Manatee Memorial had two designated smoking areas outside its complex, DeSear said. Now, smoking and the use of any tobacco product will be prohibited everywhere on the hospital properties. ... Beach
explores storage, smoking limits PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The city is moving to limit the use of portable storage units on the property of homeowners, as well as place limits on smoking at Frank Brown Park. The City Council approved a new ordinance Thursday that would forbid portable containers for more than five days unless under emergency situations, such as a fire, hurricane or other natural disaster. They also asked city recreation director Mary Carmichael to research how other cities treat smoking at public parks, claiming the butts at Frank Brown Park were becoming unmanageable. ... NCH
facilities to go smoke-free on Nov. 19 Smoke
‘em if you’ve got ‘em: Southwest Florida hospitals soon
going tobacco-free Southwest Florida hospitals are going to help employees, patients and their families quit the habit. The NCH Healthcare System and Physicians Regional Healthcare System in Collier County are teaming up with the Lee Memorial Health System in Lee County to become tobacco-free campuses effective Nov. 19, which will be the Great American Smokeout Day in 2009. The unified effort began as a result of a conversation in January with the chief executive officer of Lee Memorial, and the NCH leadership was brought into the discussion, said Geoffrey Moebius, chief executive officer of Physicians Regional. "It is the right thing to do. Smoking can really have an impact on people's health," Moebius said. ... Put
down that cigarette! FAU is going tobacco-free BOCA RATON -- Multi-colored cigarette butts nestle among the decorative rock planting beds in front of Florida Atlantic University's main library. Despite two concrete ashtrays mere feet away from the building's entrance, the evidence of study-suspending smoke breaks and post-lunch puffs litters the ground. The trash is just one reason why universities throughout the country are going smoke-free - even tobacco-free - as the University of Florida announced Tuesday it would be by July 2010. While FAU officials would like to clear the campus air of smoke completely,
they're not there yet. But they are expecting to begin a new rule this
fall that will bar smoking within 100-feet of all school buildings. Banning smoking altogether on FAU's campus earned 65 percent positive votes. ... Swamp
to ban smoke Football fans will have to find a new way to relieve stress when the Gators are trailing during a game. The Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will kick off the campus-wide tobacco ban by prohibiting smoking, while all forms of tobacco will be banned at UF's Health Science Center and all Shands HealthCare buildings as of Nov. 1. As of the first home game, where the Gators will take on Charleston Southern University on Sept. 5, the Swamp will no longer offer its current four smoking areas and will become smoke free, said Chip Howard, associate athletic director of operations at the University Athletic Association. However, smokeless tobacco will still be allowed until July, when all of the UAA's facilities will ban all forms of tobacco in order to adhere with UF's campus-wide tobacco ban which will begin in July, Howard said. ... Designated
beach smoking area signs installed at area beaches SARASOTA - To reduce litter on the beautiful beaches throughout Sarasota County, both the County Commission and City Commission have adopted ordinances to allow the use of tobacco products in designated areas at public beaches. Beaches within the city of Sarasota will be marked with new signage
beginning Thursday, Aug. 6, notifying the public of the change. ... Edison
State Charlotte campus goes smoke free CHARLOTTE COUNTY: A Southwest Florida college campus is now entirely tobacco-free. Edison State College in Charlotte County created the smoking ban for anyone who steps on campus. The move makes the school Florida's first state-run college to put an end to smoking on school grounds. "This is not about assessing fines or implementing disciplinary actions," said Dr. Patricia Land, Edison State College's Charlotte Campus President. Land says the college was concerned about high school students taking
courses at Edison. ... UF
campus aims to be smoke-free by next summer The University of Florida's Health Science Center and Shands HealthCare facilities are banning tobacco use starting Nov. 1, while the entire campus plans to go tobacco-free next July. The policy, expected to be announced formally today, means smoking and other tobacco use will be prohibited both inside the facilities and on the university-owned property around them. "There are several benefits. One is the message it sends about our commitment to health," said Dr. David Guzick, UF's senior vice president of health affairs and president of the Shands system. ... 'Tobacco
Free Lee' coalition aims to curb smoking The Lee County Health Department is joining a statewide initiative to cut tobacco usage by forming a new coalition called "Tobacco Free Lee." The first Tobacco Free Lee meeting was held Wednesday morning at the new Lee County Health Department facility on Pondella Road after the state awarded the local agency a $600,000 grant. Its purpose is to bring together students, parents, officials from the business community and faith leaders to cut tobacco usage countywide. "We truly want to lower the numbers of youth who are starting smoking, and the women's issues are certainly of concern," said Brendan Donohue, tobacco program specialist for the health department. "We can develop programs targeted to the most vulnerable in our population, youth and pregnant women." ... Butt
out: Reaction strong as Bonita considers snuffing out smoking in parks
The Bonita Springs City Council will consider banning smoking in public parks, particularly in places where kids congregate, such as bleachers and near dugouts, as part of several updates to the city's parks ordinance. The issue is scheduled for a vote June 3. If passed, the changes would take effect a month later. Keith Larson, parks and recreation manager, said the ordinance was under review when the city received e-mails from the community with a strong message: "We don't want smoking around our children." The complaints have centered on one park -- Community Park, Larson said. ... Smoking
ban snuffed out for Palm Beach County beaches Loud
music could bring $150 fine Butt
ban banished But that doesn't mean county commissioners will stop trying to discourage the habit at their outdoor facilities. Turns out county officials can't ban smoking in public places under
current state statutes and case law, county attorney Sandy Minkoff told
commissioners Tuesday. Butt
ban considered for Lake parks One Lake County commissioner wants to clear the air around the county's almost two dozen parks. The move could make the county's parks the first regional parks to ban smoking. Commissioner Jimmy Conner suggested at a Friday county commission retreat meeting that Lake ban smoking at its public parks to keep second-hand smoke away from the children that use them. "Kids have the right to breathe clean air and not have to smell
second-hand smoke on the swing sets," Conner said. LETTER:
Finish the job: Ban smoking in bars I just returned from a week in New York City. It was so wonderful to meet friends and family, or just walk into a bar, and not be overwhelmed by cigarette smoke. In consideration of the overwhelming evidence of the health impact of second-hand smoke, when are our city, county and state going to ban smoking indoors, period? . . . Don't say banning smoking in bars is bad for business. All the bars in New York City and Chicago, all over California, and even in Ireland are packed. Volusia
might snuff smoking along beaches The County Council on Thursday proposed a smoking ban in county parks and along the 40 miles of beach under county jurisdiction. That would include Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and other popular shores. The ban may not be legal, cautioned County Attorney Dan Eckert, who is researching the issue… Cocoa Beach proposed a smoking ban, but voters rejected it in a 2006 referendum. In Delray Beach, officials have created smoke-free zones along the shore. Pompano Beach is working on seaside smoking restrictions, too. Coastal areas in other
states and around the world also have moved to limit or halt smoking on beaches. Smoke-free
jazz club opens Friday |
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