Cape Breton could face public smoking ban

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is looking into a new by-law that would ban people from smoking outside municipal rinks, parks, playgrounds and trails.

Coun. Clarence Prince is leading the push to take the smoking ban one step further.

"We're asking you to consider the health of others while you're out there and please don't smoke in those spots that children are available," he said.

CBRM staff was asked to look into the public smoking issue and they came back this week with a recommendation against a ban saying there was a lack of community concern and it would be hard to enforce.

Prince said he doesn't agree.

"It is certainly a public concern because we have a high cancer rate in the CBRM, which we're not too proud off," he said.

Staff has been asked to review their position and write up a draft by-law. Cliff Barron from North Sydney is a smoker, but he said people shouldn't be smoking around children.

"Well, I think it should be in effect, especially around rinks, where there's so many children. It's not a good policy to see kids all surrounded here with grown-ups smoking outside."

He said the ban might help him personally.

"It'd cut down on my smoking, let's put it that way. I'm in the process of giving them up anyway."

Prince said enforcing the by-law would be difficult, but that it would be still be worth making it official.

With the report now back in the hands of CBRM staff, it'll be a few months before smokers find out whether or not they'll be allowed to continue lighting up in public places, says CBCNEWS.

Cost of Cigarettes May Be Increasing in Kentucky

Smokers could soon be paying more for their cigarettes in Kentucky.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform endorsed a proposal to raise the cigarette tax to one dollar a pack from the current 60 cents.

Governor Steve Beshear appointed the tax panel earlier this year to recommend a simpler tax code that would generate enough revenue to meet state needs even during recessions.

Members of the group have ruled out some less popular proposals, including implementation of a 6 percent tax on groceries, and also reinstating an estate tax in Kentucky.

The panel's recommendations could be presented to Governor Beshear as soon as next month, informs Tristate.

Help low-income smokers quit

The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association is recommending the province offer low-income smokers free prescription and over-the-counter drugs to help them quit.

 Products like nicotine gum and the patch can help ease people off tobacco, but can cost up to $370 for a 12-week supply.

 For the doctors, it's simple math — pay to help people stop smoking today and save millions in the health care budget tomorrow.

 The government says it will look at what other provinces do before making a decision, says CBCNEWS.

Toronto won't licence hookah parlours

Committee members weren't satisfied Friday with a staff report that recommended giving out licenses as a way to regulate the growing number of water pipe smoking businesses — or hookah bars — in Toronto, informs CBC News.

Hookah, also known as shisha, narghile or goza, comes in either tobacco or herbal form and is smoked through a water pipe that heats the substance with charcoal and cools the smoke in a water chamber before it is inhaled through a hose and mouthpiece.

Smoking in enclosed public and work spaces was banned by the Smoke-Free Ontario Act in 2006, making it illegal for hookah lounges to serve tobacco shisha indoors. The smoking ban doesn't cover non-tobacco herbal shisha that hookah establishments offer in a variety of fruity flavours.

The report's proposed rules would have required hookah bars to retain ingredient lists and packaging to prove that the shisha they offer is tobacco free. They would also have had to maintain proper ventilation to address air quality concerns over shisha smoke and burning charcoal from the hookah pipe.

The licensing division's report estimated there are approximately 80 restaurants, bars and cafes that offer hookah in Toronto.

Toronto Public Health has laid charges against 25 establishments for providing tobacco shisha since 2010.
But some owners of establishments which offer water pipe smoking say there are already enough regulations in place.