Secondhand smoke drifts regardless of scale

The health of the citizens of Glendale has been sold out to private retail tobacco interests and the business owners who are eager to profit at the expense of our children, families and senior citizens who are susceptible to the toxins and poisons in secondhand tobacco smoke.

Glendale's outdoor dining ordinance allowed smoking in up to 25% of the total outdoor dining area, regardless of size of the dining area, as long as there is sufficient space for a 10-foot buffer. At the Glendale City Council meeting on Oct. 2, the comprehensive smoke-free outdoor air ordinance that was introduced by Councilman Dave Weaver at the previous week’s meeting was replaced by one offered by Councilman Ara Najarian, who introduced a three-tier ordinance:

1. Outdoor dining areas under 2,000 square feet, up to 25% of the total outdoor dining area may be designated for smoking;

2. Outdoor dining areas of 2,000 square feet to less than 5,000 square feet, up to 50% of the total outdoor dining area may be designated for smoking;

 3. Outdoor dining areas of 5,000 square feet or more, up to 66% of the outdoor area may be designated for smoking. The substitute ordinance was adopted with a 3-2 vote with Najarian, Laura Friedman and Rafi Manoukian approving, and Frank Quintero and Weaver dissenting. Citizens and visitors to Glendale are now going to be subjected to breathing tobacco smoke at every popular outdoor dining patio in the city.

Even from a 25% smoking area, the tobacco smoke drifts and will affect 100% of the people. That smoke containing 70 known cancer-causing agents will end up in your lungs and in your body. I hope voters will remember this action next spring when Friedman and Najarian are both up for reelection to the City Council.

Thief seeks cigarettes in Washington Road burglary

Richmond County sheriff’s investigators are searching for the person who broke into a Washington Road pharmacy Sunday morning and stole cigarettes. According to an incident report, deputies responded to an alarm activation at CVS Pharmacy, 2702 Washington Road, around 2:30 a.m. and discovered the front glass door had been broken with a rock. A manager told investigators the only items missing were several packs of cigarettes. Investigators are reviewing surveillance video to get a description of the bandit.

Smoking affects memory in stroke patients

The study, presented at the Canadian Stroke Congress, tested mental abilities of 76 patients, including 12 smokers, with an average age of 67.5 years, using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool. The MoCA exam tests patients with memory and problem solving questions and gives them a score out of 30. Smokers had a median MoCA score two points lower than non-smokers -- 22 out of 30 compared to 24 out of 30.

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 Patients who had previously quit smoking achieved the same scores as lifetime non-smokers, Gail MacKenzie, a clinical nurse specialist at Hamilton General Hospital, said. "This research emphasizes the importance of smoking cessation for people with stroke or TIA," MacKenzie said. TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is a mini stroke and often serves as a warning sign that a bigger stroke is imminent.

 "Smoking is a risk factor for cognitive impairment for people who continue to smoke and this ability to problem-solve and make decisions has implications for patients' health and self-management of care," she said. Low MoCA scores can reflect problems in memory, language, attention, visual-spatial or problem-solving skills. The 10-minute MoCA test was administered to patients attending stroke prevention clinics in Barrie, Oshawa and Hamilton.

Councillor’s controversial comments overshadow smoking debate

Following a public participation meeting that generated little actual participation, the inflammatory comments of Ward 9 Councillor Dale Henderson overshadowed the debate around smoking in outdoor public spaces. During its meeting on Monday (Oct. 1), Community Services Committee members voted to support a nine-metre (30-feet) restriction of smoking around playgrounds and from the front of municipal buildings. Henderson supported acceptance of the nine-metre ban, which was moved by Ward 2 Councillor Bill Armstrong, but only after attacking the research techniques of the Canadian Cancer Society, which was represented by volunteer and Western University student Stephanie Dorman.

Henderson said it was important to hear “the whole story” and not just what sounds “politically correct” around the issue of second-hand smoke and cancer. “The lady from the cancer (society) will read out a few things, but I will put out some things. When I hear some information coming from the cancer society, I want real research coming at me, not just what I have read in the paper 800 times,” Henderson said. “Sure smoke has an effect on people, but there are a lot of things, our buses, the cars in town in one minute will give off more pollution than everyone in London smoking for a year.

Pollution is going to kill people, but that is not a reason to take people’s rights away from them.” Committee chair and Ward 7 Councillor Matt Brown would ask Henderson twice to stick to the topic of the bylaw while Ward 12 Councillor Harold Usher called a point of order to ask the councillor to not directly address members of the public. Henderson agreed to both requests, but continued with his off-topic thoughts. “We have other issues to do with health care, we should be looking at our food service, our sugars, our stress,” Henderson said.

“Twenty per cent of London residents smoke to basically have some kind of calming effect. Now suicide is number one in the U.S. So let’s try to keep people living, we are living in the second happiest city in Ontario.” Among the statistics Dorman pointed to were that tobacco use is “directly responsible” for 30 per cent of all cancer deaths and 85 per cent of lung cancer deaths. “The need for increased tobacco control is still great,” Dorman said. “Today over two million Ontarians smoke, thousands start every day, and every year approximately 13,000 Ontarians will die from tobacco use.”

After the meeting, a seemingly shaken Dorman said she stands behind the research that is done by the Canadian Cancer Society. Although she understands why some people might question what they hear, Dorman steadfastly reinforced her belief that cancer research can’t be denied. “I think people sometimes are hesitant to believe statistics because they are thrown at you a lot. But if you go to the primary research articles that are in peer-reviewed, published journals, the evidence proves that smoking cigarettes does cause cancer,” Dorman said. “Individuals will die from second-hand smoke, from cancer.” Other people speaking in support of the ban were Jonathon Bullick, from Scent-Free London and Linda Stobo, manager of chronic disease prevention and tobacco control with Middlesex-London Health Unit, both of whom spoke out clearly as to the harming effects of second-hand smoke.

Brown said the recommendation for a nine-metre distance “strikes the right balance” between protecting individuals from second-hand smoke and upholding the rights of smokers. “Our conversations throughout this process have been focused on protecting children,” Brown said. “Making sure our young people aren’t exposed to second-hand smoke and that families enjoying play equipment, and park amenities, also aren’t subjected to it. I think these two motions address exactly that.” The public participation portion of the meeting included six previously scheduled presentations and two more from individuals who came forward during the meeting.

The dozen or so people who sat in the public gallery, only a few of whom spoke on the smoking issue, is something that Brown said is a concern. However, he also says the “modest” turnout might stem from the fact most people who smoke already refrain from doing so around playgrounds and other recreational amenities. “When it comes to decisions such as this, they need to be community decisions, which is why we have public participation meetings,” Brown said. “I can’t think of a time in the last two years I have seen a person smoking near the play equipment or the sports amenities. I think it is understood. This bylaw will codify that understanding.” The issue will come back to the full council at its Oct. 9 meeting.

Bessemer council hasn't changed mind about smoking ban, councilman says

People opposed to Bessemer's new comprehensive ban on smoking in businesses spoke their mind to the Bessemer City Council. tonight, but a majority of the council still favors the ban, one councilman said. About 50-60 people showed up for tonight's public hearing at Bessemer City Hall, most of them opposing the city's new smoking ban, but just as many people spoke in favor of the ban at a previous public hearing held in June, prior to the council's vote on the matter, Councilman David Vance said.

Some opponents of the city's new smoking ordinance, which goes into effect Nov. 1, say they want the council to rescind the ordinance it passed on Aug. 14 and revert back to a 2007 ordinance that allowed businesses such as bars, lounges, restaurants and hotels to establish designated smoking areas.

The new ordinance eliminates that option. Opponents said they didn't know the council was considering the ban until after it passed and they wanted a chance to be heard. That prompted the council to delay implementation of the ordinance from Sept. 13 to Nov. 1. Vance said the council agreed to hear opponents out but a majority of the council still favors the ban and he does not anticipate the council changing its decision. "I'm not trying to tell people what to do," Vance said. "I'm just trying to look out for people who don't smoke and have to be around it.

All we're asking is for them to be considerate of their neighbors and just change their smoking habits." Kim Cochran, a consultant for the American Cancer Society Action Network said she congratulates the Bessemer City Council for passing a smoke-free workplace ordinance. "By making workplaces, including bars, restaurants and other public venues smoke-free, Bessemer's ordinance set a high bar for smoke-free policies being considered by other municipalities around the state," Cochran said in a written statement.

"However, the council is now delaying implementation of the ordinance thereby continuing to expose Bessemer residents, workers and visitors to the dangers of secondhand smoke," Cochran said. "Inhaling the dangerous chemicals found in tobacco smoke can be harmful to your health, causing cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Everyone has the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air."

Stevens Point CDA properties to go smoke free in future

Stevens Point's Community Development Authority is looking to make their housing properties smoke free in the future. Director Michael Ostroski says the move is to bring the city in line with Housing and Urban Development guidelines on indoors smoking. "Housing and urban development it looking to make their housing smoke free and have been urging local groups to take the same route."

 The proposed change to the standard lease would would not force people with current leases or housing to stop smoking, and would instead affect those getting new leases with the CDA. Ostrowski says they're not aiming to cut everyone off immediately. "Current residents would be grandfathered in, but any new leases would be smoke free." The affected properties include the Highrise, the elderly and disabled housing, Edgewater Manor, Madison View Apartments and 70 other CDA owned housing locations. The CDA board has already approved the measure, and it now goes to the next regular city council meeting for approval.

Second Hand Smoke Kills 42,000 Nonsmokers Annually

Researchers at UC San Fransisco found more than 42,000 non-smokers die annually from secondhand smoke. Those who are most vulnerable to second hand smoke include newborns exposed either in the womb or after birth and adults with existing heart and lung problems. Prevention specialists define second hand smoke as the actual emissions from a lit tobacco product released from the user into the air. Second hand smoke is made up of 4,000 chemicals and of those chemicals 11 are known cancer-causing poisons.

 "With second hand smoke it will cling on you," says Tobacco Prevention Specialist Teddy Nault. "So if you are a young mother, young father and you're going back in to pick up that new baby it can be transferred to that child." Nault says there is even third hand smoking that can be just as harmful. Third hand smoking is cigarette residue that clings onto bedding, furniture and carpet. Evidence shows that children exposed to third hand smoke are at risk for chronic respiratory and ear infections. Keep in mind that pets are also affected by second hand smoke and not just our cats and dogs. Pets like fish are affected by the residue that falls into the tank after being in the air.