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This section includes a selection of important tobacco-related news articles from around Minnesota and neighboring states. For news from around the U.S. and other countries, click here.| | Legislator: Strengthen North Dakota smoke-free policyA North Dakota legislator is proposing legislation that he says would "remove the threat of second-hand smoke from all public places" in that state. Bars currently are exempt from North Dakota's ban. State Sen. Ralph Kilzer, R-Bismarck, said he will propose tougher restrictions when the Legislature meets in 2007. Minnesota health groups have said they plan to propose a smoking ban in that state's Legislature as well. "They even talked about passing it in the first week," Kilzer said about the Minnesota Legislature. "If that would happen (early in the session), I would think that would remove some of the opposition to the North Dakota bill." That opposition could come from people worried about giving North Dakotans a reason to cross into Minnesota to smoke, he said. A Minnesota ban including all restaurants and bars "probably would level out the playing field a little more than it is now" with North Dakota, said Carry Kaltenberg, a coordinator for the Grand Forks Public Health Department's tobacco prevention program. [source: Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune, December 14, 2006] | | | Minn. may join states that outlaw lighting up in bars, restaurantsSeventeen states already have a statewide smoking ban, and it looks like Minnesota is close to joining them. "Something's gonna happen," Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, said. "It's closer to a done deal than it’s ever been." [source: Marshall Independent, December 13, 2006] | | | Survey finds Dodge County supports smoking banA new survey suggests that the majority of Dodge County residents share Wobig's opinion. The telephone survey of 400 county residents found that 70 percent favored a smoking ban in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, with only 23 percent opposed to a ban. The Dodge County Public Health Department presented the survey results Tuesday to the Dodge County Board of Commissioners. The survey results come as officials in neighboring Olmsted County consider whether to expand the county's ban on smoking in restaurants to bars and all other workplaces. Supporters of smoke-free ordinances have also voiced optimism that lawmakers may pass a statewide smoking ban during the upcoming legislative session. [source: Rochester Post-Bulletin, December 13, 2006] | | | Survey: 3 in 4 support Winona County smoke-free policyWinona County may soon consider a countywide smoking ban. Nearly three quarters of county residents surveyed say they would support it. Lynn Theurer, the county’s community health services director, told the Winona County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday that her department’s advisory committee is deliberating over whether to recommend a no-smoking ordinance to the board. The Community Health Services Advisory Committee has debated the issue since it received survey results in late October that showed broad support for a ban. The survey, conducted by an outside research group, used a random phone sample of 352 county residents, and had a 5.2 percent margin of error, meaning that somewhere between 66 percent and 76 percent of those surveyed would support a ban. [source: Winona Daily News, December 13, 2006] | | | Editorial: For workers' sake, Hutchinson needs a smoke-free lawThe editor writes: "Most Hutchinson residents want the city to toughen its stance on workplace smoking. I hope the City Council gives them what they want. .... I think the facts will show the need for a comprehensive ordinance. The most convincing arguments for a stronger ordinance are the health risks of working in a smoky workplace: A nonsmoking worker is, on average, 40 percent more likely to get lung cancer, and 30 percent more likely to have heart problems than someone who doesn’t work in a smoky workplace. Why would any business owner want to subject an employee to those risks?" [source: Hutchinson Leader, Hutchinson, Minn., October 26, 2006] |
U.S. and World News
News on tobacco-control from other states and countries.
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