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Smoking ban gets first OK 

The New Albany City Council voted 5-4 last night to approve an ordinance prohibiting smoking in restaurants, bars and private clubs that have employees or are open to the public.

The decision, which came after the council listened to a long line of speakers on both sides of the ordinance, does not mean it has been adopted.

Under council procedures, every ordinance must get three votes, typically one when it is introduced and then two others at the next regular council meeting, which will be Aug. 21.

The council could amend the ordinance or members could change their minds when it is brought up again .

Those voting in favor last night were council President Jeff Gahan and members Dan Coffey, John Gonder, Patrick McLaughlin and Bob Caesar . . .

Those opposed were Steve Price, Diane Benedetti, Jack Messer and Kevin Zurschmiede.

Zurschmiede said the ordinance was "the toughest issue" he has dealt with as a councilman. But he concluded that he could not approve a measure several speakers said could put restaurants and bars out of business. He also said the issue should be settled by the state or federal government, not local councils. . . .

More than 75 people filled all the seats in the room at the City-County Building last night. Before the vote, the council listened to 20 speakers -- 11 opposed to a ban and nine in support.

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Some Smoking Allowed at Iowa State Fair 

Iowa's new statewide smoking ban won't apply to some areas at the Iowa State Fair.

The smoking ban, which began July 1, applies to most public places, but exempts some outdoor areas and parts of the fairgrounds.

There are plenty of spaces at the fair that won't allow smoking, including indoor areas, outdoor restaurants and bars.

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State Fair Officials Clarify Non-smoking Areas of Fairgrounds 

Iowa State Fair officials have been busy in recent weeks implementing Iowa's Smokefree Air Act. In accordance with the new law, portions of the Fairgrounds will become smoke-free this year. The 2008 Fair is set August 7-17.

"We have spoken with numerous Fair vendors and businesses about how the Smokefree Air Act applies to them," said Fair Manager/CEO Gary Slater. "It has been a cooperative team effort between the Fair, the people doing business here and various state agencies to get no smoking signs posted throughout the Fairgrounds."

While smoking is still allowed in the walkway areas of the Iowa State Fairgrounds, the new law does apply to sections designated by no smoking signs.

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New Albany closer to being smoke free 

Business owners likely will be placing nonsmoking stickers on the windows of their establishments within three months -- just one of the requirements included in the smoke-free act passed by the New Albany City Council Monday.

By a vote of 5-4, the council decided smoking in public institutions will be banned effective 60 days after the ordinance receives a final OK.

The definitive two readings will be taken during the council's Aug. 21 meeting.

Council members Pat McLaughlin, John Gonder, Bob Caesar, Dan Coffey and Jeff Gahan voted in favor of eliminating the practice, casting their decision after an hour's worth of testimony from residents, business owners and organization representatives. . . .

Trish Meyer, owner of Studio's Restaurant and Pub, located at 207 E. Main St., handed out material downloaded from the Web site smokersclub.com, which provided statistics from hundreds of businesses around the nation that credited a smoking ban with effectively closing their operation. . . .

AHA spokesman Sam Denton said unbiased statistics proving the correlation between a smoking ban and loss of business don't exist.

"Smoke-free policies have become a scapegoat for failed businesses," he said.

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Medicaid shortfall resolved, Barbour says  

Gov. Haley Barbour said Monday his latest plan to fund Medicaid resolves a monthslong debate over the issue.

But the plan has not received formal federal approval. Health-care providers are concerned about the plan's effects, and there are questions over whether the governor can bypass lawmakers.

The Republican governor, who oversees Medicaid, spoke to reporters after lawmakers ended an off-and-on special session that began in May and resulted in no agreement on a long-term funding solution for the health-care program that serves almost 600,000 low-income Mississippians. The session cost taxpayers $607,872.

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EDITORIAL: Tax stalemate  

The Legislature adjourned a special session at mid-day Monday, more than two months after Gov. Haley Barbour called lawmakers to Jackson for consideration of ways to fully fund Medicaid and eliminate a $90 million deficit.

The adjournment was driven, in large measure, because Barbour devised a last-minute funding plan . . .

The Legislature should hold him to his public statements and vote for higher cigarette taxes at the first opportunity.

Barbour, as has been widely noted, is a former Washington lobbyist for tobacco interests.

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Lawmakers still up in arms over Medicaid deficit  

JACKSON -- The state Legislature on Monday ended its drawn-out special session without an agreement to fund a Medicaid deficit, but the fight continues as leaders of the Democratic-controlled House fume at Republican Gov. Haley Barbour and his Senate “pawns” for ramming through a tax increase on hospitals without legislative approval.

The on-and-off legislative assembly finished as it began in May — stalemated with House Democrats insisting on a compromise that includes a cigarette tax increase, but Republicans standing firm for just a hospital tax.

Because the House and Senate are unable to agree on a Medicaid funding plan, Barbour is implementing a new tax on hospitals he says doesn’t need legislators’ approval. However, his plan could be challenged in court, where hospitals have gone to before in trying to block the governor’s efforts to tax and cut them.

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俄罗斯：控烟战略 地方先行 

俄罗斯的萨马拉州和车里雅宾斯克州等地在控制吸烟方面走在了联邦政府的前面。

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美众院通过法案授权FDA 严管烟草制品推进禁烟 

据美国《纽约时报》报道，本周三，美国国会众议院以压倒性多数批准了一项法案，第一次给予美国食品和药物管理局(FDA)以管理烟草产品的权力。

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从本月开始 成都市禁烟区域将禁售香烟 

为进一步加强娱乐服务类零售户的专卖管理，促进我市烟草市场全面协调发展，记者昨日从市烟草专卖局获悉，《成都市烟草专卖局娱乐服务类零售户烟草专卖管理办法(试运行)》在本月正式实施对娱乐服务类零售户的卷烟经营行为实施专卖管理，逐步规范娱乐服务类零售户的经营秩序。《办法》中明确规定，禁止吸烟的综合市场、名胜古迹、风景区、公园、博物馆、图书馆、纪念馆、少年宫等场所将不得销售香烟。

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天津市“无烟奥运”行动已开展到社区 

办公室里看不到烟灰缸，各个区域内都有明显的禁烟标志，控烟监督员鼓励和帮助吸烟职工戒烟……这样对香烟说“不”的无烟单位在天津市越来越多。作为天津市“无烟奥运”行动的一项重要内容，截至昨日，天津市今年申报无烟单位的医院、学校、企事业单位、公共场所已达329家。据悉，本市的“无烟奥运”行动已开展到社区。

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北京奥运将留给中国怎样的“健康遗产”？ 

奥运会能为主办国留下丰厚的“遗产”，包括基础设施的完善、城市或国家形象的提升、旅游业的发展等等。如今，奥运会对公民健康和价值观念的正面影响越来越受到人们的重视。奥运会，几乎成了推广健康生活和现代社会理念的全球最大舞台。

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SRK says he'll quit smoking 

In what could be music to Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss' ears, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has said he is planning to quit smoking in a couple of months as his children hate the habit.

He revealed this while talking to Malayala Manorama on the sets of his latest film "Billu Barber", directed by Priayadarsan, at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

"I am giving up smoking under persuasion from my children. They don't like the habit. If they did not have any objection I might have continued smoking. I consider their pressure as a blessing," he said.

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Shah Rukh Khan to quit smoking - report  

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has promised to give up cigarettes for the sake of his children, according to a media report on Monday.

Khan, a chain smoker for two decades, said in an interview he will kick the habit in two months -- and it's all because of his children.

"They don't like me smoking. I see that as a blessing," the 42-year-old actor was quoted as saying in an interview to 'Malayala Manorama'.

"If they had no objection, I would have continued smoking."

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Shah Rukh denies plans to stub the butt  

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has denied having told a Malayalam daily that he would quit smoking within two months.

Asked on Monday whether he would give up cigarettes, King Khan replied with a terse "No".

The actor even declined to respond to a query whether the decision to quit cigarettes would come after a couple of months as stated in his interview.

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