Free Republic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — State employees are facing a $600 surcharge that goes into effect next year for everyone in the employee health system who smokes or has a smoker for a spouse. The Tennessean reports state officials hope the surcharge will provide an incentive for employees who smoke. Officials estimate that would save Tennessee an estimated $3,400 a year in lost productivity and smoking-related health claims per worker.

Headline from Drudgereport

Park Ridge aldermen will resume discussion of the city's public smoking ban, following complaints from three restaurant owners that their businesses have been adversely affected by it.The restaurant owners spoke briefly to the City Council Monday night, prompting Mayor Howard Frimark to ask the aldermen if the smoking ban should be brought back before the Procedures and Regulations Committee. Alderman Jeannie Markech agreed that it should, and made a motion for the discussion. Eight aldermen voted in favor of the issue going back to committee and five voted against. One alderman was absent.The next meeting of the Procedures and Regulations...

* Tom and Jerry cartoons have been censored following a single complaint * Animation showing smoking on the Boomerang channel is to be cut * Media watchdog Ofcom investigated the complaint Key quote "To me it's political correctness gone mad. If you're really going to be concerned about children taking something up perhaps Ofcom could look at Tom dropping an anvil on Jerry's head or putting Jerry in an egg slicer. " - Adrian Monck, media analyst Story in full TOM and Jerry can flatten each other with anvils and batter themselves senseless with mallets, but censors have drawn a...

The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association has thrown its support behind a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, casinos and private clubs. So why couldn't we find any local establishments who agree with them? Admittedly, we used a small sample, but when staff writer Jeff Pikulsky talked to owners of Mon Valley clubs and restaurants last week, he found angry opposition to the proposed ban. Monessen Elks Club Steward Marcy Zites estimated that 70 percent of her club patrons smoke and feared that a ban would be bad for business. Those sentiments were echoed at the Foster House in North...

The owners of Batavia Downs say they are going to move ahead with plans to put 50 video lottery terminals (VLTs) in a new smoking room. Right now, Batavia Downs does have a room where patrons can legally smoke. That room has 18 VLTs. The plan is to create a larger room with fifty terminals, because those “smoking” terminals get twice the play of others at the track. The project still needs approval from state lottery officials.

For the fourth time since November, a bill to ban smoking in all Howard County bars and restaurants - this one to take effect June 1, 2007 - has been submitted to the County Council. The move sets up another month of conflict between the health advocates and Democrats who want to eliminate what they consider a public health hazard, and the business owners who fear financial ruin joined by Republicans who oppose a loss of personal freedom. The sponsors, County Executive James N. Robey and Councilman Ken Ulman, both Democrats, said they submitted their bill yesterday because substantive changes...