Hope for smoking ban bill

Gov. Kaine holds out hope for smoking ban bill
Reported by: Shannon Sims 05:52 PM EST on Wednesday, February 20, 2008
http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_022008_smoking_ban_bill.10ae9499.html

Help Revive Smoking Ban Bills

Please read the full page ad in todays Virginian Pilot (below).

Clearing Air on Smoking Politics (Last gasp on smoking ban)
The Virginian-Pilot© February 20, 2008
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/last-gasp-smoking-ban

Ad aims to revive bill on smoking ban
The Virginian-Pilot© February 20, 2008
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/ad-aims-revive-bill-smoking-ban

If you chose to take individual action, you can do so using the following information:
DelTSuit@house.state.va.us Phone: (804) 698-1081 Fax: (804) 786-6310
DelWHowell@house.state.va.us House Speaker Phone: (804) 698-1028 Fax: (804) 786-6310
DelMGriffith@house.state.va.us House Majority Leader Phone: (804) 698-1008 Fax: (804) 786-6310

Younger Smokers May Have More Success at Quitting

Want to help people quit smoking? A new study from the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, suggests getting to smokers when they're younger may produce the best results. "Most previous studies focused on smokers aged 35 and older who have smoked for 20 years or more," said John P. Pierce, Ph.D., director of UC San Diego's Cancer Prevention and Control Program. "That has led to an overemphasis on drug treatments to help cessation, whereas this study emphasized the importance of implementing a smoke free home if a smoker wants to quit successfully." The study appears in the January 2, 2008, edition of the American Journal of Public Health.

Read the full article at:
http://cancer.ucsd.edu/AboutUs/News/
stories/Pierce_YoungSmoke.asp

Bad News for Smoke Free Legislation

ABC/ Gaming Subcommittee Votes to Kill Smoke Free Air Bills Passed in the Senate With an unrecorded voice vote, the members of the House of Delegates ABC/Gaming subcommittee of the General Laws committee voted to kill the smoke free air bills that passed in the Senate.

The full General Laws committee will not have the opportunity to vote on the bills.

Despite this disappointing vote, the Virginians for a Healthy Future Coalition remains committed to advocating for smoke free indoor air.

With over 88% of Virginians agreeing that all workers should be protected from secondhand smoke, there is obviously strong support for the legislation and we will continue to remind our elected officials to listen their constituents and support smoke free indoor air legislation in the future.

CDC Report Calls on States to Boost Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Coverage

From RWJF News Digest:
CDC Report Calls on States to Boost Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Coverage
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called on states to dramatically increase their Medicaid tobacco dependency treatment coverage. The CDC report cited the Healthy People 2010 goal of instituting total health insurance coverage for evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments in all 51 state Medicaid programs, AHA News Now reports.

Opportunity to Testify

Request from VFHF (www.smokefreevanow.org):
We have just learned that the Senate clean indoor air bills (smoking ban bills) are going to be considered and voted on in the ABC/ Gaming subcommittee this Thursday, February 14th one hour after the adjournment of Session. Session should not last more than 30 minutes or so as they will not have a lot of bills on which to vote. I expect the meeting to start around 1:30 pm.

Would any of you ( or individuals from the association with which you work) be available to come to House Room C in the General Assembly Building again this Thursday and be in attendance and/or testify?

Please contact: Nicole Pugar, Coalition Organizer , Virginians for a Healthy Future
(804) 225- 5828 or Nicole@vfhf.org

New Guide to Establishing Smoke-Free Policies Published Partnership for Prevention

New Guide to Establishing Smoke-Free Policies Published Partnership for Prevention has released a new publication, Smoke-Free Policies: Establishing a Smoke-Free Ordinance to Reduce Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Indoor Worksites and Public Places. This evidence-based tool provides step-by-step guidance on building support for and implementing a smoke-free ordinance in community and worksite settings. Web links to additional tools and resources are given throughout to assist with planning and implementation. Download the PDF.