Working alongside The Center for Tobacco Policy, the City University of New York (CUNY) has chosen to ban smoking on all of its facilities system-wide, and that includes the Manhattan Beach-based community college.

The policy bans the use of tobacco on all grounds and facilities under CUNY’s jurisdiction, both indoor and outdoor. It also prohibits tobacco industry promotions and marketing on campus properties, and tobacco industry sponsorship of athletic events and athletes. The ban makes CUNY the largest smoke-free public university system in the United States.

Kingborough Community College’s Coordinator of Student Life, Maria Patestas, said she doesn’t believe it will be a hard transition for students.

“The only time I really see the smokers outside on campus is on rainy days,” she said. “They’ll stand closer to the entrances of buildings, taking cover.”

But should there be a designated area for smokers on the Brooklyn campus? Patestas noted it wouldn’t be a bad idea, but that brings its own issues. “I mean how could you even regulate that?” she asked.

The origins of the new ban go back to January 2011, when CUNY’s Board of Trustees voted to approve a proposal made by a committee of faculty, staff and students.

For now, student smokers can enjoy the spring-like weather and a pull of their favorite cigarette. But in September this will all change. Verbal warnings will be submitted to students for now, but in the future Patestas does not dismiss the possibility of a fine system being implemented.

“We have to see how it goes first once September comes, but I think it’ll be harder for faculty and staff rather than students,” Patestas noted.

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The raid on commercial premises by council officers and the police also led to the seizure of a quantity of cash. Jack Yates, from Trading Standards, said: “We received information regarding a supplier of illegal tobacco as a result of a recent awareness campaign run jointly with Smokefree Southwest.

“Our officers, posing as members of the public, visited the premises to test-purchase a sample of the tobacco and check its authenticity.

“All the 12 items purchased were found to be illegal to supply in the UK.”

Tobacco believed to have a street value in excess of £25,000 was also seized from a property in mid-Cornwall in the past six months.

Mr Yates added: “We are advising smokers not to be tempted by cheap tobacco, as they don’t know what it contains.”

Councillor Lance Kennedy, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for community safety and public protection, added: “Illegal tobacco is thought to be responsible for four times as many deaths as drugs. Not only do these products kill, you may be supporting organised crime.”

Trading Standards refused to name the premises or the amount seized, but said the investigation was continuing.

Earlier, the order was invoked on November 28 last year.

Meena said a notice has been sent to the district police and health authorities for strict compliance.

Besides, all SDMs, district revenue officers, Huda estate officers, tehsildars, naib tehsildars, block development and panchayat officers and other officers have been asked to enforce the orders in their respective areas.

Those found violating these orders will be dealt with seriously and strict legal action will be taken against them, he added.

Gurgaon civil surgeon Dr Parveen Garg said joint teams of the health department and police would start raiding joints to ensure complete adherence of the directive issued under Section 144 of CrPC.

“It is a nuisance and blot on the society. It is harmful for health, especially to the younger generation. We will ensure that rules are implemented in true spirit,” Garg said.

Meanwhile, hookah bar owners have threatened to move court and blamed the state government for not regulating the activity.

Ankit Bahadur of Café Mocha said they were left with no option but to move court. “We waited patiently for two months when Section 144 was invoked and did not serve hookahs. We had expected that the government would come up with some regulation mechanism. The government is still to come clean on the tobacco molasses samples collected from our joints four months back. It has just been sitting on the reports,” he added.

Other owners said they do not mind paying licence fee if the government came out with a licence policy on lines of liquor bars.

“Legalizing marijuana is probably not supported by 99 percent of the people here,” said Del. Dave Albo, R-Springfield, who did not vote on the resolution. “Del. Englin is a self-described ultra-liberal, and that’s the kind of stuff he believes in.”

Englin’s proposal cited studies showing “cannabis offers numerous health benefits for those suffering from multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, asthma, human immunodeficiency virus and other health disorders.”

Englin has a second marijuana bill awaiting review in the House Rules Committee, which calls for a study of the potential sale of marijuana at more than 330 Alcoholic Beverage Control stores in Virginia as a means of generating revenue.

Legislators such as Albo, however, seem unlikely to support Englin’s proposal.

“Selling [marijuana] at ABC stores is just a wacky idea,” Albo said.

Albo said he would support a bill allowing someone to expunge his record years after a first offense of marijuana possession.

“There are some things you can do to keep people from having a permanent criminal record for smoking a joint,” he said.

And Donna Schmidtmeyer, supervisor of the Ontario Tobacco Strategy for Lambton County’s Community Health Services Department, says employers must comply with the law by posting “No Smoking” signs in all work vehicles.

“The signs must be posted in a location where it is visible to employees, such as a window or on the dashboard,” said Schmidtmeyer. “It is illegal to use built-in ashtrays or to keep any container being used as an ashtray, such as a coffee cup or pop can, in a workplace vehicle.”

A workplace vehicle, a vehicle used by an employer or employee to conduct any type of work, is an enclosed workplace under the SFOA. This means smoking is prohibited in workplace vehicles 24 hours a day, seven days a week — the same way smoking is prohibited inside an office building.

Smoking in a workplace vehicle is also prohibited after working hours, regardless if there are passengers in the vehicle.

Fines for smoking in a workplace vehicle range from $250 to $5,000 while fines for employers who don’t ensure work vehicles are smoke-free range from $300 to $300,000.

Schmidtmeyer said there has been general concern among the Lambton tobacco enforcement team that employers and employees “…are not fully aware” of the requirements of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Lambton’s No Smoking in Workplaces and Public Spaces Bylaw. Both of these prohibit smoking in the workplace — which includes work vehicles.

“We have had several complaints of smoking in the workplace and smoking in work vehicles,” said Schmidtmeyer. “As well, enforcement officers have conducted site visits of workplaces and found evidence of smoking.”

Charges have been laid in Lambton for violating the SFOA for smoking in a workplace vehicle.

An education campaign continues but this should not be confused with a grace period. The SFOA has been in place for almost six years and the Lambton bylaw has been in effect for about eight years.

“Education is a key role of an enforcement officer,” said Schmidtmeyer. “We work closely with the business community so they have the opportunity to make the necessary corrections so compliance is achieved. This is one reason for the current promotion…to remind employers and employees of their responsibility to ensure smoking does not occur in the workplace; inlcuding work vehicles. But enforcement officers will issue charges, if warranted.”

About 600 information packages about the law have been mailed and personally delivered to employers in Lambton. As a result, many have called asking for free “No Smoking” signage for their vehicles, explaining they didn’t realize their vehicles were included, said Schmidtmeyer.

“Generally, there is a desire to comply and it is helpful to bring the matter to their attention. We have signage available at no charge,” she said.

Employers can get the signage they require by calling the Tobacco Hotline (519-383-3810) and making a request for the number of signs needed.

Heightening awareness about the no smoking law is a regular function of the tobacco enforcement team.

“It is important the public know they can call to ask for clarification and that enforcement officers have a role to provide information so they may reach compliance,” said Schmidtmeyer. “It’s not just about issuing tickets. But charges occur when needed.”

She said employers and employees must remember smoking is prohibited at all times in the workplace or public places. This includes when people are working alone, or working after hours, or even if they are working in a space where the public does not have access. It also includes when people are driving in a work vehicle alone, and it includes the proprietor too.

Schmidtmeyer said there are many inquiries about construction workers and added there is no smoking on a construction site when working in trucks, enclosed tractors, and so on. As well, if building a structure, workers need to remember when it becomes enclosed, smoking then becomes prohibited.

Enforcement officers can conduct site visits to answer questions, ensure signage is posted as required, and provide the support needed by the employer or employees.

Several volunteers for Proposition 29, which will go before voters in June, and representatives from the American Cancer Society’s Marin office handed out fliers and spoke to passersby at the San Rafael Corporate Center. If approved by California voters, the measure would raise the state’s tobacco tax by $1 per pack of cigarettes.

“Today is the launch of our campaign,” said Joan Haukom, community mission director for the American Cancer Society in Marin. “A lot of people feel very strongly about this issue because they’ve lost loved ones.”

California’s cigarette tax is 87 cents per pack, and Proposition 29 — also known as the California Cancer Research Act — would raise that amount by $1. About 75 percent of proceeds from the new tax would go to cancer and smoking-related research, as well as facilities and equipment to support that work, proposition supporters say. Another 20 percent would fund tobacco use prevention and cessation.

A nine-member committee of cancer care directors, University of California chancellors and others would oversee the funds.

Backers include the cancer society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association.

The San Rafael group gathered around the corporate center fountain Wednesday afternoon, setting up an inflatable bed with a sheet that read: “Let’s see who’s in bed with big tobacco.”
Sausalito resident Neill Engler was walking through the courtyard and stopped to sign up for updates on the ballot measure.

“It seemed like a good cause,” Engler said. “Cigarettes are not good for you or the environment and my dad died of cancer.”

Californians Against Out-of-Control Taxes and Spending, a group funded by Philip Morris USA, is the measure’s main opponent. The coalition lists numerous chambers of commerce, taxpayers associations, law enforcement groups and others as its supporters.

“There’s no doubt that we all support cancer research,” Teresa Casazza, president of the California Taxpayers Association, said in a statement distributed by the coalition. “But like high-speed rail, stem-cell research and other ballot-box budget initiatives before it, Proposition 29′s good intentions are overshadowed by the fact that California simply cannot afford another billion-dollar government boondoggle to create another wasteful spending program.

“At its core, Prop. 29 is an $855 million tax increase that creates a new autopilot government-spending program with little oversight and no accountability,” Casazza said.

Gerard Bourguignon, a 70-year-old Mill Valley resident and male breast cancer survivor, said the tax would only affect those buying cigarettes — a population he said will likely benefit itself from cancer research.

All of the money will go directly to cancer and anti-tobacco initiatives, he said.

“The information that big tobacco is putting out is not correct,” said Bourguignon, a volunteer with the cancer society. “They’re blowing smoke. They’re trying to protect their economic and financial interest with no regard to the health consequences.”