:-)This appeared in the NY Daily News.
"City Council bills would ban candy-flavored tobacco, smoking outside of hospitals
BY Frank Lombardi
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Friday, May 22nd 2009, 2:44 AM
Related NewsEditorial: The trouble with Charlie'CSI: NY' star touts volunteering rolesVoice of the People for Oct. 12, 2009Voice of the People for Oct. 13, 2009Goldberg: Lift the charter school cap, create more special ed chartersSanitation worker dies of heart attack while on recycling dutyNew York City's anti-smoking crusaders are out to snuff out two more sources of lung pollution: candy-flavored tobacco and smoking outside of hospitals.
The city that began the you-can't-smoke-here movement doesn't want to be left behind by the likes of Maine and New Jersey, which already have banned exotically flavored cigarettes and cigars.
"We need to send a message that New York City is a healthy city, and we're going to do everything we can to keep it that way," said Councilman Joel Rivera (D-Bronx) before presiding over a public hearing yesterday on two bills. One bill would ban flavored tobacco and the other would ban smoking outside hospitals.
Both measures were enthusiastically supported by the city Health Department and a number of anti-smoking advocates.
Predictably, the bills drew opposition from tobacco industry representatives. No vote was taken by the committee, although Rivera and other sponsors said the bills have strong support.
The prime sponsor of the ban on smoking outside hospitals is City Councilwoman Inez Dickens (D-Manhattan), who said the idea was proposed to officials at Harlem Hospital. Her bill would ban smoking on the grounds of a hospital, sidewalks adjacent to a hospital and within 15 feet of any hospital entrance.
Rivera is the prime sponsor of the bill to ban flavored tobacco products, which he said are particularly attractive to teens. It would outlaw the sale of exotically flavored tobacco cigarettes and cigars, with the exception of menthol, mint or clove flavors.
Tobacco makers have used a wide array of flavors for cigarettes and cigars, including with such names as Kauai Kolada, Caribbean Chill, Mintrigue, Mocha Taboo, Twista Lime, Peach Freezer and even rum-dipped Al Capone Slims.
Health Department counsel Anne Pearson said the agency supports both bills, although she expressed concern that the ban on flavored tobacco exempts tobacco intended to be used in hookahs (water-filtrated pipes) that have become a trend with young people in neighborhoods such as the East Village and the lower East Side.
A representative of Altria's tobacco companies, which includes Philip Morris, said regulation of tobacco products should be left to the federal government. And Audrey Silk of Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment (CLASH) said adults are being punished in the name of restricting tobacco sales to minors.
My Reply.
" As a 59 year old Cigar Smoking New Yorker. I really try to keep & open view, on many subjects. I however feel Mayor Bloomberg uses his non smoking ideals & money to pass many laws.And bully & buy votes in his line of thinking. For most of my life before I became disabled I worked in the Adult entertainment industry, & the restaurant & hospitality industry. My Parents smoked, I smoked,& still do smoke. all my partners smoked. Yes Our Choice. I might agree to the proposal of not smoking in 15, feet of a hospital entrance. Not Smoking in Playgrounds used by children. However I find it outrageous & a Violation of my Civil Rights to tell me 1} I can't smoke in a Public Park, Or Public Beach. 2) To ban the sale of flavored Tobacco Products. There are many laws in place to protect the public already. The Sale of any tobacco product to anyone under 21 is already against the law. The law says you must have valid ID showing your age. Go after the people who sell tobacco"
Respectfully,
Lenny Waller
[Reply]
