Thumbs up for the best and thumbs down for the worst in smokefree policies this month.
Thumbs Up
To Pennsylvania’s six state mental health hospitals for announcing they will be smoke and vape-free.
Thumbs Down
To MGM National Harbor in Maryland for seeking an exemption to add an indoor smoking area attached to a cigar shop after three years of successfully operating as a 100% smokefree casino. This smoking area will put 3000+ workers at risk.
Thumbs Up
To the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council on their 10th anniversary for their ongoing tobacco control leadership to protect communities and save black lives by ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavored tobacco products.
Thumbs Down
To Carnival Cruises for exposing passengers and crew to secondhand smoke.
Thumbs Up
For Baton Rouge’s 6-month anniversary of their smokefree law and celebrating the improved air quality inside bars and casinos.
Thumbs Up
To the Center For Disease Control’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, released on December 6th, for publicizing that secondhand smoke is still a serious public health issue.
Thumbs Down
Tobacco Giant Altria (the parent company of Philip Morris USA) is considering investing in e-cigarette leader Juul and is also investing $1.8 billion into cannabis company Cronos Group. We know from once-secret industry documents that the tobacco industry had plans decades ago to combine nicotine and THC. Is this the next step targeting young people for addiction? With this deal, Big Marijuana is now part of Big Tobacco.
