Thumbs Up
To General Lee’s Bar in Chickasha, Oklahoma, for adopting a smokefree policy. Joe Lee, the owner of the bar, said it was actually a vape user that helped solidify his decision. Read more
To the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians for opening their Trading Post Casino as a 100% smokefree facility. Read more
To the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for making all VA healthcare facility campuses 100% smokefree and vape-free. Read more
A Special Thumbs UP and DOWN to the state of Colorado.
- The good news? The Colorado legislature passed HB1076 to close several key gaps in the state’s Clean Indoor Air Act that was adopted in 2006. The new law eliminates exemptions that have allowed smoking in small workplaces, hotels, and long-term care facilities. It also prohibits the use of electronic smoking devices in smokefree venues. The law has been signed by the governor and will take effect July 1, 2019.
- The bad news: Colorado also enacted HB1230, the “Marijuana Hospitality Establishments” law, which allows for smoking marijuana in food service establishments if certain criteria are met. As a result of the new marijuana law, Colorado will become the first state to lose its statewide smokefree restaurant status on ANR Foundation’s lists and maps once this new law takes effect. Read ANR’s statement.
Thumbs Down
To JUUL (aka Altria/Philip Morris) for rehashing an old tobacco industry tactic of providing research funds to Meharry Medical College in Tennessee, a Historically Black College, to study vaping, smoking, and other nicotine products. Industry funding has historically been designed to appear altruistic, but ultimately to keep groups silent as opponents. Read more
To the California Democratic Convention, recently held in San Francisco, for taking sponsorship funding from e-cigarette company JUUL. Read more
