Get your butt off our beach

The main thing, as I see it, is that the butts are not biodegradeable. Smokers use the sand as their ashtray. Annoying and toxic fumes is the rest of the story.

Keep your Butts at home

Lake Worth Beach moves to ban cigarette smoking at beach

"Looking to spend a day relaxing on the sand and surf at Lake Worth Beach?

Keep your butts at home.

Cigarette butts, that is.

The city has begun work toward passing an ordinance that will prohibit smoking at the beach and municipal parks. A new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June empowers cities and counties to regulate smoking, overturning previous legislation that bestowed the right to control outdoor smoking only to the state.

During a beach cleanup last month organized by the nonprofit Plastic Symptoms, volunteers found between 200 and 300 cigarette butts on Lake Worth Beach."

This is definitely something of which I approve and I like that the commission is including this ban at all municipal parks.

Read about it...

FDA proposes ban on Menthol Cigarettes

Biden Admin to Ban Sales of Menthol Cigarettes

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced proposed product standards that will prohibit menthol as a flavor in cigarettes, as well as all flavors other than tobacco in cigars.

Menthol is a minty flavor additive that helps increase the appeal of tobacco by reducing irritation and harshness of smoking. It also interacts with the nicotine in the brain, which enhances the addictive effects.

Diamond and Silk® @DiamondandSilk
"The Biden Regime wanted to give crack pipes for people to smoke drugs but want to ban Menthol Cigarettes because they say they want to save your life.

Make this make sense!"

Read about it...

Get your butts off our beaches

Florida again considers banning smoking at public beaches, in parks

There is nothing worse than a reformed smoker. I quit smoking 38 years ago. I decided then that smoking was not addictive. The only thing addictive about it was grabbing for that cigarette; that was the habit. I quit overnight and never looked back...no gum to chew and all the nonsense they try to sell you like nicotine pouches/ patches.

So, I am in total favor of this legislation. Personally, I can't stand the smell of smoke. People smoke where I live and I love those who put out their butts on our sidewalks for someone else to clean up.

Having tobacco-free parks and beaches would provide families and children healthy environments and allow Florida to fairly compete with smoke-free vacation destinations for tourist dollars. It will be up to the Florida Legislature to consider.

Read about it...

Paul Ryans's new office

Non-smokers can't stand the smell of it.  And those of us who were smokers at one time, have zero tolerance of cigarette smoke--we are the absolute worst of the lot. We can smell it where others can't.

Paul Ryan has inherited John Boehner's office and he will now have to figure out how to detox it from all the Camel cigarette smoke. Boehner admits to being a chain smoker.

Read about it...

Jeff Clemens - SB 548

Comment Up

We reported this in January but the Legislative session started again on March 3. Jeff Clemens wants to make it against the law for drivers to smoke in a car with a child under the age of 13. I remember when I was very young, it was not unusual for my grandfather to smoke a cigar or my Mom to smoke a cigarette while we kids were in the car. We always felt car sick. Clemens' bill is moving ahead.

SB 548: Use of Tobacco Products in Motor Vehicles

GENERAL BILL by Clemens ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Gaetz

Use of Tobacco Products in Motor Vehicles; Prohibiting a person from smoking a tobacco product in a motor vehicle in which a child under 13 years of age is present; providing penalties, etc.

Effective Date: 10/1/2015
Last Action: 3/11/2015 Senate - Now in Health Policy
Location: In committee/council (HP)
Bill Text: Web Page | PDF

Senate Committee References:

1. Regulated Industries (RI)
2. Health Policy (HP)
3. Rules (RC)

Student Marijuana use on the rise

Project Know did a 10 year study on student drug use.  Marijuana is the only drug on the rise.

"The data confirms it: From 1991 to 2013, there was a significant increase in the current use of marijuana by high school students. It went from 14.7% to 23.4%. And although there wasn’t much of an increase
between 2011 (23.1%) and 2013 (23.4%), the rate certainly didn’t drop either.

In 2013, current marijuana use was lowest in – no surprise here – Utah (7.6%). It was lowest in Utah for every year from 2003 to 2013. It was highest in 2013 in New Mexico (27.8%). The prevalence of having tried marijuana before the age of 13 increased from 1991 to 1999 and then decreased from 1999 to 2013 (11.3%–8.6%)."

Once legalized in any form, whether it is medical marijuana or for general use, we will have more addiction therapists, treatment centers, and sober living providers than ever before. And we will definitely have more addicts. Politicians keep screaming about more jobs and this is one way for job creation. Our landfill has been suggested as the perfect place to grow cannabis. We will definitely have more businesses popping up like the store in our downtown that sells electronic cigarettes from an admitted former drug addict.

Jeff Clemens sponsors SB 548

OMG--Jeff Clemens just won't sit still!

(THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA) A South Florida Democrat wants smokers to snuff out their cigarettes when kids are in the car.

Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, filed a bill (SB 548) Wednesday that would prohibit people from smoking in vehicles when children under age 13 are present. 

The bill, which will be considered during the legislative session that starts March 3, would lead to smokers being cited for non-moving violations if they don't comply.

Jeff loves marijuana and if that passes, every kid in Florida will be getting hold of it, medical or not.  But an adult smoking in a car when a kid is around--no, no.

SB 548: Use of Tobacco Products in Motor Vehicles

GENERAL BILL by Clemens

Use of Tobacco Products in Motor Vehicles; Prohibiting a person from smoking a tobacco product in a motor vehicle in which a child under 13 years of age is present; providing penalties, etc.

Effective Date: 10/1/2015
Last Action: 1/28/2015 Senate - Filed
Location: Filed
Bill Text: Web Page | PDF

E-Cigarettes

Comment Up

What is the fate of e-cigarettes? Not too much is known about the harm they may or may not cause. It just stands to reason that inhaling anything into your lungs could be harmful. What we do know is that it’s a booming, billion-dollar industry and it has been said that e-cigarettes will outsell tobacco within the next ten years.  Teens are getting hooked and think it cool and those using e-cigarette products have doubled between 2011 and 2012. 

Dylan Harrison owns a store that sells these in downtown Lake Worth and generally they consist of a mixture of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings. Many of these products come from China. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its proposed “deeming rule,” which would regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products. If the rule is adopted as proposed, the deeming rule would extend FDA’s regulatory authority over a variety of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and hookah tobacco.

The Gainesville City Commission officially approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in places where smoking is already forbidden. The City already had a ban on outdoor smoking at city facilities and Regional Transit System bus stops and bus shelters and the ban is now extended to those spots as well. They joined Alachua County and 67 other local municipalities in enacting such restrictions. Read more...

Florida HB 169 prohibits the sale to anyone under the age of 18 and requires certain signage at retail locations. This bill was "laid on the table" but a similar bill passed in the Florida Senate, SB 0224, and was signed by Governor Scott on June 13, 2014 and became law on July 1, 2014.

CVS to stop selling cigarettes

Comment Up

Pharmacy chain CVS said Wednesday it will stop selling tobacco products at its 7,600 locations across the United States, a move that public health advocates hope will become a watershed and pressure other large drug store franchises to follow suit.

Read more