Tobacco control initiatives starting Wednesday, July 1, 2009..

July 1, 2009


New South Wales - Australia New South Wales - July 1, 2009 - Great Day for Tobacco Control..

Hong Kong - Bars, clubs, nightclubs, bathhouses, and massage and mahjong parlors will be made smoke-free premises when their temporary smoking ban exemption ends July 1, 2009.

Greece - Europe’s heaviest smoking nation, will try to kick the habit by banning tobacco in indoor public places beginning July 1, 2009.

Ireland - on July 1, 2009 Ireland introduces a ban on the advertising and display of tobacco products in retail shops. At the same time, under new provisions of the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 and 2004, tobacco retailers will have to sign up to a retail register and tighter controls will be imposed on the location and operation of tobacco vending machines. (Ireland - Office of Tobacco Control 2008 annual report - Positive..) In Canada, 12 of the 13 provinces and territories, together representing over 98% of the country’s population, have now passed laws requiring the removal of point-of-sale tobacco displays. Display bans have been in place in Iceland and Thailand since 2001 and 2005 respectively, and Ireland’s and New South Wales - Australia's (see above) bans will come into force on 1st July 2009. The removal of tobacco displays in the Australian state of Tasmania will take effect in 2011. (Cancer Research UK (last updated: 21 January 2009..

Pakistan - Pakistan Railways will go smoke-free from July 1, 2009. Also, as of July 1, 2009, no tobacco company will be allowed to offer goods, cash rebates, or discounts as a marketing incentive. (Pakistan - strong tobacco control measures..)

England - second anniversary of July 1st 2007 smoking ban. England introduced a new law to make virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England smokefree. A smokefree England ensures a healthier environment, so everyone can socialize, relax, travel, shop and work free from secondhand smoke.

Angola Cabinet Council approved Wednesday, July 1, 2009 the decree establishing a ban on smoking in public places, as well as the creation of the Medical Emergency Institute of Angola. (Angola: Government Sets Prohibition On Smoking in Public Places,allAfrica.com, 7/1/2009.)

South Dakota - Bars and restaurants are suppose to go smoke free July 1, 2009.

Indiana - A new Indiana law taking effect July 1 will require all cigarettes sold in Indiana to burn out more quickly when left unattended in an effort to reduce the number of smoking-related fires.

Florida - As of July 1, 2009 Florida's new cigarette tax is $1.34 per pack. An equivalent increase applies to smokeless and pipe tobacco, but not cigars.

Hawaii - the Legislature has approved and Gov. Linda Lingle has signed a 60-cent increase to the cigarette tax, bringing the total cigarette tax to $2.60 per pack beginning July 1. The state cigarette tax will further increase by 20 cents per pack annually in July 2010 and July 2011, reaching a total of $3 per pack.

Maine - law banning flavored tobacco products goes into effect July 1, 2009.

Nevada - Prisoners forced to give up tobacco have until July 1, 2009 to kick habit cold turkey. Nevada is joining the majority of other states in banning tobacco outright. Prisoners will be punished for having cigarettes. Staff could lose their jobs for bringing it on the premises.

Goodyear, AZ Smoking ban on Goodyear parks starts July 1, 2009. Goodyear - 17 miles from Downtown Phoenix..

Some other events in July, 2009..

Turkey - on July 19, 2009 will mark the beginning of “100 percent smoke-free air” in this country..

North Dakota - a statewide anti-tobacco plan to be released during July..

Professor Simon Chapman's annual course on tobacco control in 2009 - will be held over three days on 30 & 31 July and 3 Aug and will be run at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health. (Tobacco Control in the 21st Century)

13th World Conference on Lung Cancer, July 31, 2009 - August 4, 2009..,