Secrets of the City

To paraphrase a line from “Young Frankenstien,” a smoking ban thread is an ugly thing, unt it’s just about time that we had one! Armed with a new survey that shows that more than three-fourths of the public housing residents in three northern Minnesota counties would prefer living in a smokefree building, the mayor of Duluth and my organization are calling for some changes. In related news, when a privately owned housing complex in Eau Claire, Wisc. recently announced it was going smokefree, the comment section went crazy. What do you think, MNSpeakers? Slippery slope to Nannyville, or simply some folks looking for a healthier, smokefree place to live?

The Star-Tribune tells of one recently deceased Margaret Madigan, who was as famous for her chain-smoking habit as she was for her big laugh, and her mourners are being encouraged to light up cigarettes in her honor. Although the article mentions that Ms. Madigan passed away at the relatively young age of 66 from complications of a stroke, it doesn’t speculate whether her chain-smoking habit might have contributed to her death, even though smoking considerably increases the risk of stroke (particularly for women over the age 35 who use birth control pills, which may or may not describe Ms. Madigan). But, then, it’s not likely that people who have a puff or two at the funeral are going to take up smoking as a result, and the request seems to have been made in affectionate good humor.

So: Smoking at a smokers funeral. Does it seem like an appropriate sendoff to you?

Here’s an update on local smoking related stories we have discussed here recently. First, the Senate version of the cars and kids bill died in a committee hearing yesterday. The same fate happen to the statewide smoking bill as well, as you may recall. As before, this one will be back. The federal excise tax on tobacco is going up on April 1, but Phillip Morris and some local retailers aren’t waiting, as KSTP-TV reports. Many Minnesotans say cigarette taxes should be even higher, according to a new ClearWay Minnesota poll.

In regional news, the South Dakota statewide bill, which looked dead after being defeated in the Senate by a single vote, roared back and has passed the legislature. No word yet if the Governor will sign or veto.

Could the bill to prohibit smoking in vehicles with kids inside result in racial profiling? That was a concern raised yesterday by Sen. Patricia Torres Ray of Minneapolis during a Senate hearing (the bill advanced).  The idea for the legislation is supported by La Crèche, a nonprofit daycare center that serves the diverse communities of north and south Minneapolis. It also has the support of the state’s two African American legislators serving in the House.

So what do you think, gentle readers? Do you think this legislation could result in racial profiling by police?

Remember, this bill would make smoking in cars with kids a secondary offense, meaning you can’t be pulled over and ticketed just because you are smoking a heater with a baby on board.

We’re baaaack! Yes, those wild and crazy anti-tobacco advocates are back in the news again. Topping the news at the Pioneer Press is a story on a new bill, scheduled to introduced today, that would prohibit smoking in a vehicle when a minor (anyone under 18) is present. Like the current seat belt law, this would be a secondary offence, meaning police could not pull a vehicle over simply because someone is smoking with a minor aboard.

In other news, the Governor’s plan to borrow money using future tobacco settlement payments to fix this year’s budget mess draws some fire.

Have at it, MNspeakers.

Suddenly smoking is making news again in Minnesota. First, some good news: Minnesota ranks well in a new study of tobacco related deaths in the United States. Smoking rooms back in Minnesota bars? What if you want a nonsmoking room — as in a smokefree apartment? Here’s the list.

Today is the 34th anniversary of D-Day, or Don’t Smoke Day, an event dreamed up by Minnesotan Lynn Smith, the editor of the Monticello Times. Eventually, Smith’s idea for a one-day break from smoking morphed into the Great American Smokeout, which is now organized nationally by the American Cancer Society. If Smith had lived to see today, he would be amazed how fewer Minnesotans are smoking. Back in 1974, the average national rate of smoking among adults was 37 percent. Today in Minnesota, the rate is roughly 17 percent. That’s good, because some very nasty chickens are coming home to roost for us Baby Boomers who picked up the smoking habit. So if you are thinking about quitting, today might be a good day to try.

A new survey of adult Minnesotans suggests the statewide smoking rate is now 17 percent, a record low for the state and below the national average of 20 percent. This breaks down to 164,000 fewer Minnesotans smoking now than a few years ago. Interestingly, this survey was done before the statewide smoking ban went into effect about a year ago. It likely reflects a decline associated with Gov. Pawlenty’s much-talked-about “health impact fee” and the many Minnesotans already covered by a municipal or county smokefree ordinance at the time of the survey.

It was been awhile since we discussed smoking bans on this site, in large part because the current state law makes further debate moot. However, I did want to take note of two recent developments on our boarders. Tommorow, Iowa joins Minnesota as a sans smoke state. Also on July 1, Fargo and West Fargo go smokefree. Minnesota (not California, as many think) was the first state to pass a statewide law restricting smoking in 1975. Since then, many other states have followed. Which of our remaining neighboring smokey states will butt out next? Place your bets, MNspeakers.

As it turns out, a fake theater night whose only function is to skirt the non-smoking law has been declared by a Scott County judge to be … a fake theater night whose only function is to skirt the non-smoking law. He has halted it.