Butler County sixth in state for smoking-related complaints

Restaurants and bars have racked up more than $3.6 million in fines from the Ohio Health Department for violating the state’s smoking laws, and some of the most frequent offenders operate in southwest Ohio.
Ohio passed the Smoke Free Workplace Act, which prohibits smoking cigarettes in public spaces and workplaces, in 2006.
Since 2011, the Ohio Division of Liquor Control has rejected liquor license renewals for 12 bars across the state because the establishments’ owners had repeatedly failed to pay smoking-related fines for violating the law to the Ohio Department of Health.
Two of those 12 bars sit in Butler County: Froggy Blues Cafe in Monroe has amassed $36,600 in smoking fines and Cobblestone Tavern in Fairfield has generated $24,100 since the state department began issuing fines in 2007, according to state records.
‘We have some teeth’

An Oklahoma City police officer who pulled over the tour bus of rapper 2 Chainz "smelled an overwhelming odor of marijuana" when the driver opened the door, a police affidavit says.
Eleven people, including 2 Chainz, were arrested Thursday after refusing to get off the bus for about nine hours following the traffic stop. The 35-year-old rapper, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, had performed with Lil Wayne and T.I. in Oklahoma City the night before.
Many people love to smoke Parliament cigarettes and Kiss cigarettes.
The affidavit, filed Monday in Oklahoma County District Court, says the officer pulled over the bus on Interstate 40 early Thursday morning because none of the rear taillights on the passenger side were working.
The officer smelled marijuana when the driver of the bus, identified as Sedric A. Brooks, opened the door, the affidavit says, and the officer

Sitting is the new smoking, as experts fear our sedentary lifestyle is killing us

THAT comfy chair is taking on a sinister new role as it moves up the rankings of public health's Most Wanted list.
In the United States the current buzz phrase is "sitting is the new smoking" as chairs are blamed for a widening host of ailments and shortening lifespan.
Efforts to combat chair-linked illness range from "standing meetings" to "treadmill desks", which are now on sale in Adelaide .
Sitting now is being blamed for anything from heart attacks and diabetes to insomnia, constipation, sore necks, sore backs, varicose veins, joint problems, poor circulation, poor digestion ... and the list goes on.
As arguably the most sedentary society in history, Australians now spend the equivalent of a full working week on their bums. And it is killing us. The origins of the war of chairs goes back to a landmark study of bus drivers and conductors.
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Anti-smoking battle moves outdoors; bans increase

City parks, public beaches, college campuses and other outdoor venues across the country are putting up signs telling smokers they can't light up. Outdoor smoking bans have nearly doubled in the last five years, with the tally now at nearly 2,600 and more are in the works.
But some experts question the main rationale for the bans, saying there's not good medical evidence that cigarette smoke outdoors can harm the health of children and other passers-by.
Whether it is a long-term health issue for a lot of people "is still up in the air," said Neil Klepeis, a Stanford University researcher whose work is cited by advocates of outdoor bans.
Ronald Bayer, a Columbia University professor, put it in even starker terms.

"The evidence of a risk to people in open-air settings is flimsy," he said. More cigarettes find here.

There are hundreds of studies linking indoor secondhand smoke to health problems like heart disease. That research has bolstered city laws and workplace rules that now impose smoking bans in nearly half of the nation's bars, restaurants and workplaces.
In contrast, there's been little study of the potential dangers of whiffing secondhand smoke while in the open air. But that hasn't stopped outdoor bans from taking off in the last five years. The rules can apply to playgrounds, zoos, beaches and ball fields, as well as outdoor dining patios, bus stops and building doorways.
"Secondhand smoke is harmful. It's particularly harmful to children," said Councilwoman Mary Cheh of the District of Columbia, one of more than 90 U.S. municipalities or counties considering an outdoor smoking law.
But is it really dangerous outdoors?
Federal health officials say yes. Studies have clearly established that even a brief exposure indoors to cigarette smoke can cause blood to become sticky and more prone to clotting. How long that lasts after just one dose isn't clear, officials say. The best-known studies so far have measured only up to about a day afterward.
Repeated exposures are more dangerous, and can worsen your cholesterol, increase the odds of plaque building in arteries, and raise the risk of chest pain, weakness, or heart attack.

Smoking Cessation Health Center

Learning a type of meditation technique might make it easier for smokers to cut down, at least on a short-term basis, new research suggests.
The finding is based on the experiences of just five smokers, and could be purely coincidental. Researchers found, however, that training other smokers how to relax had no effect on how much they smoked, a sign that there may indeed be something to the meditation approach.
So should smokers meditate if they want to smoke less?
"Sure, why not?" said study co-author Michael Posner, professor emeritus at the University of Oregon's department of psychology. "[Still], I can't say that all forms of meditation will produce these affects. It's likely that it depends on the brain state that the person is in, and there may be other ways to get into it."
Researchers have linked "mindfulness meditation" to a variety of health benefits. In just the past few years, it's been associated with relief from cold, flu, hot flashes and irritable bowel syndrome. It also has been linked to healthy changes in the brain itself.
Mindfulness meditation is designed to help people to relax, focus on the current moment and, essentially, go with the flow of thoughts and sensations.

South Smoke Shop Announces Exciting Atom RX Vaporizer Line

Thanks to a new partnership Atom RX Vaporizers, it is a new day for South Smoke Shop. Of course, this business has already earned a strong position in the online retail industry.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) August 11, 2013

Since 2005, South Smoke Shop has offered a highly original selection of tobacco products. This company has gained a reputation for high-quality, affordable smoking supplies. From traditional and filtered cigars to small cigars and beyond, South Smoke Shop offers a remarkable selection of goods.