Clearing The Air

MN smoking ban promoter praises failure of legislation that would have improved local economy

2009-07-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Bob Moffitt spokesperson for the American Lung Association of MN praised liberal lawmakers for again defeating legislation that would have eased the state smoking ban.

In the short blog post he laments the current state of the budget/economy, which is ironic because the smoking ban legislation his organization lobbied in favor of has closed nearly 1/3 the total number of Twin Cities bars and restaurants, eliminating nearly 10,000 jobs and thrusting our local economy into it's current state of affairs.

What makes the local American Lung Association's lobbying efforts even more criminal is that the ALA was one of three organizations to receive $99 million from Nicoderm maker Johnson & Johnson's partner the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Alternative nicotine (Nicoderm) maker funding non-profit organizations to get tobacco nicotine banned? Sounds like a major conflict of interest to me. But even more criminal is the effect that these prohibition laws have on our economy on a global basis.

RWJF (Nicoderm) spends $1+ million to deceive restaurant owners "smoking bans don't harm your business"

2009-07-05T17:15:00.008-05:00

Recently CTA exposed a "study" by a U of M / OSU student which tried to claim smoking bans didn't harm hospitality businesses.

Now however, we've discovered that Nicoderm beneficiary, RWJF, funded a study claiming that financial harm to bars & restaurants from smoking bans wasn't real, rather the financial ruin was simply an exaggeration funded by the tobacco industry. (in case RWJF removes the grant hyperlink in this paragraph above, as they commonly do, copy can be found here)

Apparently then, according to RWJF and their puppet Stanton Glantz, these thousands of establishments which closed after smoking bans were enacted weren't really losing money.....they were fooled into closing by big tobacco. Perhaps RWJF should inform the owners and employees of the thousands of closed bars & restaurants where "big tobacco" hid their customers and subsequently their revenues.

http://www.smokersclub.com/banloss3.htm

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/01/100-bars-and-restaurants-put-out-of.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/02/in-uk-during-past-two-years-3382-pubs.html

http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=36173

The $1 million (Nicoderm) RWJF grant also sought to discredit ventilation options to solve the secondhand smoke debate, but we've exposed that claim as fraudulent here:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2005/12/ventilation-not-legislation.html

Excerpt:

Testimony was given by one individual who claimed to be a mechanical ventilation expert, hired incidentally by the smoking ban proponents. After his testimony claiming there was no way to ventilate secondhand smoke, Commissioner Penny Steele asked a great question:

"Isn't indoor charcoal and wood-fired grilling a popular trend in bars & restaurants these days?....and isn't inhaling those fumes indoors potentially deadly? " (note how similar charcoal, wood, and tobacco smoke are as far as hazards....in fact wood and charcoal contain far more hazardous chemicals)

Expert reply: "....um, yeah"

Commissioner Steele: "Well, why isn't anybody dying in the restaurants from the cooking smoke?"

Expert: "Because they have special ventilation....."

Steele: "Couldn't establishment owners use a similar type of ventilation to also render secondhand smoke harmless?"

Expert: "uh, well, I suppose they could......."

And thus the above exchange killed this "expert's" testimony, along with the rationale for smoking bans altogether.

Why would pharmaceutical nicotine (Nicoderm) interests fund anti-tobacco initiatives:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/12/minnesota-smoking-ban-triples-demand-of.html

Revenue losses from Las Vegas smoking ban forces government to allow smoking ban exemptions

2009-07-02T11:30:00.003-05:00

Smoking ban eased (article link)

The Associated Press

Tue, Jun 9, 2009 (4:54 p.m.)

A plan to roll back part of a voter-approved smoking ban and exempt tobacco trade conventions from the prohibition became law on Tuesday without Gov. Jim Gibbons' signature.

When Gibbons sent AB309 to the secretary of state's office, making it part of Nevada law...amendment to AB309 was pushed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority because some groups with tobacco industry ties canceled Nevada conventions after the 2006 ban took effect....

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority sought the change to Nevada's statewide smoking ban after losing $41 million in business when the anti-business initiative (smoking ban) was enacted in 2006.

South Dakota smoking ban supporter South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids is a tool of RWJF, better known as Nicoderm Nicotrol Nicorette marketing department

2009-06-27T15:54:00.006-05:00

According to Argus Leader:

Supporting the smoking ban is the South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids (SDTFK) Network

New readers to CTA may not realize it but SDTFK's national chapter National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) was funded by and remains to this day, a tool of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

RWJF is the political partner of Johnson & Johnson company which manufactures & markets Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, etc. As a tool of the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical nicotine empire, SDTFK's demand for tighter smoking ban laws is obscured by special interest profits and conflicting interests that make their motives less than forthcoming and possibly downright criminal.

For more information on the $84 million J & J's partner RWJF provided CTFK, or the annual revenues of $500+ million from U.S. sales of Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, etc. read the following articles:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2008/06/nicoderm-manufacturer-alza-is.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-drug-industry-uses-non-profits-to.html

South Dakota organizer successfully delays statewide smoking ban

2009-06-25T21:21:00.004-05:00

Larry Mann, who represents the Video Lottery Establishments of South Dakota, as well as South Dakotans for Better Health AND Freedom and at least 16,776 petitioners provided enough signatures to delay a new smoking ban which was scheduled to be implemented July 1, 2009 until voters can decide the issue on the November 2010 ballot.

More here:

Smoking Ban Delayed, Will Go To Public Vote

The South Dakota smoking ban will not take effect as scheduled next week because sufficient signatures have been filed to put the measure to a statewide public vote in next year's November election.

A coalition of bar and casino owners filed petition signatures Monday to refer the smoking ban to a public vote.

Secretary of State Chris Nelson says his office has determined that enough valid signatures exist to put the measure on the ballot.

The law passed earlier by the South Dakota Legislature would ban smoking in bars, Deadwood casinos and video lottery establishments. It extends a ban that has outlawed smoking in most public areas and workplaces since 2002.

It's great to see democracy in action, as opposed to most bans which are forced upon citizens by an ill-informed legislative body. "Ill-informed" because lawmakers are lobbied by Nicoderm special interests (ALA, AMA, CTFK, RWJF, etc.) who are simply concerned about propping up pharmaceutical nicotine profits without fully understanding the impact on business and job losses caused by smoking bans.

Furthermore, lawmakers are not provided the air quality test results by Johns Hopkins University, the American Cancer Society, a Minnesota Environmental Health Department, and various researchers whose testing and report was peer reviewed and published in the esteemed British Medical Journal......which proves that secondhand smoke is 2.6 - 25,000 times SAFER than occupational (OSHA) workplace regulations:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/11/johns-hopkins-air-quality-testing-of.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/04/bmj-published-air-quality-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2004/04/american-cancer-society-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/02/air-quality-testing-and-secondhand.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2008/03/british-medical-journal-who-conclude.html

All nullify the argument that secondhand smoke is a workplace "health hazard".

Good luck to those who still believe in the free market system and freedom of choice......it's obvious that both are under assault these days in South Dakota and in our nation's capitol.

BTW some may not realize it, but South Dakota already has a statewide smoking ban in place:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/07/lawmakers-looking-for-common-sense.html

Obviously however, that doesn't seem to satisfy the Nicoderm marketing department (RWJF) which funds all sorts of non-profits to lobby their pharmaceutical nicotine agenda a.k.a. smoking bans:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html

As activists continue trying to claim smoking bans do not harm jobs, a 495 employee factory announces its closing due to smoking bans

2009-06-24T18:20:00.009-05:00

Lately there's been alot of media coverage about a "new study" by U of M / OSU student Liz Klein which "finds" that smoking bans do not harm jobs, however, we've thoroughly debunked that 2003-2006 "study" here:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/05/clearway-minnesota-funds-new-study-to.html

Well, we hate to let more facts get in the way of the lies being told by Nicoderm special interests such as RWJF. But here's a newspaper report about a factory closing which is a direct result of the rent seeking legislation (smoking bans).

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/23/231900/hav--tampa-cigars-closing-tampa-plant/news-metro/

Excerpts:

Updated: 06/23/2009 07:00 pm

TAMPA - Tampa will lose part of its cigar heritage in August when Hav-A-Tampa shuts its factory near Seffner and lays off about 495 employees, closing a factory that has been operating since 1902......Employees on Tuesday were digesting how they would find work in an economy where more than one in 10 people in the area already are unemployed.....Several things conspired to hurt Altadis' sales, said Richard McKenzie, a senior vice president of human resources for Altadis USA, which owns Hav-A-Tampa., including.....indoor smoking bans. The bans have especially hurt sales in cold-weather states, where it's impractical to smoke a cigar outdoors in the winter, he said.

The full impact of job losses due to smoking bans exceeds several hundred thousand, which of course doesn't take into account the indirect support jobs.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

The facts are clear, smoking bans have destroyed a significant number of jobs, decimated our economy and continue to do so today and well into the future.

It's time to hold those responsible for these needless laws accountable to provide compensation to those whose jobs were eliminated simply so RWJF / J & J could increase profits and sales of Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, etc.

South Dakota efforts to delay statewide smoking ban until voter's decide

2009-06-18T07:19:00.001-05:00

Organizer: S.D. petition on smoking ban a success

MITCHELL– The coordinator of an attempt to have South Dakota voters decide whether to enact a tougher smoking ban says more than enough petition signatures have been gathered.

“We’re in good shape as far as signatures needed. Now we’re just trying to build a buffer,” said Mann, of Rapid City.

The revised ban, set to take effect July 1, would make it illegal to smoke in public places such as bars, restaurants and video lottery establishments.

If at least 16,776 valid petition signatures are turned in by June 29, the ban won’t be enacted until voters decide the matter in November 2010

Good luck Mr. Mann, we at CTA will closely monitor the situation. Defeating this smoking ban is the only way to save South Dakota's hospitality and gaming industry from the fate that their neighbors in Minnesota have experienced.

Smoking bans in MN closed 327+ bars and restaurants eliminating 10,000+ jobs and decimated state gaming revenue here with losses of $100 million annually.

Nationwide smoking ban increases total number of smokers

2009-06-16T07:57:00.003-05:00

Well then, it's no wonder that the tobacco companies aren't doing more to fight smoking bans. Tobacco companies realize the rebellious nature of humans, the more you tell someone they can't do something, such as smoking, the more likely they are to engage in the forbidden activity.

The proportion of people who smoke in Ireland has increased over the past seven years despite the introduction of the workplace smoking ban and significant increases in the price of cigarettes.

New figures from the Department of Health put the overall smoking rate at 29%, compared to 27% in 2002.

The rate of smoking is higher among women at 31%, compared to 27% of men.

Online story found here:

http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/smoking-rate-up-from-27-to-29-since-2002-1774733.html

The apparent long term legacy of smoking bans will be that they destroyed tens of thousands of businesses, eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs; with no benefit of reducing the overall smoking rate.

Then again, the reality is that the bans were lobbied and enacted for one reason and one reason only.........to increase product sales of Nicdoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, etc.

Smoking ban decreases beer sales

2009-06-11T07:10:00.004-05:00

We already know that smoking bans decrease customers and revenue in the hospitality industry across the board, now there is proof that the same special interest (Nicoderm) funded laws negatively affect liquor industry sales.

Is the reduction of alcohol consumption an unintended consequence of the smoking bans.....not exactly. You see, smoking ban instigator and major funding source, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is partner to Johnson & Johnson Company who not only manufactures Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, Nicorette, Commit, (see pgs 32,33,56) but also makes drugs used as an alternative to alcohol, primarily used to treat people forced to abstain from liquor consumption.

Worker's union overturns Pennsylvania smoking ban

2009-06-10T06:43:00.002-05:00

Teachers Union's Objections Sink Smoking Ban in Pennsylvania

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), the union that represents the 6,000 faculty members and coaches in the state school system, objected to the smoking ban — and last month the state's Labor Relations Board overturned it, ruling that the education board had failed to negotiate with with the union.

Also cross referenced here:

http://banthebanwisconsin.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/freedom-of-choice-victory-in-pennsylvania/

Will smoking ban promoter Robert Wood Johnson Foundation come to Robert Wood Johnson IV's rescue?

2009-06-04T15:40:00.002-05:00

Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal indictments today in a massive tax-evasion investigation involving former officers of the Seattle investment firm Quellos, accusing them of operating offshore tax shelters used to hide hundreds of millions of dollars from the government...report focused on a portfolio offered by Quellos to a handful of very wealthy clients, including Robert Wood Johnson IV, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune...

Rest of the story online here:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009298327_quellos04m.html

Defeating a smoking ban is "good for business"

2009-06-03T19:35:00.001-05:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090603-708987.html

Louisiana smoking ban defeated....

2009-06-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

That was a wise decision. Smoking bans leave closed hospitality businesses and heavy unemployment in their wake.....something Nawlins doesn't need right now.

Worldwide press release exposes the fraud behind tobacco control, smoking bans, and nicotine replacement product manufacturers

2009-06-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

Found online here:

http://www.pr-inside.com/international-tobacco-control-corruption-exposed-r1291951.htm

Excerpts:

“For too long now we’ve been brainwashed by propaganda spewed out by Tobacco Control agencies, funded by the large pharmaceutical companies to push their products,” states chairman Eddie Douthwaite. “The pharmaceutical industry has an enormous stake in the war against the tobacco industry.”

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Johnson & Johnson Inc) has funded numerous anti-smoking organisations with millions of dollars in grants to lobby for the introduction of smoking bans and for those same organisations to promote their Nicotine Replacement Products.

“Smoking bans are just big business to the pharmaceutical companies and another way to make profits, at whatever cost to society,” continues Eddie Douthwaite.

The loss of jobs in the hospitality trade is indisputable as a result of smoking bans and has even been documented by anti-smoking organisations.

Huh.....who'd have thought there was hidden agenda?

ClearWay Minnesota funds "new study" to deceive lawmakers -"smoking bans didn't harm hospitality industry in MN"

2009-05-18T19:35:00.011-05:00

However, the "study" somehow overlooks the 327+ Minnesota bars and restaurants which closed after smoking bans were enacted here, eliminating 10,000+ jobs. (in a typical year before the bans only 14 establishments closed annually)

Important to note is that the majority of the unprecedented massive number of establishment closings occurred prior to 2007, so state of the economy was not an issue. As a matter of fact the effect of the bans was the most significant contributing factor to local job losses, home foreclosures and our current dismal economic situation:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

Additionally, ClearWay MN; formerly MPAAT; (which funded this 5/18/09 study) conducted their own survey in 2006 that showed bans eliminated up to 80% of the customers in 7 out of 10 bars and restaurants after smoking bans were enacted. (see links below)

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/09/mpaat-now-known-as-clearway-minnesota.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/11/state-funded-anti-tobacco-group-proves.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/09/minnesota-parnership-for-action.html

It astounds me how the Ohio authors could have missed the hundreds of boarded up, closed hospitality establishments that line nearly every major city block here.....but then conducting the "study" from Ohio probably prevented the "freedom to breathe" blight from clouding their view.

Maybe lawmakers will begin to repeal these arbitrary and onerous special interest (Nicoderm funded) smoking ban laws .....We could call these repeal bills "freedom to work" laws.

Update: The aforementioned study's author Liz Klein responded to CTA's posting as follows:

If you read the release, you'll note that our study used employment in hospitality businesses, not business closure. In addition, the research was conducted during 2003 to 2006.

So the answer is no, the study did not take into account the 327+ hospitality closings and estimated 10,000 job losses after smoking bans were enacted here. But even more important, the study ended long before Minnesota's statewide smoking ban even went into effect. Therefore, this "study" cannot purport to measure the effect of smoking bans on hospitality employment....it was merely old, irrelevant propaganda pure and simple.

By the way, ties between smoking ban benefactor -Nicoderm interests at RWJF and ClearWay MN (formerly MPAAT) can be found here.

Coyote in the hen house alert. Pharmaceutical lobbyist approved by Obama admin and liberal congress to overhaul healthcare

2009-05-11T09:33:00.009-05:00

What could possibly go wrong?

William Corr former executive of CTFK, which was started and heavily funded by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical partner, RWJF, to the tune of $84+ million.....is going to help bring about socialized healthcare to America.....Anyone doubt that Johnson & Johnson drugs and medical devices will be given a preferential government mandate?

Why not? Rent seeking smoking ban laws increased sales of alternative nicotine drugs....now it's time to capitalize on a grand (taxpayer fraud) scale.

Insider trading tip.....buy J & J stock now.....the liberals in the White House and congress are ready to influence the market.

For a nostalgic look at how lobbyists and lawmakers destroy our freedoms and distort the marketplace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch

(thanks to Norm Kjono for forwarding the 50 yr old psa to us)

Obama administration proves politics can be profitable.....and campaign promises are meant to be broken

2009-05-03T23:00:00.012-05:00

Politics can be profitable.

First, market a product like Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicorette, Nicotrol, and Commit; all produced or owned by Johnson & Johnson Companies. Second, if sales fall flat; increase demand by using the force of government, thru lobbying efforts, to create new users of your product...new users such as former smokers forced to quit due to smoking bans and higher tobacco taxes. Of course you'll have to hire or create lobbying partners who share your greed for money....... enter Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) has lobbied in favor of smoking bans for years, but their ties to Nicoderm manufacturer J & J are not as tenuous as you might imagine. J & J has hedged their bet in the alternative nicotine product marketplace by funding smoking ban lobbyists thru their political partner the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. RWJF was founded by Johnson & Johnson's founder and has as many former J & J board members as their current board of directors. In fact CTFK only exists because Johnson & Johnson's partner, RWJF, infused $84 million into the startup, single agenda, lobbying firm. Now enter William Corr, former executive director for Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, is now Obama's pick for the number 2 position at the Department for Health & Human Services.......so much for the campaign promise of not appointing any lobbyists within his administration.

More here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124139960819782109.html

President Barack Obama says lobbyists won't run his administration, but he picked an antitobacco lobbyist with ties to the pharmaceutical industry as the No. 2 official at the Department of Health and Human Services.

....But Mr. Corr's nomination raises another question: In an era when industries often make financial donations to public-interest groups that support policies that help those industries, when are public-interest advocates conflicted by the funding that supports the causes they advocate?

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has received millions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies that would benefit from the organization's work to reduce smoking because they sell products that help people quit, such as Nicorette gum and NicoDerm patches.

Not exactly the wholesome and transparent change in Washington D.C. that candidate Barack Hussein Obama promised now is it?

Smoking bans promote use of replacement nicotine products......but the "cure" may cause cancer

2009-04-23T06:11:00.007-05:00

Unless you live under of rock, CTA readers know that smoking ban lobbyists are heavily funded ($446,000,000.00+) by replacement nicotine product manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Company's Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)......a rent seeking marketing ploy pure and simple. J & J manufactures or owns Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicorette, Nicotrol and Commit.

Now however, Johnson & Johnson/RWJF , and the non-profits they fund to promote smoking bans (American Lung, American Cancer, Non-Smoker's Rights, Tobacco Free Kids, etc) may find themselves to be defendants in lawsuits similar to the tobacco companies in years past, as a new study finds that alternative nicotine products may cause cancer. Only difference is the alternative nicotine special interests brought these lawsuits upon themselves. Meanwhile CTA (a non-smoking publication) finds perverse pleasure at the thought of RWJF and all their minions being subjected to mega billion dollar lawsuits.....couldn't happen to a more well deserving bunch of rent seeking, economy damaging, scam artists.

Smokers if you decide to quit smoking go cold turkey, don't reward the special interests who funded the smoking ban movement by purchasing or using government funded (quit line) alternative nicotine products.....which may be hazardous to your health.

As a reminder, air quality testing by some well known organizations prove that secondhand smoke is up to 25,000 times SAFER than OSHA workplace air quality standards:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/11/johns-hopkins-air-quality-testing-of.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/04/bmj-published-air-quality-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2004/04/american-cancer-society-test-results.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/02/air-quality-testing-and-secondhand.html

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2008/03/british-medical-journal-who-conclude.html

Nevada Senate overwhelmingly approves reversing statewide smoking ban.

2009-04-20T07:01:00.002-05:00

http://money.aol.com/article/nevada-committee-endorses-bill-easing/421226?icid=sphere_searchsphere_news

LAS VEGAS — The Nevada Senate voted 16-5 on Friday to advance a measure that would soften a statewide smoking ban, putting the state on track to become the first in the nation to ease restrictions it had imposed on cigarette use in public spaces.

The fact that Nevada's smoking ban has had a disastrous effect on their economy is no doubt the driving factor to re-instating freedom. And that lawmakers are now being educated about special interests who manufacture alternative nicotine products like Nicoderm (J & J / RWJF) being the primary lobbyists behind the smoking ban movement is giving them cause to rethink these draconian, rent seeking laws.

Hypocrisy of the decade

2009-04-17T07:00:00.012-05:00

This is allowed in the workplace:

This is not allowed:

Perhaps the fact that a pharmaceutical nicotine (Nicoderm) manufacturer (Johnson & Johnson / RWJF) funded the smoking ban movement has something to do with this blatant hypocrisy.

Meanwhile, the result of such hypocritical, rent seeking legislation is significant business closings and economy crippling job losses.

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

Johnson & Johnson 1Q 2009 sales are down as smokers become aware of the role J & J played in marginalizing them

2009-04-16T18:58:00.005-05:00

Johnson and Johnson's sales were down by 7.2 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2009, while its net earnings fell by 2.5 per cent, the company has announced.

That online story can be found here.

This loss in revenue comes as no surprise to CTA readers. Approximately 50 - 60 million Americans smoke, and as those smokers become educated about the role that J & J and their political partner RWJF played in implementing smoking bans, they are less than enthusiastic about doing business with this rent seeking pharmaceutical company.

J & J manufactures or owns Nicoderm, Nicoderm CQ, Nicorette, Nicotrol,Commit, etc. as such, it becomes increasingly apparent that partner, RWJF's interest in funding smoking ban efforts is not so much based upon health concerns......but rather pharmaceutical nicotine profits. And as RWJF is one of the single largest shareholders of J & J stock their motive for lobbying in favor of those bans becomes very dubious.

More here:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/02/smoking-bans-good-public-policy-or.html

http://boycottjohnsonandjohnson.blogspot.com/

Michigan state lawmakers once again defeat smoking ban efforts for right reason...smoking bans increase unemployment

2009-04-16T07:22:00.003-05:00

"Until we get our unemployment rate down, issues like the smoking ban are not a good use of the Legislature's time," said Matt Marsden, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester.

Found online here:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090408/POLITICS02/904080367/1409/METRO

Mr. Marsden's words are very true indeed. Here in Minnesota our smoking bans closed 322+ bars & restaurants and counting......eliminating 10,000+ local jobs.

Elsewhere:

U.K.'s smoking ban closed 3,000+ pubs, eliminating 20,000+ jobs.

Nevada's smoking ban led the way to nearly $1 billion in gambling revenue losses vs previous year revenue reports.

Read more about the economic meltdown due to smoking bans here:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

Just remember what the Nicoderm (RWJF) funded smoking ban lobbyists told lawmakers "...smoking bans are good for business....." They just didn't mention that the business they were referring to was the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical nicotine business:

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2007/12/minnesota-smoking-ban-triples-demand-of.html

Smoking bans: significant contributing factor to worldwide economic downturn

2009-04-10T07:59:00.003-05:00

http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2009/03/worldwide-economic-meltdown-and.html

Update: Fox News aired a report about the alarming number of pubs in the U.K. that closed, eliminating 20,000+ jobs. They cite economy, taxes and smoking ban (in that order) as the primary cause of pub failures.

However, the smoking bans were enacted first, pubs closed as a result, shedding 20,000 jobs which then negatively impacted the economy. But media outlets are loathe to report the truth for reasons explained at the link above.

Nevada Senate committee approves efforts to ease business crippling smoke ban

2009-04-09T06:55:00.003-05:00

Approaching nearly $1 billion in revenue losses since smoking ban was enacted in Nevada, Senate committee endorses effort to stop the financial hemorrhaging. Story here:

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20090409/NEWS/904099993/-1/RSS01

Update: 4/20/09 Nevada Senate overwhelmingly approves reversing statewide smoking ban.

Nevada bill hopes to reverse tens of millions of dollars in revenue losses due to smoking bans

2009-04-04T14:29:00.005-05:00

http://www.lvrj.com/news/42467047.html

....ban has cost the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority $41 million in business, Senior Vice President Terry Jicinsky testified...

http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/nevada-gaming-revenues-fall-for-13th-straight-month-1480/

Here is a look at the decline in statewide gaming revenues in Nevada over the past 13 months since the beginning of 2008. These figures represent percent decreases year over year:

January, 2009: (-14.62%)
December, 2008: (-18.94%)
November, 2008: (-14.80%)
October, 2008: (-22.33%)
September, 2008: (-5.44%)
August, 2008: (-8.10%)
July, 2008: (-12.97%)
June, 2008: (-1.11%)
May, 2008: (-15.17%)
April, 2008: (-5.05%)
March, 2008: (-1.52%)
February, 2008: (-3.93%)
January, 2008: (-4.75%)

Posting filed under smoking bans are good for business and our economy.