Friday, November 4, 2011

Tid Bits

Secondhand Smoke Ruling May Set Precedent - Greenbelt, MD Patch:

Fisher said the “smoking gun” in the case was when James Repace, the biophysicist hired by the plaintiff found the same level of cancer-causing particles with his monitor in the smoke-free courtroom as he had in Schuman’s living room while Darko Popovic was smoking outside.
“Shouldn’t that create a cause of action for everybody in here?” he asked.

The article is good and interesting reading.
I do think we will see more cases like this one,I can only hope that what I fear isn't the case.

Mental health smoking ban set to be lifted


Ms Morton said the total smoking ban was harming patients and hindering their recovery, as well as endangering staff who had to deal with patients desperate for a cigarette. She said there was widespread support from stakeholders in the mental health area for a lifting of the smoking ban, which she hoped to change by next year.
"I'm hoping (the submission) will be there (before cabinet) before December and I believe it will sail through cabinet and there won't be any obstacles."
Good,about damn time.
A third of the remaining money went to the property tax reduction fund, and another third to the education enhancement tobacco fund. The remaining 34 percent is dedicated to the health care tobacco fund.
When the tobacco tax money decreases, those programs feel it. A decline in revenue hits health care and education the hardest because of the way the state law is structured

Two words for that piece  Laffer Curve