Entries by Erin Hill-Oban

E-cigarettes: Do benefits outweigh risks?

by Natalie Brand / KTVK More and more tobacco companies are jumping into the “e-cigarette” market, considered the “wild, wild west,” since it’s without FDA regulations. From celebrity commercials to candy flavors, some health officials worry who e-cigarette manufacturers may be targeting. “You see all the commercials that cigarettes are so bad, which is true, […]

Utah Lawmakers endorse plan to hike smoking age to 21

By Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune Legislators took a first step Wednesday toward raising Utah’s already highest-among-the-states smoking age, from 19 to 21. Committee endorsement of the proposal came despite lively arguments by even some cigarette opponents that the move would infringe on the personal liberty of adults. “We have a responsibility to protect […]

UTTC goes tobacco free

By Hannah Johnson BISMARCK, N.D. _ United Tribes Technical College will become a tobacco-free campus starting Jan. 1. Both the University of Mary and Bismarck State College have already gone tobacco-free. United Tribes is the first tribal college in the state to do so. The policy was spearheaded by the Wellness Circle, a group at UTTC […]

Regulation push catching up with electronic cigarettes

By John Keilman and Mitch Smith, Chicago Tribune reporters Jay Altman smoked cigarettes for 25 years before deciding a few months ago that for the sake of his wallet and his health, a change was in order. But Altman didn’t quit — he switched. The North Side insurance worker swapped his daily pack and a half of […]

CDC: More teens smoking e-cigarettes, hookah

By RYAN JASLOW / CBS NEWS More middle and high school students are smoking electronic cigarettes, hookahs and cigars, according to a new government report form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While rates for those tobacco products have increased, overall youth smoking rates haven’t declined at all, a concerning figure for health officials. “We need effective […]

More U.S. Teens Try E-Cigarettes, Hookahs: Report

By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter – US News (HealthDay News) — The rapidly growing use of electronic cigarettes, hookahs and other smoking alternatives by middle school and high school students concerns U.S. health officials. While use of these devices nearly doubled in some cases between 2011 and 2012, no corresponding decline has been seen in cigarette […]

ND smoking ban: 1 year later; Support increases, businesses see no change

By Katherine Grandstrand, The Dickinson Press Support has only increased in the year since North Dakota voters decided to end smoking in bars, the group that lobbied to implement the law said. North Dakotans got the measure on last November’s general election ballot and it passed with a supermajority of 67 percent. Three months later, […]

Gov. Branstad ‘Absolutely Interested’ in Regulating E-Cigarette

By James Lynch, Reporter DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Terry Branstad, who made Terrace Hill and the governor’s office smoke-free the day he took office, is open to regulating electronic cigarettes in much the same way as the traditional variety. Iowa law prohibits smoking in workplaces other than on casino floors, but electronic cigarettes – […]

Quitters are winners: The benefits of kicking the tobacco habit

By Richard A. Claiborne We all know the bad news about smoking, including health risks, expense and even criticism from non-smokers. But, for many people, scare tactics are not helpful when it comes to quitting. To put a positive spin on smoking cessation, let’s look at the benefits of living tobacco-free and how to go about […]