
Jul 13 - By Thomas Watkins, AP Writers
Worried about the health effects of secondhand smoke and sick of cleaning up discarded cigarettes, San Diego has banned smoking at its beaches and parks. The city joins nearly 2,300 other municipalities across the nation that have barred smoking in a variety of public places.
Jul 11 - By Roger Alford, AP Writer
Government workers in Kentucky, one of the nation's top tobacco producers, will not be permitted to smoke in state buildings after Aug. 1 under an executive order signed Tuesday by the governor.
Jun 27 - By Associated Press

Jun 27 - By Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer
Breathing any amount of someone else's tobacco smoke harms nonsmokers, the surgeon general declared Tuesday — a strong condemnation of secondhand smoke that is sure to fuel nationwide efforts to ban smoking in public.
Jun 23 - By Catherine Tsai, AP Writer
A federal judge refused Friday to block a statewide smoking ban from taking effect July 1 despite pleas from bar owners that it will irreparably hurt their businesses.
Jun 22 - By Andrew Bridges, AP Writer
Smokers who pay hundreds of dollars to be zapped by lasers purported to help them quit are victims of fraud, a watchdog group alleged Thursday in seeking a federal crackdown.
Jun 21 - By Associated Press
A drunken driver passed out at the wheel of his van in a parking lot and unknowingly floored the accelerator for so long that the smoking engine nearly blew up, authorities said.
Jun 16 - By Associated Press
City Council approved a bill that would ban smoking in most public places, including many bars and all restaurants, and allow Philadelphia to join the ranks of other smoke-free regions.

Jun 9 - By Mike Stobbe, AP Writer
The long, steady decline in teen smoking in the U.S. since the late 1990s appears to have come to a standstill, health officials said Friday.
May 31 - By Beth Duff-Brown, AP Writer
Smokers were required to light up outside across much of eastern Canada Wednesday, as one of North America's most restrictive bans went into effect.
May 28 - By Associated Press
Brothel owners in the southern state of Victoria have called for an exemption to a new ban on smoking in the workplace, saying customers like to light up after sex.
May 11 - By Associated Press
A Livingston woman has been evicted from a retirement community for violating its smoking ban.

May 11 - By Andrew Bridges, AP Writer
A tablet shown to help more than one in five smokers quit joined the limited number of effective stop-smoking drugs on Thursday, approved by federal regulators.

Apr 22 - By Jamie Kizzire, AP Writer
If New York City can ban smoking in bars and restaurants, why not the town of Luverne?
Apr 7 - By Associated Press
Gov. Mike Huckabee, a champion of healthy living, signed into law Friday a ban on smoking in most indoor public places.
Mar 26 - By Associated Press
A smoking ban in enclosed public places took effect in Scotland on Sunday, although a poll showed that a fifth of all Scottish smokers planned to ignore the new law.
Mar 19 - By Associated Press
No more smoking in the park. Lighting up on the sidewalk could bring a fine. Dining on the restaurant patio? Don't bother asking for matches.
Mar 17 - By Associated Press
The House gave final approval to a statewide smoking ban Friday and sent the bill to Gov. Bill Owens, who said he will sign it.

Mar 10 - By Nahal Toosi, AP Writer
Fewer New York City public high schoolers are lighting up, a trend officials credit to such factors as better health education, smoking bans in workplaces and higher cigarette sales taxes.
Mar 9 - By Nahal Toosi, AP Writer
Fewer New York City public high schoolers are lighting up, a trend officials credit to such factors as better health education, smoking bans in workplaces and higher cigarette sales taxes.
Mar 7 - By Associated Press
Fuming that a New Jersey smoking ban excludes the state's casinos, a coalition of bars, restaurants and bowling alley operators sued the state Tuesday, claiming the law is unconstitutional.
Mar 3 - By Associated Press
Puerto Rico's governor has signed into law a ban on smoking in enclosed public places — the toughest anti-tobacco prohibition in the Caribbean.

Mar 2 - By Raul Garces, AP Writer
Uruguayans are saying "adios" to tobacco smoke in the workplace, shopping malls and many other enclosed public spaces, thanks to a new law promoted by a local cancer specialist — who also happens to be the nation's president.

Feb 14 - By Tariq Panja, AP Writer
Britain's lower house of Parliament voted on Tuesday to ban smoking in all public places in England — including pubs, both public and private.