Today's Feature

The Smoking Ban Plan.

The City Council Public Service Committee voted 4-0 last Monday night to postpone discussion on the proposed smoking ban in restaurants until it’s meeting in March. At that time the committee will hear a presentation that will propose a ban on smoking in nearly any public place that has four walls and a ceiling. The proposed ordinance was supported by statements of Campus-Community Alliances for Smoke-Free Environments (CASE) representative Drew Deardorff. (see inside for CASE information) The proposed ordinance states its purpose clearly.

"Accordingly, the _______________ [City or County Governing Body] finds and declares that the purposes of this ordinance are (1) to protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment; and (2) to guarantee the right of nonsmokers to breathe smokefree air, and to recognize that the need to breathe smokefree air shall have priority over the desire to smoke."

Although there is a specific list of where smoking will be prohibited in the twelve page document, the list provided stating where it won’t be regulated is more to the point.

"Where Smoking is not Regulated.

A. Private residences, except when used as a childcare, adult day care, or health care facility, and except as provided in Section 1006.

B. Not more than twenty percent (20%) of hotel and motel rooms rented to guests and designated as smoking rooms. All smoking rooms on the same floor must be contiguousand smoke from these rooms must not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited under the provisions of this Article. The status of rooms as smoking or nonsmoking may not be changed, except to add additional nonsmoking rooms.

C. Private clubs that have no employees, except when being used for a function to which the general public is invited; provided that smoke from such clubs does not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited under the provisions of this Article. This exemption shall not apply to any organization that is established for the purpose of avoiding compliance with this Article.

D. Outdoor areas of places of employment."

The following information was compiled from information provided by CASE and MFH and their web sites. It is assumed to be accurate, but the Mornin’ Mail claims no responsibility for its content.

Campus-Community Alliances for Smoke-Free Environments (CASE) was funded with a Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative Grant provided by the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH).

About CASE

Who is CASE?

CASE, or Campus-Community Alliances for Smoke-Free Environments, is a group of researchers and experts on the health effects of secondhand smoke. We have expertise in addictions, health promotion, psychology, public health, strategic communication and project evaluation. Our team of professionals, in partnership with already existing statewide organizations, are working to improve the health of Missouri communities, complement existing tobacco control efforts, and build an infrastructure that can sustain our successful programs for years to come.

What does CASE do?

Our two main goals are to reduce workplace smoking and to promote smoking prevention programs in schools, in order to make our communities cleaner and healthier place to live. To achieve these goals we are working to provide leadership training for tobacco control, while disseminating credible information about the health, social and economic consequences of secondhand smoke to affiliate campus and community alliances so they can in turn work to create smoke-free environments in the State of Missouri.

The idea is to use existing campus and community infrastructures to mobilize leaders who will, in turn, influence communities’ health agendas to reduce the use of tobacco. By systematically linking energetic campus-community leaders from educational institutions (from middle schools, high schools and universities) with community groups, we will strengthen the alliance and will be closer to solving the major societal problems related to tobacco.

The primary role of CASE is to serve as a resource for anyone working to reduce secondhand smoke and promote clean indoor air. Our group of researchers and professionals are armed with knowledge, skills, tools and information to help any organization. We are here to provide support and guidance for everyone working to combat smoking and second hand smoke.

The MFH Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative is a nine-year, multi-phase program that includes grantmaking, policy, capacity building, evaluation and communication activities. MFH is taking a comprehensive approach to tobacco use in order to assure integration of all aspects of prevention and cessation. This model for comprehensive tobacco use prevention is based on the understanding that behavior change requires awareness, education, advocacy, organizational changes, policy and environmental changes and implementation of multi-phased strategies. Comprehensive tobacco control programs are proven to significantly reduce smoking, which in turn reduces morbidity, mortality and health care costs.

Throughout the development of this initiative, MFH met with representatives from the Missouri Statewide Tobacco Steering Committee to review the key components and needs of the Missouri Comprehensive Tobacco Use Prevention Program. The guiding principles, strategies and objectives from the statewide plan were utilized to form the basis for the MFH Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Initiative.

Regional grants support development of a structure that provides coordination of specific strategies for tobacco prevention and cessation. Grantees are large organizations with annual operating budgets that meet or exceed $2 million. Four regional grants were awarded in 2004 and 2005 to Randolph County Health Department, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Curators of University of Missouri and American Lung Association.

Community grants are awarded to smaller community-based agencies that implement models and activities designed in conjunction with a regional grant recipient.

MFH History

1994 - 1995

• BCBSMo, a nonprofit health services corporation, creates a for-profit subsidiary, RightCHOICE Managed Care Inc.
• Consumer groups support the use of RightChoice’s assets to benefit the public.

1996 - 1998

• Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon files suit against BCBSMo and its subsidiaries, including RightCHOICE, charging violation of Missouri laws governing conversion of non-profits to for-profit status.

1999 - 2000

• Under direction from the Missouri Supreme Court, the parties agree to dismiss lawsuits and to enter into a settlement creating Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH), a public nonprofit corporation. BCBSMo transfers $12.8 million and 14,982,500 shares of RightCHOICE stock directly to the Foundation.
• A committee is formed to nominate board members. When the Board is established in 2000, the members of the nominating committee become the first members of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC).

2001

• In October, Dr. James R. Kimmey is hired as the first chief executive officer.
• RightCHOICE and WellPoint Health Networks merge, making the Foundation’s shares worth about $733 million. Added to an earlier stock sale, RightCHOICE creates some $900 million in value for MFH.

2002

• CAC conducts community forums in the Foundation’s service area of 84 counties and City of St. Louis.
• MFH awards its first round of grants addressing heart disease, diabetes prevention and strengthening core services.

2003

• MFH celebrates one year of grantmaking. The Foundation distributes more than $32.5 million in grants from August 2002 - August 2003.
• MFH hosts its first annual Health Summit, addressing disparities.

2004

• MFH launches a $40 million, nine-year Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Initiative.2005
• MFH hosts its second Health Summit, entitled "Weighing in on Children’s Obesity: Strategies that Work."
• MFH launches its Healthy & Active Communities Initiative, aimed at combating obesity.

2006

• A new funding effort targets dental sealants for children, self-management of diabetes, health literacy and co-occurring mental/substance abuse disorders.
• MFH hosts its third Health Summit, addressing access to health care for people living in rural areas.
• MFH’s total for grantmaking since 2002 tops $200 million.

2007

• MFH’s largest single grant - $11 million - enables 30,000 girls and women to receive the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. The effort ensures that all underserved, underinsured and uninsured females in Missouri can get the vaccine.
• MFH hosts its fourth Health Summit, entitled "The Intersection of Health and Business."

Drew Deardorff

Health Promotion Specialist

deardorffd@health.missouri.edu

Drew Deardorff graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a bachelor’s in communication and continues to serve his community through the CASE program. He has traveled internationally through a study abroad program and has internship experience in advertising. His main objective with CASE is to establish and promote educational programs about the hazards of secondhand smoke for the university and the community of Joplin.

Mornin'

I’m just a little tired of all the calls wantin’ me ta change long distance telephone service. No matter the time a day, the calls keep comin’.

Well, I got the topper the other day. They were sellin’ a service that was supposed ta stop the harassin’ phone calls.

Now I suppose the best way for someone ta find out who gets upset with irritatin’ calls is to call and irritate someone. The person on the other end of the line seemed real upset when I wasn’t interested.

We have, over the years, tried to come up with polite ways to get these callers off our line. Like... "send us the info, we’ll take a look" or "we don’t buy anything over the phone." Recently, the most effective response was initiated. Ya hang up. It ain’t too polite, but they seem ta get the message.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I know you don’t like old Beetles, but I own one, and I love it! I work for a federal agency where everyone drives brown and gray vehicles. When I walk into the parking lot, I smile at my little yellow flower amid all the potatoes, and greet her: Buttercup! My question is: Why the heck don’t carmakers offer an oil gauge that works like a gas gauge, and tells you what your oil level is? Thanks! - Vickie

RAY: It would be a handy thing to have, Vickie. Some cars, in fact, have it.

TOM: ALL modern cars warn you when your oil PRESSURE is dangerously low. But not all of them tell when your oil LEVEL is getting low.

RAY: We do know of a number of cars that alert the driver when the engine’s oil level is low. We’ve seen it on a lot of GM products over the years, and on a handful of Fords, as far back as the late ‘80s. All volkswagons now have it, as do BMW and Mercedes has eliminated the dipstick!

TOM: I think they figure that if you own a Mercedes, it would be unseemly to have you standing out on your frozen driveway in the morning, in your pajama bottoms, pawing around for a greasy dipstick.

RAY: It’s not a difficult thing to do. This type of device almost certainly has saved some engines. So I suspect - and hope - that it will become a standard feature.

TOM: Yeah, as soon as they all can overcome the vehement opposition of the World Assoc. of Dipstick Manufacturers.