NIMBYs inch closer toward literalism after Rocklin resident James Baker asked the City Council to ban outdoor smoking altogether, even for residents who wish to puff relaxing, cancer-causing cigarettes on their own property. How did Baker get such a carcinogenic bee in his bonnet? Baker told The Placer Herald that his neighbor smokes about 30 feet from his patio door. The secondhand smoke, he claims, is making his asthmatic sons, ages 11 and 16, sick. more ›

Cigarettes we mean. Roughly 13 percent of San Franciscans still smoke tobacco (yes, clarification is necessary) according to a report released by the California Department of Public Health yesterday. The Examiner* notes that figure is down from the 19.5 percent of San Franciscans who smoked in the last days of Joe Camel in 1996. Despite the city's many bans and taxes on cigarette smoking since then we're still getting beat by our health-conscious neighbors in SoCal: Only 11% of San Diego smokes, and LA is down to 10%. more ›

Thanks to a 2009 law that gives the FDA the authority to regulate the marketing and labeling of tobacco products, we're going to start seeing some graphic new labels on packs of cigarettes. The FDA has proposed 36 different labels which range from the comical to the horrifying and could start appearing on your Marlboros as early as next fall. Not that you can buy or smoke cigarettes anywhere in San Francisco, but we could see this being a nice conversation piece the next time you're sitting out by the portajohns at Zeitgeist. more ›

Although approved by the Board of Supervisors in March, a law banning smoking on restaurant patios went into effect this week. "Restaurants must not post signs advising customers they can only smoke at the curb or in a spot that is at least 15 feet from exits, entrances, windows and vents," reports KTVU/AP. "Failure to comply could cost restaurants a $500 fine." This is terrible news great news because now we can all be a little bit healthier. Delightful. more ›

This morning, a fresh new ordinance went into effect: cigarette addicts now must pay 20 cents extra per pack "in order cover the costs of cleaning up discarded cigarette butts throughout the city." The very first tax of its kind in the U.S., KTVU says, "The fee will be collected from retailers and will go specifically to city departments that conduct street cleanup of cigarette butts." more ›

Our favorite 'no' judge in San Francisco, Peter Busch, brought the hammer down on beloved Walgreens today. See, after SF banned the sale of cigarettes at all Walgreens, the company, in turn, brought a lawsuit against the city, claiming they had every right to go against the wishes of the Board of Supervisors. Walgreens goes on to say that the BOS' "violated its right to equal protection under the state and federal constitutions." more ›

Gone are the days of free love, free LSD, and freedom to eat whatever you want. After last week's historic decision to make San Francisco the first in the country to ban the sale of cigarettes in pharmacies Walgreens and Rite Aid stores, City Hall isn't stopping there. The Board of Supes also wants to bar you from lighting up in city parks, ATM lines, and common areas of apartment buildings; voted for chain restaurants to post nutritional information on menus; have shunned delicious trans-fats (which is semi-ridiculous since high fructose corn syrup is the real enemy, but that's an entirely different post altogether); charge restaurants a fee for selling sugary sodas (which is good since Diet Coke tastes better); and close down city streets in an effort to get you to participate in mass jazzercise. more ›

Plug 1 from WhatImSeeing (he seems to be everywhere all at once!) sent us this image today after he picked up a pack of cool, smooth, refreshing Parliament Lights. It seems Walgreens, a chain that can do no wrong in our eyes, is handing out these flyers when you buy cigs today. Check it: more ›