Cost of Tobacco Smoking

An employee's money-saving idea is one hot topic in Fort Worth. He wants the city to hire only non-smokers, and that proposal is getting a reaction from co-workers and City Council members.

City Manager Tom Higgins presented the idea informally as one of several possibilities to the Council at Tuesday's meeting. Council member Frank Moss raised serious issues with the idea. "We may lose a lot of good people by excluding smokers," he said.

Ottawa Public Smoke-Free Zones

Smokers should butt out on restaurant patios as well as city-owned parks, beaches, buildings and markets, Ottawa Public Health is recommending.

A decade after the city banned smoking indoors, the next phase of the bylaw expansion would make all city properties -including beaches, more than 1,000 parks and 300 city facilities, including the ByWard and Parkdale market stalls - smoke-free zones. Smoking on city streets and sidewalks would still be allowed.

More controversial will be the push to keep smoking off of outdoor restaurant and pub patios.