Tobacco

Tobacco is a leading cause of chronic illness and death in Kansas. Legal efforts to curb or mitigate its use through statewide restrictions have been a source of heated debate. State lawmakers after multiple attempts have passed a statewide smoking ban and are considering increasing the tobacco tax. At least 35 Kansas cities and three counties enacted local restrictions before state lawmakers agreed to a statewide ban. KHI research and news reports focus on the policies dealing with tobacco control and their consequences.

Photo by Mike Shields

Parkinson signs smoking ban into law

Ban effective July 1

0 | Legislature, Tobacco

The signing of a bill Friday to enact a statewide smoking ban was a victory for public health officials, Gov. Mark Parkinson said.

Policy and Research

Memo to House Health and Human Services Committee on secondhand smoke impacts

0 | Feb. 15, 2010 | Tobacco

The House Health and Human Services Committee requested additional information from the Kansas Health Institute on the impacts of secondhand smoke on three areas.

Testimony - Statewide Smoking Bans: A Research Perspective (2010 HB 2642)

0 | Feb. 11, 2010 | KHI Legislative Testimony, Tobacco

In testimony to the House Health and Human Services Committee, KHI summarizes the research about the impact of smoke-free policies.

Economic Impact of Lawrence Smoke-Free Ordinance

0 | Jan. 01, 2009 | Community Health, Tobacco

There has been much debate about the impact of Lawrence's comprehensive smoke-free ordinance on the restaurant and bar industry. This KHI study indicates that the ordinance did not negatively affect the industry as a whole.

Testimony to 2009 Legislature on state-wide smoke-free legislation

0 | Mar. 10, 2009 | KHI Legislative Testimony

The Kansas Health Institute provided information to the Kansas Legislature and stakeholders regarding various bills that would have created a state-wide smoke-free law in 2009.

Changes sought in smoking ban law

0 | Mar. 17, 2010 | Legislature, Tobacco

A new proposal in the Kansas House would allow some bars to permit their customers to smoke indoors.

Parkinson signs smoking ban into law

0 | Mar. 12, 2010 | Legislature, Tobacco

The signing of a bill Friday to enact a statewide smoking ban was a victory for public health officials, Gov. Mark Parkinson said.

Follow up to smoking ban bill introduced

0 | Mar. 12, 2010 | Legislature, Tobacco

A follow-up bill has been introduced in the Kansas House that would alter the statewide smoking ban signed into law by Gov. Mark Parkinson on Friday.

Opponents say tobacco tax increase would wreck businesses

0 | Mar. 10, 2010 | Legislature, Tobacco

Opponents weigh in on tobacco tax proposal: Mom-and-pop cigar shops will be forced from business and shoppers will head to Missouri for smokes, booze, gasoline and other goods.

Governor schedules three signing ceremonies for smoking ban bill

0 | Mar. 10, 2010 | Legislature, Tobacco

Gov. Mark Parkinson has scheduled three signing ceremonies for a bill that will ban smoking in most public places statewide.

Teens describe the foster care experience

0 | Mar. 09, 2010 | Children, SRS, Legislature

“My mother had a habit of leaving me – when I was 10 years old -- with my four brothers and sisters while my dad was in rehab for a week or two at a time,” Rachel Perkins, 19, said Monday during testimony before the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.

Advocates: Mental health system in crisis

0 | Mar. 18, 2010 | Advocacy, Legislature, Mental Health

About 300 people from across Kansas came to Topeka as part of Mental Health Advocacy Day.

KHPA board members blast proposed salary cuts

0 | Mar. 16, 2010 | KHPA, Legislature

To accommodate $800,000 in salary cuts, the agency would have to lay off 45 of its 190 Medicaid workers.

Provider-tax bills in the works

0 | Feb. 04, 2010 | Legislature, Medicaid-CHIP

Aim is to draw down more federal money.

Committee hears cancer treatment parity bill

0 | Mar. 18, 2010 | Legislature, Health Care Delivery

Insurance lobbyists renewed their opposition Thursday to a bill that would require health insurers to cover oral chemotherapies the same way they do intravenous chemotherapies.

Kansas Supreme Court to rule on malpractice case

1 | Mar. 02, 2010 | Health Care Delivery, Hospitals

Medical providers and others are anxiously waiting to see what the Kansas Supreme Court will do about the state's $250,000 cap on awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases.

Seniors' mental health needs often unmet

1 | Feb. 16, 2010 | Community Health, Legislature, Workforce

“We’re not reaching the people we need to be reaching with our existing programs,” said Steve Denny, who runs an outreach program for seniors at the Independence-based Four County Mental Health Center.

State mental hospitals packed

1 | Feb. 04, 2010 | Legislature, Hospitals, Mental Health

Jails getting the overflow.

Push for tighter day care licensing questioned

1 | Feb. 02, 2010 | Child Health, Legislature

Legislators this week are holdings hearings on a proposal that would mean stricter standards for some home day care centers.

Mental health system close to collapse, center directors say

1 | Jan. 25, 2010 | SRS, Legislature, Mental Health

Last year, nine of the state’s 27 community mental health centers spent more money than they took in.

Governor calls for sales and tobacco tax increases

1 | Jan. 11, 2010 | Legislature

Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, unveiled key details of a budget plan that calls for raising the state sales tax one cent and boosting tobacco taxes to forestall deeper cuts to schools and to roll back cuts in Medicaid provider rates. But Republican leaders said it would be a bad idea to raise taxes during a recession.