Passenger Smokers Charged

The warning that “smoking is bad for your health” might have a new twist for airline passenger Manolín Jesús Villaverde: Smoking cost him his freedom, after he caused an airliner to divert to San Antonio. Villaverde, who turned 36 on Wednesday, was pulled off the Continental Airlines flight Tuesday night after he became unruly when told to put out cigarettes. FBI agents on Wednesday hauled him into federal court on a charge of interfering with flight crew members, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A criminal complaint affidavit said Villaverde, of Miami, was on Continental Flight 1287 from Houston to Ontario, Calif., when he came out of the restroom smoking a cigarette.

Tobacco Fight Failed in All Solano County

Solano County and all its cities earned grades of F in cigarette smoking rates and efforts to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke, according to an American Lung Association annual report. The failing grades for smoking rates and restrictions on smoking in public spots and housing areas are contained in the "State of Tobacco Control 2012" report. In particular, the report looks at local policies that aim to reduce smoking cheap Camel cigarettes in outdoor areas, housing, and the sale of tobacco products. State law prevents indoor smoking in businesses, restaurants, schools and other facilities in Solano County. However, the lung association's regional director of advocacy Serena Chen said Solano cities and the county have not followed through on tobacco control laws and regulations.