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Tags: Rental Cars / Avis / Cars / Smoking / Travel News / Road Trips / → All Tags

Only A Few Days Left To Light Up In Your Rental Car

Anytime we have rented a car in recent memory, we were reminded early and often not to smoke in the car—even if it was just a PT Cruiser. We’re pretty sure that we had to sign something, and there was always that no smoking sticker right by the lighter where we plugged in our iPod. Apparently, smoking in your rental car is a vacation luxury that we missed out on, and now our time is severely limited.

On October 1, Budget and Avis will become the first two rental car companies to ban smoking in their rental fleet in North America. If you’re caught puffing away, you’ll get nailed with a cleaning fee of up to $250. Too bad they won’t ban fast food in their cars, as we are sick of soda stains in the seats and fries in every nook and cranny of the center console.

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Tags: Bad Ideas / Ryanair / Airline News / Smoking / Smoking Bans / → All Tags

Ryanair Will Allow Smoking On Their Planes, If You Buy Their Brand

Well, we didn't have to wait very long for Ryanair to think up another crazy and controversial money-making scheme. Want to know what it is this time, now that they've already talked up paying to pee? Wait for it...wait for it...it's smoking on the plane!

That's right, one of the top behavioral rules of modern day air travel is being turned on its head by Ryanair, who are piloting the idea with their own brand of "Smokeless Cigarettes." What kind of crap are they trying to pull, exactly? Well, it seems that Ryanair took a survey of their passengers, according to USA Today, and found that some 24,000 professed an interest in smoking during flights. It did not however specify how many passengers were surveyed; 24,000 could be like a very low percentage, we have no idea.

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Tags: Apolitical DC / Hookah Bars / Smoking / Know the Law / → All Tags

Lighting Up (Legally) in the Nation's Capital

We've heard a lot about how DC is getting hip, but it's left us wondering why most Washington events we read about are still along the lines of Congressional cocktail parties and power-lunches. Just because they're Democratic now doesn't make them all that hip.

But DC has a lot more going on than just Obama-mania, so we're gonna start taking a look at Apolitical DC: the best ways to spend a weekend in Washington with minimal risk or stumbling into a heated late-night debate about the federal budget.

First up is the antithesis of the cigar-chomping, smoked-filled room, good ole boys clubs: hookah bars. Cigarettes at bars are long gone in DC, but these specialty purveyors still have an exemption.

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Tags: Smoking / Airlines / Crazy Passengers / Middle East Travel / Saudi Arabian Airlines / → All Tags

Saudi Arabian Airlines Really Mean No Smoking

We all know the drill: no smoking on the aircraft, there are smoke detectors in the toilets, blah, blah, blah. What we didn't know is the kind of punishment you might get for lighting up a cigarette if you happen to be flying Saudi Arabian Airlines at the time.

A guy flying from Qurayyat in northern Saudi Arabia up to Jeddah last week got caught smoking--police arrested him when they landed and he ended up in court. And he was sentenced to receive 30 lashes.

The passenger apologized and told the court he was going to a clinic to get help with quitting, but that didn't dissuade them from the 30-lash thing. So in case you needed it, that's one more reason to pack your cigarettes in your checked baggage.

Related Stories:
· Man Gets 30 Lashes for Smoking on Plane [The Age]
· Saudi Arabia Travel Guide [Jaunted]
· Smokin' Szele Plans to Cop a Plea [Jaunted]

[Photo: RoyChung1993]

Tags: Smoking / Smoking Bans / Worldwide-Smoking-Bans-Map / → All Tags

Lights Out: Jaunted's Worldwide Smoking Ban Map

We've been tracking new smoking bans the past few months, as India, Kenya and Niger all stubbed out cigarettes. So to help keep track of where you won't find smoky cafes and cloudy bus terminals, we've put together a Worldwide Smoking Ban Map.

As it stands now, your best bet for a tobacco-free trip is in Europe, where many countries prohibit puffing. But the former British Empire is also a good choice, with Bermuda, Hong Kong and Singapore on the map along with Kenya and India.

Any countries we missed? Let us know.

Related Stories:
· No More Bidis in India [Jaunted]
· Six Months Post-Ban, Cloudy Benefits in Chicago [Jaunted]

[Photo: MShades]

Tags: Smoking / Smoking Bans / → All Tags

Smoking Bans: No More Bidis in India

Worldwide smoking bans continue to menace kayaks as the hot newness, and this time it's India that's stubbing out cigs in all bars and offices--and even in public places like bus stops. The ban goes into effect tomorrow.

Of India's 1.2 billion people, an estimated 250 million smoke, and health authorities are worried more might light up as the country's middle class grows. But the 200 rupee ($4.25) fine for rule breakers won't be stopping at least one smoker the UK Times spoke with:

The authorities aren't organised enough to prevent people smoking. I'll pay a bribe if they try to stop me. Or perhaps I'll just stay at home.

Related Stories:
· India to Start World's Biggest Smoking Ban [UK Times, via]
· Smoking Bans coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: RobRyb]

Tags: Smoking / Crime / Airline Hell / Bad Seatmates / Christina Szele / → All Tags

Christina Szele Arrested Again, Headed Back to Denver

US Marshals have apprehended Christina Szele, she of the alleged in-flight outburst involving a cigarette, some swearing and a jab to the jaw of a JetBlue flight attendant.

According to authorities, she tested positive for cocaine *twice* while awaiting trial and was slapped with a charge of misdemeanor assault in Queens after a fight with her roommate.

The attorney's office in Denver, which decided to let Szele enter a plea in a New York court, now wants to prosecute its case back in Colorado. Since Szele's been banned from commercial air travel, she'll have to fly back with marshals on a government plane.

It'll be just like "Con Air," except she's innocent until proven guilty in court!

Related Stories:
· Woman from JetBlue Flight Arrested Again [Denver Post]
· Smoker Arrested Again [KUSA]
· Smokin' Szele Plans to Cop a Plea [Jaunted]

Tags: Niger Travel / Smoking / Smoking Bans / → All Tags

Niger Jumping on the No Smokes Bandwagon

Despite our assertion that billboards are the new cigarettes, countries are still banning smokes. The latest to jump on the trend is Niger; in July Kenya passed a sweeping anti-smoking law.

People caught lighting up in public places or on public transport can be fined anywhere from $10 to more than $2,000, and jail sentences are apparently also on the table. Businesses that let patrons smoke can have their licenses revoked.

The BBC reports that there may be a little bit of a de facto grace period for puffers in the country since the government has only now decided to start enforcing the ban, which was originally approved in 2006.

Related Stories:
· Niger Cabinet Passes Smoking Ban [BBC, via]
· New Smoking Ban in Kenya Cutting Loosie Sales [Jaunted]
· Smoking Bans coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: robin.elaine]

Tags: Smoking / Crime / Airline Hell / Bad Seatmates / Christina Szele / → All Tags

Smokin' Szele Plans to Cop a Plea

Infamous JetBlue passenger Christina Szele will plead guilty to at least some of the federal charges she's facing, according to the Denver Post, citing court documents in the case.

Szele, you'll no doubt remember, reportedly sparked up a cig on her flight between New York and San Francisco and flew into a rage when a flight attendant snatched it from her lips. She was booted off her A320 after it made an emergency pit stop in Denver.

With the plea, it's unlikely she'll get the maximum penalty she could've drawn, but US Attorney Troy Eid is definitely making an example of Szele--just like he promised.

Related Stories:
· JetBlue Flier to Plead Guilty [Jaunted]
· Smokin' Szele Indicted by Federal Grand Jury [Jaunted]
· Drunken Air Rage: Summer's Hottest Trend! [Jaunted]
· Bad Seatmates coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Smoking / Smoking Bans / Restaurants / Bars / → All Tags

Six Months Post-Ban, Cloudy Benefits in Chicago

Is the wind in the Windy City a little clearer these days? Two and a half years after the City Council passed a "public places" smoking ban, residents are pleased overall--even if the ban has had some unintended consequences.

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Tags: Smoking / Qantas / → All Tags

Desperate Times Travel: Qantas Back to Selling Cigs

After nearly a decade, Qantas is bringing back in-flight cigarette sales on international flights. Though the carrier isn't allowed to advertise smokes, it can and will start stacking them prominently on top of duty free carts as they trundle down the aisles.

Obviously, this has the anti-tobacco lobby more than upset. Says the head of one anti-smoking group:

Retail tobacco display is a powerful form of advertising, especially in association with a highly respected brand name like Qantas, and research shows it normalizes and encourages young people to smoke.

Wait. Qantas is a respected brand?

Related Stories:
· Qantas Brings Back In-Flight Cigarette Sales [The Age]
· Smoking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: SpacePotato]

Tags: Africa Travel / Smoking / Smoking Bans / → All Tags

New Smoking Ban in Kenya Cutting Loosie Sales

Kenya is the latest country to join the no-smoking bandwagon, with an stringent anti-tobacco law that went into effect this week. The government's ban on butts is so strict, residents can't even puff in parks, private cars or their own homes.

The new rules require smokers to stick to sealed and ventilated rooms, so unless a house is equipped, it's technically out of bounds. For those hangers-on, the government has established a few outdoor "smoking zones" that draw clusters of smokers, eager to avoid fines of up to $46,000. (That's not for the first offense!)

Also included in the new tobacco control legislation is a ban on sales of single cigarettes, designed to keep lower-income Kenyans from lighting up. One vendor in Narobi told the BBC that his sales of loosies had indeed dropped off--but that people were just buying packs instead.

Related Stories:
· Stringent Law for Kenyan Smokers [BBC]
· Smoking coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: prondis_in_kenya]