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June 4, 2013 A worker's smoke breaks cost an employer even more than the increased costs of health care. Some employers charge higher health insurance premiums to employees who smoke or refuse to hire them altogether.

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May 31, 2013 The coffee chain says it will enforce its no-smoking rule at its outdoor seating areas and within 25 feet of store entrances. So, no coffee and a smoke for those who enjoy them together. Have smoking bans gone too far or not far enough?

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April 30, 2013 SCPRThe federal health law allows states to charge smokers up to 50 percent more for a health plan sold through the new exchanges. But a bill moving forward in the California Legislature would prevent that from happening.

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April 29, 2013 Psychologists have long known that children often model their behavior on the actions of parents or peers. But science has only recently begun to measure the influence of siblings. An older brother's or sister's behavior can be very contagious, it turns out — for good and for bad.

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January 24, 2013 One new analysis finds female smokers are more than 26 times more likely to die of lung cancer than nonsmoking women — twice the rate calculated 30 years ago. New data also quantify the surprising payoffs of smoking cessation — especially under the age of 40.

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January 15, 2013 Researchers found that graphic warning labels had a greater impact on smokers' intentions to quit than written warnings. Reactions to the visual warnings were similar across racial and income groups, which researchers say is important because of higher rates of tobacco-related disease among some minorities and the poor.

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December 18, 2012 KHNIn a switch, Medicare began covering smoking cessation counseling for smokers without symptoms of disease back in 2010. Beneficiaries are eligible for up to two four-session smoking cessation counseling attempts a year.

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December 3, 2012 Texting may not always be the best method of communication, but it can be a promising support network for smokers who want to quit. Several recent studies show that receiving an encouraging text can help stave off a cigarette craving and boost motivation to quit for good.

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October 29, 2012 Bans on smoking in bars and workplaces appear to reduce heart attacks and deaths within months. The savings on health care spending were significant, too. Researchers say the findings provide strong support for limits on smoking indoors.

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August 16, 2012 While smoking in the U.S. has dropped a lot in the past decade, a global survey of smoking finds that nearly 50 percent of men in developing countries use tobacco. Without a reduction in smoking rates, future health costs could be large.

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June 25, 2012 For women born since 1933, lung cancer death rates in California have dropped by more than half. In Alabama, they have more than doubled.

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April 20, 2012 Smokers who exercised just a little bit had an easier time quitting and were less likely to relapse, new research says. Even smokers who can't quit are less likely to die if they walk 15 minutes a day.

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March 22, 2012 New York Mayor, media magnate and public health zealot Michael Bloomberg said he will give $220 million to fight smoking in the developing world. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is giving $300 million for brain research.

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