The latest survey of teens in North Carolina indicates that fewer of them are smoking cigarettes.

The N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund announced today that the 2007 N.C. Youth Tobacco Survey of 7,500 middle and high school students found that 19 percent of high school students and 4.5 percent of middle school students smoke. Officials said those rates are historic lows.

The trust fund is chaired by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, who hailed the results as "another step closer to reaching our goal of creating the first tobacco-free generation in North Carolina."

As expected, the man who represents the home of R.J. Reynolds tobacco company voted against a Senate bill today that would require the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco and approve new tobacco products.

Sen. Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, said this spring he would do everything in his power to block the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.

During Senate health committee meetings last week and this week, Burr submitted several amendments in attempts to change the bill, but was repeatedly shot down, reports Barb Barrett.

Burr believes FDA regulation would take scientists away from work on approving life-saving drugs and would add burdensome regulations that would discourage new products. He also says that the federal government already regulates tobacco through other agencies.

The committee passed the bill 13-8 today. It now goes to the full Senate, where it is expected to pass. Burr plans to submit a substitute bill in the full Senate.

Personal care is a growing state expense, and is expected to cost Medicaid more than $315 million in the next budget year, reports Thomas Goldsmith.

The cost for personal care, services delivered to the elderly or disabled in their homes, is likely to surpass the tab for assisted-living centers and group homes in the next budget.

Meanwhile, legislators are moving forward with a proposal to ban smoking in adult-care homes, the W-SJ reports.

The proposed ban was suggested after a fatal fire in a Mocksville home that resulted from a resident smoking near an oxygen tank.

As always, a number of bills didn't make it past Speed Week.

Although it's possible for a bill to be resurrected — either as a study or part of the budget — most bills that didn't pass before crossover yesterday are effectively dead.

A quick look at some of those that didn't make it:

Prohibit smoking in restaurants and other public places. Put a constitutional ban on gay marriage before voters. Ban spanking in public schools. Suspend executions for two years. Penalize owners of stolen guns who fail to report them promptly. Ban cell phone use while driving. Open state ethics hearings.

Click here for a fuller explanation of the bills.

Bloggers either love or hate a proposed smoking ban.

A much-delayed bill by House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman would outlaw smoking in government buildings, hotels and restaurants. It would also allow local governments to enact even stricter bans.

Opinions varied on the ban from "it's a no-brainer" to the inevitable Nazi analogy.

Click below to read the round-up.

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House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman has again pulled his bill to mostly ban smoking in state government buildings, hotels and restaurants, Dan Kane reports.

The legislation had been scheduled for a vote in the House today, but Holliman said some of his supporters were absent for what he predicted would be a close vote.

The legislation has drawn opposition from the tobacco industry, some business groups and others concerned that it could infringe on personal property rights. Holliman, a Lexington Democrat, recently altered the bill to take out a smoking ban in work places, but the legislation allows local governments to take up such bans.

Holliman said he plans to have the bill up for a House vote on Tuesday.