Editor’s Notebook

Philadelphia City Councilman Michael A. Nutter has introduced a bill with moderate smoking restrictions. It's time that Philadelphia join over 200 local governments in curbing our nation's third leading cause of preventable death.

Despite all of the hype, the settlement appears to be short on public health policies and long on special legal protections for the tobacco industry. And there is no guarantee that any of the settlement money coming to Pennsylvania will be spent on tobacco control, public health or health care.

The sad spectacle of Allegheny's nine Philadelphia-area hospitals losing tens of millions of dollars a month should give us pause.

E. Ruth Ever leaves southeastern PA a better place after five years of tobacco prevention activities.

Is it a coincidence that a second physician has left a high-ranking position at the state Health Department, or is it a sign of serious problems?