Calls for outdoor smoke ban
By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Smokers are already banned from lighting up in pubs and restaurants - now there are moves afoot to stop them doing it outside too.
Wellington City Council is facing calls to ban smoking outside eating places. The ban could extend to gardens and parks - and council-sponsored events such as the Cuba St Carnival.
Regional Public Health spokesman Kristen Foley told a council committee he would support a move to rid the city of outdoor smoking zones, but conceded any health risk was very low.
Councillor Celia Wade-Brown said smokers outside eating places created an unpleasant atmosphere for other diners. She suggested a gradual change - as with the indoor ban - with smokefree zones introduced in outdoor smoking areas.
Mayor Kerry Prendergast said an outdoor ban would be hard to enforce. She would rather see the Government increase anti-smoking programmes.
Public health officials also called for council-sponsored events to be smokefree. Ms Wade-Brown supported the idea on a case-by-case basis. "And particularly those events involving children."
She also believes inner-city parks should have smokefree zones. Other areas, such as Civic Square, could be totally smokefree.
The council is expected to ban smoking in parks and playgrounds this year. Similar policies exist elsewhere, including Upper Hutt, South Taranaki, Queenstown Lakes and Hawke's Bay.
Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said an outdoor ban would be strongly opposed. "The reason for the indoor smoking ban is there is a risk to the passive smoker. There is not that risk when they are smoking outside."
The 2003 Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act banned smoking in restaurants, bars and the workplace from 2004. Despite predictions of dire consequences for the industry, a report published a year later found takings were up.
However, Mr Robertson said up to 30 per cent less alcohol was being consumed in licensed premises than 10 years ago, partly because of the ban.
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