A quick guide to the smokefree law

The new law is being introduced to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

Key points are:

-From 1 July 2007 it will be against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces. See below for definitions.

-Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person will also need to be smokefree.

-No-smoking signs will have to be displayed in all smokefree premises and vehicles.

-Staff smoking rooms and indoor smoking areas will no longer be allowed, so anyone who wants to smoke will have to go outside.

-Managers of smokefree premises and vehicles will have legal responsibilities to prevent people from smoking.

-If you are uncertain where you can or can't smoke, just look for the no-smoking signs or ask someone in charge.

More: HERE

PUBLIC HEALTH, ENGLAND - The Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

2006 No. 3368

PUBLIC HEALTH, ENGLAND

The Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006

Made 13th December 2006
Laid before Parliament 18th December 2006
Coming into force 1st July 2007

The Secretary of State for Health, in exercise of the powers in sections 2(5), 10(1) and (2) and 79(3) of the Health Act 2006[1], makes the following Regulations:—

Citation, commencement, application and interpretation
1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 1st July 2007.
(2) These Regulations apply in relation to England only.
(3) In these Regulations "the Act" means the Health Act 2006.

Enclosed and substantially enclosed premises
2. —(1) For the purposes of section 2 of the Act, premises are enclosed if they—
(a) have a ceiling or roof; and
(b) except for doors, windows and passageways, are wholly enclosed either permanently or temporarily.
(2) For the purposes of section 2 of the Act, premises are substantially enclosed if they have a ceiling or roof but there is—
(a) an opening in the walls; or
(b) an aggregate area of openings in the walls,
which is less than half of the area of the walls, including other structures that serve the purpose of walls and constitute the perimeter of the premises.
(3) In determining the area of an opening or an aggregate area of openings for the purposes of paragraph (2), no account is to be taken of openings in which there are doors, windows or other fittings that can be opened or shut.
(4) In this regulation "roof" includes any fixed or moveable structure or device which is capable of covering all or part of the premises as a roof, including, for example, a canvas awning.

Enforcement
3. —(1) Each of the following authorities is designated as an enforcement authority for the purposes of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Act—
(a) a unitary authority;
(b) a district council in so far as it is not a unitary authority;
(c) a London borough council;
(d) a port health authority;
(e) the Common Council of the City of London;
(f) the Sub-Treasurer of the Inner Temple and the Under Treasurer of the Middle Temple; and
(g) the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
(2) In this regulation—
"port health authority" means an authority constituted under section 2(3) (port health districts and authorities) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984[2] or continued to be so known and styled under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 (transitional provisions and savings) to that Act; and
"unitary authority" means—
(a) the council of a county so far as it is the council for an area for which there are no district councils; or
(b) the council of any district comprised in an area for which there is no county council.
(3) An enforcement authority has enforcement functions in relation to the premises and vehicles that are within—
(a) in the case of a port health authority, the district for which it is a port health authority; and
(b) in the case of other authorities, the area for which it is a local authority other than any part of that area which falls within the district of a port health authority,
except to the extent that those functions have been transferred to another enforcement authority under paragraph (5).
(4) In addition, each enforcement authority has enforcement functions in relation to premises and vehicles to the extent to which functions are transferred to it under paragraph (5).
(5) Where more than one enforcement authority is investigating the same person for an offence under section 6(5) (no-smoking signs), 7(2) (smoking in a smoke-free place), 8(4) (failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place) or 11(1) (obstruction etc of officers) of the Act, enforcement functions may be transferred from one or more of those enforcement authorities to—
(a) an enforcement authority that is carrying out any of those investigations; or
(b) any other enforcement authority,
under arrangements made between the transferring and receiving authorities.

More: HERE (PDF)

The smoking ban in England

England is following the rest of the UK with a smoking ban. Smoking will be banned in all public indoor spaces on 1 July, 2007.

Where will smoking be banned?
Smoking in all indoor public places will be banned. Many places - such as cinemas and public transport - have rarely permitted smoking in recent years, so it will be places like pubs, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and private members' clubs that feel the biggest impact of the ban.

More: HERE

Smoking ban in all pubs and clubs

The government predicts an estimated 600,000 people will give up smoking as a result of the law change.

More: HERE (BBC News)

smoke free usa

Workplace: Smoking is generally, but not always banned in many workplaces, hospitals, government buildings, museums, schools and theatres.

Travel: Banned in train/bus stations, but enforcement is uneven. Banned on domestic airplanes. Many airports have smoking sections, and airport bars tend to be smoky, but this is becoming less common. Many hotels offer, but do not guarantee, 'nonsmoking' rooms. Sometimes this only means you are free not to smoke in yours - but the guest before you might have been smoking, and smoke might come in from next door.

Dining: These states ban smoking in restaurants and bars: California, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey (casinos exempted), Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Montana banned smoking in restaurants - bars exempt till 2009. South Dakota had a ban - status unsure. In November 2006, Ohio and Nevada banned smoking in most public places; Arizona passed a similar ban, which takes effect May 2007. In January 2006 the Territory of Puerto Rico banned smoking in the workplace, including bars and casinos. Smoking in restaurants is banned in a number of cities and counties in other states, but is still common.

Chain restaurants often ban smoking, but this may depend on whether a restaurant is owned by the corporation or franchised to a local manager. "Pub-restaurants" often ban smoking, especially brew-pubs. Don't assume American beer is all Budweiser, come try our local beers! In California and Massachusetts you can enjoy beer and live music without the smoke).

Nightlife: Smoking in bars and music venues is common. The tobacco industry spends $$$$$$ to make smoking look hip. This makes it hard to find smokefree entertainment in many states. Exceptions: venues for classical music & (often) 'acoustic' music (everything from bluegrass to swing) tend to be non-smoking.

Business: You will make a better impression in either social or business situations if you ask before lighting up. Even if it's perfectly OK to smoke, people will appreciate your politeness.

More: HERE (smokefreeworld)

List of smoking bans in the United States

List of smoking bans in the United States. Since the U.S. does not have federal smoking control legislation, the list shows state and local laws. Over 50% of Americans are covered by a smoke-free ordinance of some degree.

List of smoking bans in the United States: HERE (From: Wikipedia)

10 RAZÕES PARA CRIAR AMBIENTES LIVRES DE FUMO DE TABACO

1- O fumo de tabaco ambiental (FTA) é causa de doença e morte.

2- Não há níveis seguros de exposição ao FTA.

3- Nenhum sistema de ventilação e/ou filtração é eficaz na eliminação do fumo. A instalação e manutenção destes equipamentos é muito cara e tecnicamente difícil.

4- O direito a respirar um ar sem fumo é um direito humano fundamental, como o direito à Saúde.

5- A maioria da população (76% dos portugueses) não fuma e tem o direito de não estar exposta ao fumo dos outros.

6- Espaços 100% sem fumo são a única forma de proteger efectivamente e sem discriminações os trabalhadores e o público em geral dos efeitos nocivos do fumo do tabaco. Crianças e grávidas são as principais vítimas inocentes da exposição ao fumo do tabaco ambiental.

7- A maioria da população, incluindo os fumadores concorda com a proibição de fumar nos locais de trabalho e espaços públicos fechados.

8- A maioria dos não fumadores e mesmo muitos fumadores preferem frequentar locais sem fumo.

9- Espaços sem fumo promovem a redução do consumo e a cessação tabágica e previnem a iniciação do consumo, particularmente em crianças e jovens.

10- A implementação de espaços livres de fumo não tem custos e é fácil.

Ver mais: AQUI (Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia)

Diogo Infante luta contra o tabaco - Actor vai dar a cara pela campanha e deixar de fumar

O actor Diogo Infante vai tentar deixar de fumar e o grande público vai poder acompanhar a sua experiência, numa campanha de sensibilização sobre os malefícios do tabaco promovida pela Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia e pela Pfeizer, noticia a Lusa.

A campanha, que vai estender-se até ao final do Verão, chama-se «Deixe de fumar sem dramas» e baseia-se no testemunho real de Diogo Infante, que quer deixar de fumar e vai fazer uma cessação tabágica.

A campanha vai dividir-se em três fases distintas: a primeira, designada «Expectativa», pretende despertar a curiosidade para a decisão do actor; a segunda fase, denominada «Revelação», é quando o protagonista anuncia a sua decisão; a terceira e última fase, o «Acompanhamento», que arranca hoje (2007/06/01), vai dar a conhecer ao público todo o seu percurso.

A escolha recaiu sobre Diogo Infante por o actor «querer deixar de fumar e ser uma figura de grande credibilidade e visibilidade pública», acrescenta a organização da campanha.

Mais: AQUI (PortugalDiário/Lusa)