Smoke ban enforced
From Sunday (1 July) the ban on smoking in public places was enforced.
Smoking is now only allowed in specially designated areas that do not take up more than 25% of the public space and are separated from the non-smoking area by a solid partition.
Air from the smoking area has to go directly outside, and not be re-circulated to any area within the public space.
“Bars in public places and private clubs cannot be designated smoking areas as this will be discrimination against non-smokers,” according to the Department of Health.
The department also reminded owners of cigar bars and smoking establishments that no food or beverages should be sold in their premises.
Currently, four million people die due to tobacco every year. The death toll is expected to rise to 10 million by 2030.
The World Health Organisation has called for a common international regulatory framework aimed at reducing the global death and disease attributable to tobacco.
In the absence of more effective tobacco product regulation, the global epidemic of tobacco death and disease will continue to accelerate, fostered by unchecked marketing that contributes to youth addiction and the unrestricted manufacture of dangerous products, says WHO.
“A cigarette is a euphemism for a cleverly crafted product that delivers just the right amount of nicotine to keep its user addicted for life before killing him or her,” said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO.
“A cigarette is the only consumer product which, when consumed as indicated, kills.”
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