HAMILTON
,
ON – August 1, 2006 – The City of Hamilton is reminding business owners and residents about smoking restrictions as they apply to public places and workplaces under the new Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA). Two months after the Smoke-Free Ontario Act was implemented, Public Health Services has identified a common misconception that the Act prohibits smoking within a nine metre radius of all public buildings. This is not the case.
The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking in an area within a nine metre radius surrounding any entrance or exit of a hospital, private hospital, psychiatric facility, nursing home, approved charitable home for the aged and independent health facility. In general, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act does not prohibit smoking at the entrances to other public buildings or workplaces, except as outlined below.
The SFOA regulates smoking at entrances or exits of public places or workplaces that have certain architectural designs. If the configuration of the entrance to the building has a partial or full roof, smoking may be prohibited at the entrance to the building if the building is primarily used for the sale of food and drink. Other public places or workplaces with a roofed entrance and more than two walls surrounding the entrance may be considered a prescribed smoking shelter, and smoking will be prohibited.
"Although the Smoke-Free Ontario Act does not prohibit smoking at all entrances to public places or workplaces, we are asking members of the public to be respectful of others and to step away from doorways when they are smoking," says Heidi McGuire, Health Promotion Specialist with the City of Hamilton Public Health Services.
Public places and workplaces can choose to enact their own policy regulating smoking in entranceways. For example, the City of Hamilton has a corporate policy regarding smoking in the workplace. This policy restricts smoking within a nine metre radius of the entrance to all corporate City of Hamilton buildings.
For information about the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, contact Public Health Services through the City of Hamilton Tobacco Hotline at (905) 540-5566 or visit http://www.hamilton.ca/tobacco.
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Media Contacts:
Heidi McGuire, Health Promotion Specialist 905-546-2424 ext. 3161
Steve Walsh, Health Promoter 905-546-2424 ext. 5900