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Ontario BANS Smoking!!
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| itikia |
Ontario toughens ban on smoking
Workplaces and indoor public spaces targeted
'Patchwork' of bylaws will be gone in two years
ROB FERGUSON
QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU
Today marks the beginning of the end for smoking in Ontario's workplaces and indoor public spaces as the provincial government introduces its long-promised anti-tobacco legislation.
The law will impose a province-wide ban within two years to fix a "patchwork quilt" of municipal non-smoking laws that leaves millions of Ontarians vulnerable to deadly second-hand smoke, Health Minister George Smitherman said yesterday.
"Tobacco-related illness continues to be the number one preventable cause of death and 16,000 Ontarians are lost every year ... frankly, it's a very costly involvement for our health-care system."
Smokers, bar owners and anyone else looking for loopholes in the law will be disappointed, said Smitherman, who claims his law will be one of the strictest in Canada.
Sources say details of the legislation include:
Designated smoking rooms at hundreds of bars and restaurants will eventually become illegal — to the consternation of bar owners already signalling they're prepared for a fight.
An end to smoking in enclosed outdoor patios designed to shelter smokers from rain and cold weather.
Smoking in legions, bars and other establishments deeming themselves "private clubs" will be outlawed.
Gamblers will have to butt out in the province's casinos, although Casino Rama in Orillia, being on "native territory" and subject to federal law, "may be in a unique position to be exempt depending on what's in the bill," said spokesperson Jenna Hunter.
As promised by the Liberals in the 2003 election campaign, displays of cigarettes in stores — typically in prominent places behind cashiers or on countertops — will be banned. Only Manitoba and Saskatchewan now have legislation to ban such displays, and Saskatchewan's has been challenged in court by the tobacco industry.
The tough new Ontario law comes with smoking on a steady decline. About 1.8 million Ontario adults, or 20 per cent of the population, still light up. That's down from 32 per cent in 1985.
But smokers will get at least one break — for now — because the legislation does not raise tobacco prices immediately, sources said. However, the government is looking at raising tobacco taxes in the new year.
"We said during the (2003 election) campaign that we were moving toward the national average. That remains the policy of the government," said Finance Minister Greg Sorbara, whose next budget is due in May.
Anticipating fierce resistance to the law from smokers, the hospitality and tobacco industries, Smitherman left the door open yesterday to some sort of consultations on the bill before it takes effect. The law won't be passed until the spring, at least.
"This is going to give us the appropriate amount of time to make sure that people that have views on it are given the chance to express those," he said.
Smitherman said he's not as concerned about the economic impacts of the bill, which the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association has warned will cut deeply into profits at bars, especially in border areas.
"I'm primarily concerned about the fact that tobacco-related illness continues to be the number one preventable cause of death in our province," said Smitherman, who spends much of his time these days trying to control cost increases in the province's $30 billion annual health-care budget that accounts for almost half of provincial spending.
It's estimated that smoking costs the health-care system $4 billion a year in direct costs and lost productivity. The government is hoping that every dollar invested in tobacco control will eventually save $2 or $3 in health-care costs.
Nancy Daigneault, head of the smokers' rights group MyChoice.ca, which is funded by the tobacco industry, said she's concerned the law will "punish" smokers, especially by outlawing enclosed outdoor patios.
"Our members are saying, `There's no one out there but us smokers,' so how is that protecting non-smokers?"
Douglas Needham of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association questioned the merits of leaving fewer public places, such as designated smoking rooms, for smokers to indulge in their habit.
"I'm not sure society is better off to drive smokers into the family home, where there are no air quality standards."
Toronto banned smoking in bars, racetracks, billiard and bingo halls in June, but still allows designated smoking rooms that are separately ventilated. Smoking in restaurants was banned previously in the city.
Daigneault called on the government to help smokers quit by providing financial support for medications. "If they do that, that would be a good thing."
While the Liberals promised in the election campaign to "make smoking cessation medications available to all smokers trying to quit," Smitherman suggested they won't be getting nicotine replacement therapies yet.
"That's a very costly endeavour on an ongoing basis for the health-care system," he said.
"We haven't taken a decision on this. This is something we're working on with the chief medical officer of health and subject, hopefully, to some progress in the future."
The government has already launched a series of anti-smoking ads aimed at teens and a related website at http://www.stupid.ca and promised a transition fund to help tobacco farmers switch to alternate crops.
"We'll be interested to see if they're going to keep all of their promises," said NDP Leader Howard Hampton.
With files from Robert Benzie |
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| [NFC]Wave |
| I see nothing wrong with this at all :D |
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| Skipper |
| I shall return to this thread when it is 10 pages of reiterated babble. |
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| USMC_Greg |
It's about time!
Smokers? them |
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| k la |
| It is really amazing that it has taken the gov't this long to finally do something this smart! |
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| amb_ |
| There's always smoking at a reservation bar/club ;) |
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| djbruuen |
with all do respect, i don't see the problem in a ventalated smoking room. i love going to clubs being in a smoke free environment now!!! it makes a huge difference (just don't hang around ppl with BO). but seriously, think about the busnesess...they put so much time in abiding by smoking rules and making these rooms. let them have them, non-smokers have the choice not to be in them.
btw. i'm a non-smoker. |
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| TrueToTheCrew |
I quit smoking about 2 months ago and enjoy the no smoking in public places but to outlaw private clubs and designated smoking rooms is fuked up. These liberals are fkn ridiculous. There is way too much govt in our lives. I feel like im in elementary school.
Why did they win a majority again. Oh yeah, Ontarians are retards.
Liberals = NDP |
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| girllovingtvibe |
| I do smoke and am happy that there is no smoking in bars now. It is so nice to go out to clubs/bars and not come home smelling like an ashtray. Although it is also nice to have a seperate ventilated area should I want to smoke...It is a toss up. |
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| Floorwhore |
| *paging JayX1* |
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| itikia |
| quote: | Originally posted by Floorwhore
*paging JayX1* |
No kidding, where is Jay when you need him. Aside from all the ethics behind the 'BIG BROTHER' telling us what to do, the biggest blow will be to all the clubs/bars/restaurants that have spent thousands on building these smoking rooms.
I sincerely hope that the Ontario Gov't has worked out a plan on how they are going to compensate these businesses for their financial loss. |
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by Floorwhore
*paging JayX1* |
lol..
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