Smoking bans at playgrounds, skate parks, public swimming pools and children’s sport events could be enforced if the State Government’s proposed changes to the Tobacco Act are legislated.
Latrobe City Council’s Healthy Together Latrobe team has urged the community to have their say on the changes, which aim to reduce the range of public areas where smoking is permitted, especially where children are present.
Latrobe City Mayor Sandy Kam said it was important for the community to get involved in the survey, which closes tomorrow.
“The community need to look at the amendments and comment. Once these laws come into effect its very difficult to have changes made,” Cr Kam said.
Latrobe City Council’s healthy communities manager Regina Kalb said Healthy Together Latrobe believed the proposed bans would reduce community exposure to second hand smoke and stop children seeing people smoke, which may influence their decision to smoke as an adult.
“Healthy Together Latrobe is working to reduce the number of current smokers who live in Latrobe from 29.6 per cent to 15.6 per cent by 2015,” Ms Kalb said.
Ms Kalb said the team would act to encourage current smokers to quit smoking, and shift community attitudes towards smoking to discourage people from taking it up.
The survey and the issues paper are online at
www.health.vic.gov.au/tobaccoreforms
Residents can submit feedback by post to Tobacco Control, Department of Health, Reply Paid 86818, Melbourne, Victoria 8060 or by email to no.smoking@health.vic.gov.au
