Think of public places like a shared living room where everyone breathes the same air. This bill makes all public spaces smoke-free by default, but allows business owners and event organizers to set up a designated smoking corner if they get an official permit and put up clear warning signs.
This bill bans smoking and vaping in public places unless you are inside an officially licensed designated smoking area. Public places include:
- Bars, drinking places, restaurants, clubs, and hotels
- Schools, educational institutions, and hospitals
- Public buses, government offices, roads, and highways
- Commercial, agricultural, and industrial properties
Business owners and event planners can apply to the Chief Medical Officer for a licence to create a designated smoking area.
- The application fee is $200 for a business or $100 for an event.
- Business licences last until December 31st and are renewable every two years.
- Owners must display clear warning signs at entrances and around smoking areas.
- Owners must prevent smoke from drifting into non-smoking areas and cannot allow minors into smoking zones.
If you smoke in a public place outside a designated area:
- You can be issued a fixed penalty ticket for $500, payable within 10 business days.
- If you do not pay, you may be required to perform up to 20 hours of community service.
- If you fail to perform community service, you face up to 5 days in prison.
- You are allowed to keep your smoking or vaping device.
For general rule violations or business owners breaking licence conditions, the fixed penalty is $1,000, with the same default options of community service or prison.
Businesses that allowed smoking before this law comes into force are automatically treated as licensed until October 31, 2023. They must obtain an official licence to continue allowing smoking from November 1, 2023 onward.
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