Frankston City CounciI Imposes Smoking Ban in Major Retail Strips
“We want to make people think twice about the way they conduct themselves in the public domain, and who they are affecting,” she said in the Herald Sun. “There are a huge number of deaths from tobacco in Victoria each year, more than from alcohol and traffic accidents and illicit drugs. We want to do something about it.”
Smoking is already banned in beaches, cafes, covered train platforms, gaming venues, pubs, shopping centres, workplaces and most recently, in cars carrying children.
Ms Richards said the laws offered insight into the future for Victorian smokers, hoping other councils would adopt a similar initiative.
The council plans to test the smoke ban over the three exclusion zones for six months.
A trader, Jenny Le, is reported as saying the law “was a bit silly” – as one of the street is banned, but the other half, isn’t.
A council report noted community concerns about regulation, conceding the bans would be complicated.
Anybody caught smoking, if not let off with a warning, faces a fine of $110.
