12/13/2006 - There are still places to smoke |
There are still places to go when you need a cigarette break, but it’s now up to smokers to move.
Nova Scotia’s tough new anti-smoking legislation took effect Dec. 1. Smoking is restricted in licensed areas like bars and restaurants and around building entrances, windows and ventilation systems.
Smoking in areas like the Halifax Commons, sidewalks and the waterfront boardwalk is just fine.
One smoker on a downtown street said that he wouldn’t mind the law, if it were more practical.
"If you walk down any of these streets, to be more than four metres from any doorway is next to impossible," said Adam Rairdon. "We have a very congested city. Every four metres there’s another entrance. So going to a park, it’s possible, but I’d sooner quit smoking."
Steve Machat, the manager of tobacco control for the Health Promotion and Protection Department, said that he has had a lot of calls from people who think the legislation has more clout than it actually does.
"Many members of the public have interpreted the ‘outside place’ as being very extensive when, in fact, it’s just four metres away from any entrance, any licensed outdoor area, but beyond that, you’re allowed to smoke outside."
Mr. Machat said it’s also fine for companies to build a smoking shelter in an outdoor public place. There’s a catch, though. If a shelter starts to look too much like a room, it might not pass inspection.
"If it’s a roof without any walls, that’s okay. There are some out there that have maybe one or two walls, if not three, and we’re following up on those. We want to make sure that air can get in there and filter the area."
Joe Keefe, manager at the Granite Brewery, doesn’t take a lot of comfort in those directions. "There’s not a lot of space for us to do that," he said.
Even if there was space to build, the Granite Brewery wouldn’t be able to license it.
"I don’t think it would be a profitable idea at all."
( sluck@herald.ca)
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