Brighton and Hove could become one of the first places in the UK to ban smoking in its parks and on its beaches.
Councillors are being asked to approve a public consultation to extend the voluntary ban in playgrounds to other public spaces in the city.
It’s hoped a ban would help drive down the rate of smoking in Brighton and Hove, which at 25.2% is significantly higher than the national average of 18%.
Cllr Daniel Yates, chair of Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “The health benefits of smoke free areas and protecting children from second-hand smoke are well established.
“We’re keen to keep people safe from the effects of smoking in public areas, especially children who are most vulnerable. However we also want to ensure any measures taken have support of residents in the city. The report is a welcome addition to the meeting agenda.”
The areas being proposed to become smoke free, following consultation, are locations where children are most likely to be present, especially during school holidays at times when the parks and beaches are busiest.
Dr Tom Scanlon, Director of Public Health, said: “Tobacco smoke typically contains over 170 toxins including carcinogens and air pollutants. The benefits of smoke-free indoor areas are well established and accepted.
“Outdoor tobacco smoke dissipates more quickly than indoor smoke, but in certain concentrations and weather conditions it still poses an additional health risk to non-smokers.
“Several US states have adopted legislation to limit outdoor smoking in certain settings such as cafés, parks and places where there are children playing. The time is right to have the debate in Brighton and Hove as to whether we wish the same here.”
The plans are due to go before the city council’s health and wellbeing board next Tuesday, 21 July. If agreed, the consultation will run from the 22 July for 12 weeks.
The move follows calls from the chair of London Health Commission Lord Darzi to ban smoking in the capital’s parks and squares last October, which he repeated in a BMJ article in February this year.
In February, Bristol became the first local authority to put this into action, with a voluntary ban on smoking in two of its public squares. But although other authorities have also put plans forward, some such as Manchester have ruled it out as being unenforceable.
Typical!! Ban smoking yet they are at the moment allowing drug taking and dealing in public parks . Here in Adelaide crescent every day in summer youths smoking weed . This week witnessed blatant drug dealing in front of children outside my flat . The council need to work with police to clean up much more serious issues going on rather than worrying about someone having a fag . Get your priorities in the rich order .
Weed is what you’re worried about man? A sacred medicine used for thousands of years by every single culture to walk the Earth. “FAG”s are KILLING millions of people, “weed” has not killed a single one!! In fact there are now over 100 published studies where you can see cannabis when ingested correctly kills certain cancers!! Please get your facts straight and stop demonizing a beautiful and highly sacred part of mother nature. It’s the tobacco companies you should be concerned about!!!! https://www.facebook.com/TheGiantIsWaking
Pointless, unenforceable, unwanted.
If you want this kind of change then you have to carry the people with you.
Campaign for it and add it to the next full council election ballot.
It’s ludicrous. There is more air pollution from buses and cars as well as building work than a little cigarette smoked in a public space. If people are just educated to be respectful of those around them and not to blow smoke near children then a ban wouldn’t be needed. If smoking is so harmful to society then why isn’t it criminalised? It’s more harmful than marijuana, but how much does it make for the government in taxes? The health arguments for this ban are totally ill-advised, it’s just yet another way to make money from fining people. I guess the parking department have been advising them here…
Brighton council hates fags http://nannyknowsbest.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/brighton-hates-fags-beach-smoking-to-be.html
This is ridiculous … Most smokers will stop going there with their kids, they will simply stay with them at home ( mostly full of tobacco smoke ) well done
pardon me as a long-time brighton resident , will we still be able to have a fag up at Dukes Mound ?