15.0 Introduction

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15.0 Introduction

15.1 Why implement smokefree environments?

15.2 Public opinion about smokefree environments

15.3 Opposition to and weakening of smokefree environment legislation

15.4 Overview of key public areas and environments

15.5 Outdoor areas

15.6 Domestic environments

15.7Legislation

Acknowledgments

References

This chapter is about smokefree areas and environments in Australia. It describes locations or environments where smoking occurs or has occurred and where the population is exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke. A detailed overview of existing smokefree legislation is provided. Sources of support for and opposition to smokefree environments are also outlined. Issues about the health effects of tobacco smoke, the legal history and the influence of the tobacco industry can be found in other chapters.

As described in full in Chapter 4, tobacco smoke adversely affects both smokers and non-smokers in indoor environments and in some outdoor environments. The most common terms used to describe exposure to tobacco smoke in non-smokers are passive smoking, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), second-hand smoke (SHS) and tobacco smoke pollution. The term second-hand smoke (SHS) is used throughout this chapter, except where particular authors have used other terms.

Smoking bans have been marked by incremental steps involving advances in scientific evidence, growing public acceptance, and political resolve which have converged to make legislative change possible.1 By the mid 1990s, smokefree policies had been introduced extensively in both the public and private sector. While all state and federal government offices had become smokefree, restrictions had also been introduced in many shopping centres, hospitals, schools, child care settings and entertainment venues. By 2001, smokefree public places legislation had been enacted in NSW, Victoria, ACT, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia (public dining areas only).2

It is now commonplace in the developed world for smoking to be banned in most indoor public spaces including licensed premises such as pubs, nightclubs, bars and even casinos. Countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and large jurisdictions including California, New York and Ontario have all enacted comprehensive bans on smoking. Support for smoking bans has also begun to spread through the developing world, with countries such as Bhutan and Iran also recently enacting smokefree legislation.3