City council has approved a plan to ask provincial health authorities to investigate the idea of banning smoking on outdoor patios. Council voted 14-2 in favour of the idea. Couns. Justin Swandel (St. Norbert) and Ross Eadie (Mynarski) voted against it.
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and over 40 other Canadian cities already have a similar ban in place. 10 years ago, the province banned smoking in indoor public places (yes, smoking used to be permitted in some bars and restaurants). Also in July, smoking on playgrounds and beaches in provincial parks will be illegal.
A MANTRA survey showed that 67 per cent of Manitobans would support a patio smoking ban.
Second-hand smoke facts from The Lung Association:
Second-hand smoke is made up of the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette or pipe, and the smoke that is blown into the air by the person smoking.
Second-hand smoke has over 4,000 chemicals; many of them cause cancer. Two thirds of the smoke from a cigarette is not inhaled by the smoker, but enters the air around the smoker.
- Second-hand smoke has at least twice the amount of nicotine and tar as the smoke inhaled by the smoker
- It has five times the amount of carbon monoxide, a deadly gas that robs the blood of oxygen
- It also contains higher levels of ammonia (better known as window cleaner) and cadmium (also found in batteries)
- The concentration of hydrogen cyanide (a poisonous gas that attacks respiratory enzymes) in tobacco smoke is considered toxic
- It contains nitrogen dioxide which is measured at fifty times higher than the standard for harm
- Non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke can get many serious diseases. It can cause lung cancer, heart disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) asthma and other diseases
- Regular exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung disease by 25% and heart disease by 10%
Mayor Sam Katz say that though smokers have rights, they also have to defend the rights of people who do not want to be impacted by second-hand smoke. [WINNIPEG FREE PRESS]
