Now that an e-cigarette legislation is in the works, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is pushing to ban smoking on public patios.
Last year, City council approved a plan 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.
Second-hand smoke is just as dangerous outdoors as it is indoors.
Medical Officer of Health Marcia Anderson-Decouteau says “Evidence has clearly shown that you can be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in outdoor areas like that at the same levels as if people are smoking in enclosed public spaces… For chemicals that cause cancer, there is no safe level of exposure,”.
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and over 40 other Canadian cities already have a patio smoking 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). Smoking on playgrounds and beaches in provincial parks was also banned in 2014.
A MANTRA survey last year also showed that 67 per cent of Manitobans would support a patio smoking ban.
Are you in favour of a patio smoking ban?
