Banning Smoking in outdoor Spaces: Realistic or Ridiculous?

            Ever since smoking was found to be harmful and to cause cancer, policy makers have been working hand in hand with health care professionals and researchers to create healthier spaces for Canadians. A few years ago, it was banning smoking indoors at public places, such as bars and restaurants. There was little argument from the public for this policy – as most could agree smoking indoors at bars was unfair to the health of non-smoking patrons.

            However, a recent recommendation by Middlesex-London Public Health Unit to ban smoking in the outdoor areas of bars and restaurants has restaurant owners up in arms. The public health unit maintains that adding this policy is a necessary next step to keeping the public safe, as many patios can be quite confined even though they are “outside”. On the other hand, many restaurant owners feel that this policy would be too much – that there is already a huge amount of restrictions on smokers and that this one is going too far. Although smokers are the minority in the population, many bar and restaurant owners in the area are concerned that this new policy will drive customers away.

            The idea of banning smoking in these outdoor spaces even has policy makers themselves in conflict. One councillor in the area does not support the idea, as he says that adults can choose if they want to be on a patio where people are smoking and they are exposed to second hand smoke. The public health unit however maintains the necessity of this policy coming into place, and they are not the only Ontario community to bring forth the idea. 

Across Ontario, this potential policy has been popping up in the news – so what do YOU think UW? Is banning smoking in outdoor spaces at bars & restaurants reasonable or ridiculous?

Reference: http://www.londoncommunitynews.com/2011/11/patio-smoking-ban-recommendation-lights-debate/