Halifax smoking ban begins

Halifax’s sweeping smoking ban began Monday with a city spokesperson saying it stems in part from citizen dislike of encountering clouds of marijuana vapours in public areas.

The rules making it illegal to smoke or vape nicotine and cannabis on municipal properties puts the East Coast city in the vanguard of cities that want pot kept out of public areas - and comes just two days before recreational cannabis is legalized.

The bylaw means that people strolling through the municipally maintained sidewalks, parks and properties throughout the capital’s sprawling 5,490 square kilometre area - about the size of Prince Edward Island - will initially be warned against smoking in public areas and will eventually face fines.

Enforcement will be carried out by a team of 20 by-law officers, and come on top of existing provincial legislation which already prohibits smoking within four metres of a doorway, window or vent to a business.

As the weeks and months go by, the officers could start handing out tickets, with possible fines ranging from $25 to $2,000.

“It is taking a completely different look from a smoker’s perspective. Prior to today, smokers could smoke anywhere they wanted until they saw a sign which said they couldn’t,” said Brendan Elliott, the city’s spokesman.

“Now they can’t smoke unless they see a sign that says they can.”

There were nine such designated smoking areas in the city by noon local time on Monday, with the city planning to have 30 sites operating by the end of the week and more locations as the public feedback to the bylaw flows back to the municipality.

Elliott said the city council determined the blanket prohibition was the best way to enforce a law to stop people smoking marijuana in public places.