Auckland beaches smokefree by summer

Smoking at beaches and outdoor dining areas will soon be a thing of the past in Auckland.

The Auckland Council has approved a policy to increase the number of smokefree outdoor spaces.

Beaches, al fresco dining areas and urban centres would be stamped smokefree from November, under the city’s smokefree policy.

Restaurants with footpath dining areas said the move would be unquestionably good for people’s health but anticipated a backlash from some smoking patrons.

Manager of Ponsonby’s SPQR Michaela Slovakova estimated that a quarter of their outdoor diners were also smokers.

‘‘I think it is definitely going to affect business.

‘‘Smokers will often request outdoor seats if they want a cigarette with their glass of wine and tapas.

‘‘If they can’t get that here, they will go somewhere else where they can.’’

Mark Goldstein, owner of the Mission Bay Cafe, applauded the decision, saying it would do more good than harm.

‘‘Smokers do disrupt other diners’ pleasure. We frequently get comments from non-smokers who are clearly negatively affected by smokers to the extent that we have people moving if someone is smoking near them.’’

The policy excluded e-cigarettes and vaping, said environment and community committee chairwoman Penny Hulse.

It also only applied to footpath dining areas and did not include private dining spaces with designated smoking areas, she said.

‘‘Our job is [to] support the work that’s being done by the Cancer Society, the Ministry of Health and public health.’’

The Cancer Society’s chief executive, John Loof, said the benefits would be threefold:

‘‘Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand, so this cut-down will see reduced exposure to second-hand smoke.

‘‘Second, fewer children will see people smoking around them and want to copy them, and third it makes it a little bit easier for people who are trying to quit smoking,’’ he said.

Hulse said it was all part of the Auckland Council’s plan towards making the city and region smokefree by 2025.

‘‘We put up signs, we denormalise smoking and we work in partnership.

‘‘Popular spots like plazas, town centres, the Auckland CBD and areas surrounding sports clubs would be smokefree.’’

The council also amended the policy to include wharfs, council car parks and park-and-rides as smokefree areas.

‘‘The goal of our smokefree policy is to improve the health and well-being of communities by promoting smokefree outdoor public spaces and activities,’’ the council said. Stage one of the policy branded many of the council’s facilities - including playgrounds, skate parks and train stations - as smokefree in 2013.

Current law does not permit prosecution of those caught breaking the smokefree policy, however, the council has been investigating a bylaw.

Waita¯kere Ward councillor Linda Cooper said the council were part of a tricky puzzle.

‘‘We want people to stop smoking. We want to minimise all those risks, including social and financial, as well as the health risks.

‘‘But we haven’t got all the tools that we need to do that,’’ Cooper said.

‘‘ I think we have to do the very best we can do.’’