Smokefree policies to be merged

INVERCARGILL

THREE years ago, the Invercargill City Council introduced a smokefree policy in the city’s central business district which discouraged smoking of cigarettes and vaping in the area.

Yesterday, the council’s policy, performance and partnerships committee decided to introduce a new policy which would merge the 2017 Smokefree CBD and 2010 Smokefree Parks and Reserves policies into the 2020 Smokefree policy.

The proposed policy would discourage vaping in the city’s parks and reserves and designate Splash Palace’s car park and building a smokefree area.

The draft policy says it would not ban people from smoking in a public place and enforcement measures would not be used against those who breached the policy. Signs would be used to show smokefree areas.

The council would also request events to be smokefree.

It would be up to business owners whether they allowed staff members to smoke at the back of buildings, away from main thoroughfares.

The policy’s stated purpose was to fulfil the council’s ‘‘commitment to promote positive health choices and outcomes’’.

A report from council strategy and policy manager Rhiannon Suter said vaping had been included in response to complaints received by parks and reserves staff.

‘‘Government is in the process of reviewing its approach to vaping, which while it is recognised as a safer alternative to smoking, still has significant health risks.’’

Committee chairman Darren Ludlow said while there was some concern the policy would not be consulted on, there was little change.

Cr Peter Kett worried it meant people living in the areas in apartments where they could not smoke would have nowhere to go.

Cr Ludlow said technically that was true, but there was noone policing it. — Additional reporting Laura Smith