Sydneysiders
and visitors wanting to dine alfresco
over the summer should take care to choose local government areas
where outdoor dining is 100% smokefree, say 48 health, medical, child
protection and employee organisations.
The
Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition* and the SmokeFree
Australia workplace coalition** have issued a list of 13 local
government areas in the Sydney Metropolitan Area that require outdoor
dining areas on public land to be 100% smokefree.
Sydney’s “Clean 13” safely
smoke-free dining areas are:
Camden, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Manly, Marrickville,
Mosman, North Sydney, Pittwater, Ryde, Warringah, Waverley and
Willoughby.
Says
ASH and PCT spokesperson Stafford Sanders: “Secondhand smoke is a
highly toxic, carcinogenic contaminant and has no place in crowded
public dining areas.
“It’s
a serious threat to the health of all patrons - especially children,
pregnant women, people with heart or respiratory or other conditions -
and to dining staff facing repeated exposure in their workplaces.
“There’s
no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke, and worldwide evidence
shows even low doses including outdoors can cause rapid and
significant health harm.
“Given
this, it’s not surprising that NSW Health has found seven people
attracted for every one deterred by smokefree venues. This will only
increase as the health evidence grows and smoking rates fall.
“We
commend those councils that have acted to protect patrons and staff
from this preventable hazard, and we urge Sydneysiders and visitors to
choose those suburbs for a safe, pleasant dining experience.
“Conversely,
we advise people to avoid outdoor dining in local government areas not
in the ‘Clean 13’ where their health and their children’s health
may be harmed by tobacco’s deadly cocktail of over 250 toxins
including 43 human carcinogens wafting across their plate.”
The
48 organisations, along with the NSW Local Government Association,
have also urged the NSW government to legislate for mandatory
smokefree food service areas statewide, with no exceptions.
“Most
states and territories have already done this”, says Stafford
Sanders – “NSW is languishing near the back of the field, leaving
its citizens ineffectively and inconsistently protected, and smokers
confused about where they can dine in safely smokefree conditions.
“It’s
time NSW caught up with best health practice and adopted this popular
policy.”
Media/comment:
Stafford Sanders, SFA and PCT
coalitions ph. (02)
9334-1823; m. 0412-070-194
*Protecting
Children from Tobacco coalition:
aims and 42 partners at
www.ashaust.org.au/lv4/ProtectChildrenEndorsements.htm
**SmokeFree Australia workplace
coalition:
aims and 11 partners at www.ashaust.org.au/SF’03
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