Smoke-Free Policy in Outdoor Areas
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Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas A 2011 survey of NSW councils Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey of NSW councils 2 Contents Introduction 1 Introduction Smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death 2 Methodology in Australia, killing more than 15,000 Australians a 2 Results year. There is substantial evidence linking exposure to 12 Resource kit second-hand smoke with a range of serious and life 13 Barriers to introducing threatening health impacts including heart disease, or expanding policy cancer, asthma and other respiratory problems. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at an 14 Alfresco dining increased risk of asthma, sudden infant death syndrome 15 Conclusion (SIDS), acute respiratory infections and ear problems. 15 Appendix While most of the evidence relates to Community interest in the provision indoor exposure, there is emerging of smoke-free outdoor areas such evidence on how smoking affects as playgrounds, sporting fields and air quality in outdoor locations such alfresco dining areas is growing. as alfresco cafes and playgrounds. To assist local councils in A recent study which measured developing their own smoke-free cigarette smoke levels in a variety outdoor areas policy, the Heart of outdoor locations showed that a Foundation, The Cancer Council person sitting near a smoker in an NSW, the Australian Medical outdoor area could be exposed to Association NSW, the Local levels of cigarette smoke similar to Government and Shires Associations the exposure of someone sitting in of NSW and Action on Smoking an indoor pub or club. Therefore, the and Health Australia have second-hand smoke in outdoor areas developed a resource kit including where people tend to congregate, a CD-ROM of signage templates including alfresco dining areas, for Local Government outlining in sports stadiums and concert venues, clear detail the steps required to can present a real health risk to present before Council a motion to the public and staff. There is also make Council owned outdoor areas evidence to suggest that smoke-free progressively smoke-free. areas support smokers who are trying This report outlines the NSW to quit as well as reduce their overall councils which have introduced cigarette consumption. smoke-free outdoor areas policy and the areas the policy covers. 1 Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey of NSW councils Methodology Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas – A 2011 survey of NSW councils Heart Foundation staff contacted An introductory script and set of each council by phone. Research questions (Appendix A) was provided To monitor the implementation was conducted in order to identify to ensure a consistent approach was and progress of smoke-free the most appropriate person to taken and results were immediately policies, the Heart Foundation speak to if the contact person from logged in a spreadsheet. conducted a survey of all 152 previous surveys was no longer the This report includes all councils that councils across NSW between correct contact. had formally approved a policy by April and June 2011. Similar 30 June 2011. Cases where policy surveys were carried out in has not yet been implemented have 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. been highlighted. Results 1 More than half of NSW councils 3 Regional/metropolitan split have smoke-free policy There are now 52 regional As of 30 June 2011, 59% of all councils with smoke-free NSW Councils had adopted policy in NSW compared to 37 some form of smoke-free outdoor metropolitan councils. However areas policy. Of the 152 councils in relative terms the take up of in NSW, 89 now have policy, smoke-free policy is much higher compared to 76 in 2010, 58 in in the Sydney metropolitan 2009 and 28 in 2007. area. Of the total number of metropolitan councils, 86% have 2 Most common outdoor areas smoke-free policy compared with smoke-free policy to almost half (48%) of the 109 Of the 89 councils with smoke-free regional councils. The number policy, 88 (99%) cover children’s of regional councils with policy playgrounds, making this the has increased almost fivefold in most common smoke-free area. the last four years. There are 69 councils (78%) with policy to cover sporting fields, 51 4 Tables (57%) cover pools and 43 (48%) The following tables provide more have made areas within a certain detailed information: distance of council buildings Table 1: Details of smoke-free smoke-free. Alfresco dining policy by council areas are now smoke-free in 30 councils, up from 22 in 2010 and Table 2: Comparison of 21 in 2009, which represents a metropolitan and regional/ 233% increase in the past 2 years. rural councils Table 3: Take-up of smoke- free policy since 2007 across all councils Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey of NSW councils 2 3 Table 1 – Details of smoke-free policy by council Smoke-free policy includes: Council Playgrounds Sports fields Alfresco diningBeaches Parks Recreation areasReserves Pools Bus shelters Withincouncil 10m of buildings Council eventsOther Armidale Dumaresq Council ✓ ✓ Ashfield Municipal Council ✓ ✓ Auburn City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bankstown City Council ✓ ✓ Bathurst Regional Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey ofNSW councils A 2011survey inoutdoor areas| Smoke-free policy Bega Valley Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1 ✓ ✓ ✓ Airport terminals, wharfs and jetties, Bellingen Shire Council ✓ ✓ Blacktown City Council ✓ Bland Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Blue Mountains City Council ✓ ✓ Bogan Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Bourke Shire Council ✓ ✓ Broken Hill City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Burwood Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Camden Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Taxi ranks Canada Bay Council, City of ✓ ✓ Canterbury City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Cessnock City Council ✓ ✓ Aquatic centre 2 3 Within 10m of licensed premises, Clarence Valley Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ within 15m of taxi ranks, public jetties Coffs Harbour City Council ✓ ✓4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓5 1. 13 popular ocean and enclosed beaches. 2. Within 15m of patrolled areas. 3. Within 15m. 4. Smoke free international stadium. 5. Some events. Additional policy in last 12 months or new council Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey ofNSW councils A 2011survey inoutdoor areas| Smoke-free policy Table 1 – Details of smoke-free policy by council (continued) Smoke-free policy includes: Council Playgrounds Sports fields Alfresco diningBeaches Parks Recreation areasReserves Pools Bus shelters Withincouncil 10m of buildings Council eventsOther Coonamble Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ 1 Cootamundra Shire Council ✓ ✓ Grandstand Deniliquin Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2 Dubbo City Council ✓ ✓ Eurobodalla Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Tennis courts Fairfield City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Glen Innes Severn Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Gloucester Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ Recreation centre Gosford City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Goulburn Mulwaree Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Greater Taree City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Covered taxi ranks Great Lakes Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3 ✓ 4 Within 10m of BBQ and picnic furniture Gunnedah Shire Council ✓ Guyra Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Community hall, civic centre, all council venues Hawkesbury City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hay Shire Council ✓ Grounds around Tourist Information Area Hills Shire Council, The ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Holroyd City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hornsby, The Council of the Shire of ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Malls, taxi ranks Hurstville City Council ✓ 4 1. Skate parks. 2. Within 5m. 3. Within 10m of patrolled areas. 4. Within 10m of rock pools, lake and ocean baths and adjacent congregation areas. Additional policy in last 12 months or new council 5 Table 1 – Details of smoke-free policy by council (continued) Smoke-free policy includes: Council Playgrounds Sports fields Alfresco diningBeaches Parks Recreation areasReserves Pools Bus shelters Withincouncil 10m of buildings Council eventsOther Kempsey Shire Council ✓ Netball courts, BBQ areas Kiama, The Council of the ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1 Public events (e.g. annual show) Municipality of Kogarah City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Council car parks Ku-ring-gai Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Taxi ranks Lachlan Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey ofNSW councils A 2011survey inoutdoor areas| Smoke-free policy Lake Macquarie City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Council owned arcades and Lane Cove Plaza, Lane Cove Municipal Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ all foreshore areas Leeton Shire Council ✓ ✓ Leichhardt Municipal Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Lismore City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Liverpool City Council ✓ ✓ Liverpool Plains Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3 Maitland City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Within 10m of Maitland Hospital entrances Enclosed car parks, within 10m of Manly Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ hospital entrances Marrickville Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Mid-Western Regional ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Covered taxi ranks Mosman Municipal Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Council car parks Within 50m of licensed premises on Nambucca Shire Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ public footpath Newcastle City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1. Rock pools. 2. Bays and foreshore reserves. 3. 1st July 2011. Additional policy in last 12 months or new council Smoke-free policy in outdoor areas | A 2011 survey ofNSW councils A 2011survey inoutdoor areas| Smoke-free policy Table 1 – Details of smoke-free policy by council (continued) Smoke-free policy includes: Council Playgrounds Sports fields Alfresco diningBeaches Parks Recreation areasReserves Pools Bus shelters Withincouncil 10m of buildings Council eventsOther Entrances to central business district major shopping centres. All entrances to Orange Base Orange City Council ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hospital Precinct. Bus stops in CBD, Post office Lane (major pedestrian thoroughfare). Penrith City