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Posted on 10/28/2002 5:53:44 PM PST by SheLion

Pubs and clubs with more than one bar will be encouraged to make at least one of them smoke-free from as early as January.

Under proposals on passive smoking which are now being finalized, all bars will be "predominantly smoke-free" by 2005.

The Herald has obtained a copy of the draft agreement between the Government, publicans, clubs, the casino, and workers on the extension of the smoking bans in public buildings and restaurants to licensed premises.

But under the draft agreement, operators reserve a right to change the details if the smoke bans adversely affect their business within six months of their introduction.

Anti-smoking advocates say the agreement does not go far enough and the Government should act more quickly.

The agreement states:

Smoke-free areas are to be set up in all bars, and smoking banned at all counter areas from July.

Venues with more than one bar are encouraged to make one bar smoke-free as early as January, and this will be compulsory for venues with multiple bars (and encouraged in other areas such as gaming rooms) from July 2004.

All licensed premises to be "predominantly smoke-free" by 2005. (What this means is still to be negotiated.)

But legislation will be introduced only six months after the deadlines so the impact of the bans on the business can be assessed.

"The outcomes of [compliance] monitoring will be factored into legislation in order to take account of unforeseen impacts, eg. if businesses are being put at risk then this would have to be accommodated and reflected in legislation," the draft agreement says.

But the chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, Anne Jones, says studies had shown smoking bans were good for business.

A spokesman for the Health Minister, Craig Knowles, said the Government did not want to pre-empt the outcome of discussions.

"We are awaiting a final presentation that is agreeable to all the parties," he said.

Democrat upper house MP Arthur Chesterfield-Evans said every two days as many people died from smoking-related illness as were missing or killed in the bombings in Bali.

A smoking ban in entertainment venues such as pubs helped people cut their cigarette consumption and made it easier for them to quit smoking.

"It has a big benefit on public health," he said.

But the first warning that smoking caused lung cancer was published 52 years ago and action was overdue, he said. "A 50-year phase in ought to have been enough," he said. "It's a complete farce."

This story was found at:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002

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