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Government launches smoking ban consultation The people of the province will get an opportunity to provide input into legislation to ban smoking in bars, bingo halls and all indoor public places and workplaces where smoking is currently permitted. In conjunction with National Non-Smoking Week, Health and Community Services Minister John Ottenheimer today announced dates have been set for the public consultation process. "Our government remains committed to shutting the last door on second-hand smoke and moving forward with the introduction of legislation to create a 100 per cent smoke-free province in all indoor public places and workplaces, as early as spring 2005," reiterated Minister Ottenheimer. On December 6, 2004, government announced a smoking ban would become a reality following province-wide consultations. The consultations will assist government in determining target dates for implementation and allow individuals and organizations to offer their perspective and provide input on the best approach to achieve our goal. Minister Ottenheimer has asked parliamentary secretary Ross Wiseman to chair the sessions on behalf of the Department of Health and Community Services. Members of the House of Assembly including - Kevin O�Brien, MHA Gander; Ray Hunter, MHA Windsor-Springdale; Tom Marshall, Minister of Justice and Attorney General and MHA Humber East; John Hickey, MHA Lake Melville; and Roger Fitzgerald, Bonavista South - will also be participating in the respective regional consultations. Public consultation begins on February 2 and concludes on February 25, 2005. The consultation schedule is as follows: Wednesday, February 2
Gander, Albatross Hotel, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Interested parties are invited to participate in the consultation process either through the public sessions, Internet or written submissions. To participate in a session, members of the public must contact (709) 729-3430 to register in advance. Submissions can also be emailed to ets@gov.nl.ca For more information, or to participate in the consultations process online, complete the online questionnaire at //www.gov.nl.ca/health/banonsmoking/default.htm In 2004, 112 deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador were attributed to the effects of second-hand smoke. Annually, second-hand smoke exposure results in an estimated 784 hospitalizations, 8,400 hospital days and $11.9 million in expenditures in our health care system. In recent months, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan have banned smoking in all public places, and Quebec and Ontario are joining our province in moving closer to becoming smoke-free in the near future. Media contact: Carolyn Chaplin, Communications, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093 2005 01 21 12:30 p.m. |
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