Children and young families will be the big winners in a ban on smoking in commercial outdoor dining areas in NSW.
From July 6 smoking will be banned in all seated outdoor dining areas at cafes, restaurants, hotels and clubs while food is being served.
Public Health Unit director Mark Ferson said smoke-free areas would reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and support people trying to quit.
‘‘It makes smoking less visible to children and young people,’’ Professor Ferson said.
Kaimaki Cafe Kogarah owner Nick Georgopoulos said he was looking forward to providing a smoke-free environment.
‘‘I’m not going to take any risks — and it’s a big fine if you break the rules,’’ he said.
On-the-spot fines of $300 from NSW Health inspectors may apply to individuals who flout the ban.
Penalties of up to $5500 may be issued to business owners if an individual is found to be smoking at their premises.
Zimzala Cronulla owner Ray Nelson voluntarily banned smoking at his restaurant several years ago after a trip to Europe.
‘‘We visited a lot of restaurants and ate out a lot — and the smoking over there was horrendous,’’ Mr Nelson said.
In June 2013 a French court upheld a ban on smoking in closed-off terraces at restaurants and cafes.
An Oatley mother, who did not wish to be named because her husband was a smoker, welcomed the July 6 ban.
‘‘Often, outdoor terraces have the nicest views, the biggest tables for the kids, and there’s nothing worse than being exposed to smoke when you are trying to eat,’’ she said.
In NSW, smoking is banned in all public transport stops and stations, within 10 metres of playgrounds, spectator areas of sporting grounds, public swimming pools, hospital grounds and within four metres of the entrance/exit to a public building.
The latest ban will apply to within 10 metres of a market food stall and applies to all ignited smoking products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and water-pipes.
Clearing the air
About 20 per cent of men and 12 per cent of women in NSW are smokers.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risks of cardiovascular disease and lung cancer in adults and bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma in children, NSW Health said.
More than 2000 St George and Sutherland Shire residents were admitted to hospital with smoking-related conditions in 2010-12.
Rockdale had the highest number, with 550 smoking-related hospitalisations per 100,000 people, figures from the NSW Cancer Institute showed.
A Rockdale Council spokesman said venues that provided dining would need to display ‘‘no-smoking’’ signage that met the specific wording requirements outlined in the Smoke-free Environment Regulation 2007.
Councils could introduce their own smoking bans under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993, the spokesman said.
Kogarah recorded 500 smoking-related hospitalisations per 100,000 population in 2010-12; the figure was 480 at Hurstville and 475 at Sutherland Shire.
Smoking is banned in the Georges River and Royal national parks in picnic areas, beaches, walking tracks, lookouts, camping grounds, accommodation and public roads. It will be banned in all national parks in NSW by the end of the year.
What do you think of the latest smoking ban?