Smoke-Free Ontario Act has been well accepted in Renfrew County and District

 

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act came into force on May 31, 2006. This Act is designed to protect the health of Ontarians by:

• prohibiting smoking in almost all enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places,
• strengthening measures to ensure that only those 19 years of age and older can buy cigarettes, and
• phasing out the display of tobacco products in retail outlets.

It aims to reduce preventable disease and death from tobacco use, and builds on previous tobacco control legislation.

 

Staff at Ontario’s public health units have the responsibility of enforcing the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. Before the Act came into effect, staff at Renfrew County and District Health Unit worked to ensure that tobacco vendors, employers and employees had the information and resources they needed to be able to comply with the new legislation. Activities included:

• information sessions;
• inspections (with an educational approach) of all tobacco vendors and restaurants; and
• presentations at municipal council meetings.

 

Between May 31 and December 31, 2006, Public Health Inspectors completed over 450 inspections at tobacco vendors, restaurants/bars, enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places throughout Renfrew County and District. During this time we received 26 complaints related to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and all of these were investigated.

 

Up to the end of 2006 there have been 38 warnings, 19 summary offence notices (tickets) and eight court summonses for violations of the Act. This reflects a high rate of compliance, and we are very pleased with the acceptance of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act in Renfrew County and District. Only one establishment has openly defied the Act. As of March 29, 2007, this facility is closed and the case is awaiting trial.