Canada bans smoking in public.

[PiKA2001]

Smokers in Ontario and Quebec face a new, comprehensive ban on smoking in enclosed public places intended to protect the public from the hazards of secondhand smoke.

The changes, which took effect Wednesday, are a tougher sell in Quebec than in Ontario, where roughly 90 percent of residents already live under municipal smoking bans, said Michael Perley, an anti-tobacco activist with the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco.

"Quebec is going to take a big jump forward compared with Ontario," Perley said.

Quebec has the highest percentage of smokers in Canada, with 23 percent of the province's population lighting up -- but down from 34 percent in 1998, when the government banned smoking in the workplace. Only 19 percent of Ontario residents smoke.

In Windsor, Ontario, gambling operators say they fear that the ban will drive away the American visitors who are crucial to the economy of the Canadian border city.

About 80 percent of Casino Windsor customers come from nearby metropolitan Detroit and elsewhere in the United States. Casino Windsor said it was building two outside patio areas for smokers. The area will be heated in cold weather.

In Montreal, Francois Damphousse of the Non-Smokers' Rights Association held a news conference Tuesday to celebrate the ban.

"We haven't created any precedent in Quebec," he said. "We're just following in the footsteps of what's been done in many other jurisdictions."

New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Saskatchewan and Manitoba already have total bans on smoking in public places. Nova Scotia's ban takes effect at the end of the year.

Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard said the ban in his province would be immediately enforced by 75 undercover inspectors capable of issuing fines up to $10,000 Canadian (about $9,094 U.S.)

Ontario Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson said his province would allow for a reasonable grace period before issuing fines.

Some Ontario bars came up with innovative ways to welcome the ban.

John Janisse, owner of the Windsor Pub in Windsor, a city that previously had no smoke-free bylaw, said his establishment planned to give away souvenir ashtrays to smoking patrons Tuesday night.

"It's going to be somewhat low key," Janisse said. "There are some places that are doing a big `smoke your brains out' kind of event tonight, but we're just going to have a little fun with it."

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/9297975/detail.html

[PiKA2001]

When I was in California, pretty much 80% of the bars there had back patios for people to smoke. In Windsor, where it's freezing half of the year really no bard have any patios so this is going to be interesting. It will be nice to be able to go into a casino though and not get hit with a smoke bomb when you first walk in.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by PiKA2001
When I was in California, pretty much 80% of the bars there had back patios for people to smoke. In Windsor, where it's freezing half of the year really no bard have any patios so this is going to be interesting. It will be nice to be able to go into a casino though and not get hit with a smoke bomb when you first walk in.

They have heat lamps and the ciggies warm up your lungs anyway haha.

I do wonder though, when you smoke when do you feel good? I mean it's not like chew where you feel the tobacco right away and want to to throw up if you've never done it before.

-Rudey

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by PiKA2001
When I was in California, pretty much 80% of the bars there had back patios for people to smoke. In Windsor, where it's freezing half of the year really no bard have any patios so this is going to be interesting. It will be nice to be able to go into a casino though and not get hit with a smoke bomb when you first walk in.

In Ontario, you'll still be allowed to smoke on a patio, just not a covered patio.

I think a lot of bars/restaurants/clubs will start building open patios to keep their smoking clientele.

[MooseGirl]

I lived most my life in Windsor and it isn't just the casino and bars that are going to hurt. Poor bingo halls - don't think they can handle much more (the bingos are a major source of revenue for local and provincial charities)

I now live in a city that has had a no-smoking bylaw for quite some time and I must say it's really great. The last few times I've been in Windsor, I've forgotten they still smoke in bars, so I wore my nice clothes - oops. (see, I hate doing laundry too often, so only crappy clothes get to be ruined with smoke smell)

Can't say I've ever heard of the Windsor Pub; must be new.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I was actually surprised when I went to the Casino in Niagara Falls that smoking was still allowed (this was about a month ago). I though when the no-smoking in bars went into effect it included things like casinos.

Although I'm curious. Does this new law effect hotels???

[MooseGirl]

geee it's hard to find anything on the Ontario site - I had to google it

Health site on Smoke Free law

and according to the PDF linked from there,

(Section 9.)
(10) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who smokes or holds lighted tobacco in a guest room in a hotel, motel or inn if the conditions set out below are met, and subsections (3) and (6) do not apply to a proprietor or employer with respect to a guest room described in paragraphs 2 to 5 if the proprietor or employer complies withany prescribed requirements respecting the maintenance of the guest room...

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by MooseGirl
geee it's hard to find anything on the Ontario site - I had to google it

Health site on Smoke Free law

and according to the PDF linked from there,

Thanks!

[bcdphie]

Originally posted by MooseGirl
I lived most my life in Windsor and it isn't just the casino and bars that are going to hurt. Poor bingo halls - don't think they can handle much more (the bingos are a major source of revenue for local and provincial charities)

There is actually a way around that - at least in Vancouver. Smoking indoors in public places has been for years, but I work in a bingo hall and we have special smoking areas. If we didn't have that, a good three quarters of our clientel would be gone.

[PiKA2001]

Originally posted by MooseGirl
I lived most my life in Windsor and it isn't just the casino and bars that are going to hurt. Poor bingo halls - don't think they can handle much more (the bingos are a major source of revenue for local and provincial charities)

Can't say I've ever heard of the Windsor Pub; must be new.

I've always wondered about all of the bingo halls in downtown Windsor ( I think there are about four of them within a few blocks) because they always looked so empty as is. As for the Windsor Pub, I've never heard of it either.

[MooseGirl]

Originally posted by bcdphie
There is actually a way around that - at least in Vancouver. Smoking indoors in public places has been for years, but I work in a bingo hall and we have special smoking areas. If we didn't have that, a good three quarters of our clientel would be gone.

Well they had smoking rooms, but that's where the workers are too. I hear out west the workers (callers, sellers, etc) don't go in the smoking room, local bingo halls have been rallying for years on using "Vancouver style" here, but as the new law stands, even that isn't good enough...so yes, they'll be seeing huge drops in clientele (again, a lot of which is American)

[DeltAlum]

Maybe that's why we've had so much Southerly wind here recently. Everyone up North is taking one final big inhale.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by bcdphie
There is actually a way around that - at least in Vancouver. Smoking indoors in public places has been for years, but I work in a bingo hall and we have special smoking areas. If we didn't have that, a good three quarters of our clientel would be gone.

Here they are getting rid of all the indoor smoking rooms. They are becoming illegal.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Maybe that's why we've had so much Southerly wind here recently. Everyone up North is taking one final big inhale.

I don't think this is really going to stop people from smoking. You're still allowed to smoke on the street and for places with patios, smokers will just stand on the sidewalk next to the patio (unless the patio is in the back).

[Tom Earp]

Oh Canada, Oh Canada, what the ?

You want to be pure, then grow up and Be a Major Country!

Oh, I love Your Flag!