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Smoke Free Zones to Increase

By 250 News

Tuesday, August 28, 2007 03:59 AM

Norhtern Health's Laura Johnston  displays new signs that will be erected  near sporting areas in Prince George (photo opinion250 staff)    

Watch for tobacco free zones to be extended in Prince George.

Northern Health, along with the Canadian Cancer Society has asked the City to take the next step and erect tobacco free zone signs at recreational sites throughout the City.   This kind of signage has already been set up at playgrounds.

Some facts:

  • In the northern interior of B.C.,  22.1% of the population over the age of  15 smokes, that is higher than the overall provincial average of 17.4%.
  • 110 people die in BC each year due to second hand smoke related illness.
  • Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease, disability and death in Canada.
  • New research indicates that if a smoker has fewer places to light up, the chances are better that they will quit.

The  plan is to have the signs installed at the following locations:

  • Football field,
  • BMX track
  • Lawn bowling field
  • horseshoe pits
  • basketball courts
  • ice rinks (outdoors)
  • soccer fields
  • baseball diamonds
  • tennis courts
  • Otway ski centre  and give consideration to extending  the policy to the Pine Valley Golf Course.

The YMCA has already  taken a step to prohibit all smoking from all YMCA property.

The first phase of the program cost  just over $9,000 and the money was supplied by Northern Health.

Laura Johnston  of Northern Health says in January, there will be new provincial legislation which will ban smoking or smoking materials from all school grounds and away from all doorways, windows and air intakes.  

The signage  doesn’t  mean there is a bylaw in force,  butting out would be voluntary. "Its about being a good citizen and caring about the environment you’re in" says Johnston.

The cost of the new signs (72 left over from phase one, 38 new ones to be ordered)  is  about $5,000, of that amount, Northern Health would pick up $2,000, the Canadian Cancer Society would contribute $1,600 and the balance, $1,400 would come from the City of Prince George. The City’s contribution will come from the new program contingency fund.

The signs will be installed by the end of September or early October.

    
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Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Comment Posted by: chloe on August 28 2007 7:56 AM
What kind of example does Northern Health Set when they Still Allow smoking by the front doors to PGRH? Non- smokers have to walk through all that, and it looks aweful.
Comment Posted by: ontwin on August 28 2007 8:40 AM
PGRH has 2 designated smoking areas and signs that state no smoking within 30 metres of the front door.We don't allow it,they'll smoke wherever as its an addiction!!.Most smokers can't read,are too lazy to walk that far,don't want to use the smoke shacks because they'll "smell like smoke"(your fooling yourselves..you already do) or most importantly DON'T CARE.
There's not a finer sight than some pt dressed in their hospital pj's,hanging onto an IV pole and puffing on a smoke..if you feel well enough to smoke..GO HOME.It also makes me laugh when they wonder why the gift shop doesn't sell cigarettes..give your head a shake.
Comment Posted by: Chester on August 28 2007 8:26 PM
"Tobacco use is discouraged" ??? What kind of a sign is that?

What happened to "No Smoking"?

Is that a can of chewing tobacco on the sign?

Why don't the signs just read "We would like to encourage you to use tobacco somewhere else" Chester
Comment Posted by: Chadermando on August 29 2007 1:59 PM

I was going to get my back all up about people making new rules restricting peoples freedoms until I came across this part that I feel we really do need more of this kind of activism...

"The signage doesn’t mean there is a bylaw in force, butting out would be voluntary. "Its about being a good citizen and caring about the environment you’re in" says Johnston."

I wish there was more of the idea of using signs to inform people even when we don't have the laws on the books. IE for people that litter all the time or garbage dumpers in vacent lots ect. Why not, half the people that do those kinds of things are too stupid to know the sign is not law anyways, and will most of the time comply simply because they feel they might get caught.
Comment Posted by: Gofaster on August 29 2007 3:46 PM
Maybe they should hire some policeman to enforce this now...
like that is going to happen...
make the laws with no teeth. So typical of Prince George and Area.
Comment Posted by: Harbinger on August 29 2007 7:03 PM
Maybe they can hassle drivers who smoke while waiting in line at our many drive-throughs in this town.
Comment Posted by: Halvi on August 29 2007 8:13 PM
Heyyyyy here's an idea, stop wasting money on crap like this and put it into hiring more police officers to clean up all the violence in our city.