Resources Library – Smoke-Free Environments – Outdoor Public Places
Smoke-Free Environments – Outdoor Public Places
In the last decade, there has been a considerable effort to ban smoking indoors such as in restaurants, shopping malls and community centres. Most New Brunswickers know that the reason we have banned smoking in public indoor spaces is that second-hand smoke isn’t good for them. In more recent years, we have also learned that breathing second-hand smoke in outdoor spaces is equally unhealthy.
There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Contrary to popular belief, the wind doesn’t simply blow smoke away. Research shows outdoor second-hand smoke can be as harmful as indoor second-hand smoke. (Source: Making My Outdoor Event Smoke-Free – NBATC – 2019)
In July 2015, the New Brunswick Smoke-Free Places Act expanded the areas in which smoking is not permitted to include many public outdoor settings. The Smoke-Free Places Act also prohibits vaping (the use of electronic cigarettes, water pipes, and all other vaping devices) in these same areas. Its definition of “smoke” was broadened in November 2016 to any substance that is intended to be inhaled or exhaled (tobacco, cannabis, e-juices for vaping devices, and all other substances).
In 2016, New Brunswick’s regional health authorities (Vitalité Health Network and Horizon Health Network) launched 100% smoke-free environment policies on their outdoor hospital and health centre grounds. A 100% smoke-free environment policy means there are no designated smoking areas on the premises, even outdoors. Vitalité and Horizon’s comprehensive 100% smoke-free environment policies include public education as well as many supports and resources for patients, staff and volunteers to respect the policy by managing their nicotine cravings while at work/while in hospital, or by being offered counselling and cessation aids to quit smoking altogether.
This has paved the way for other workplaces and institutions in the province to launch their own comprehensive 100% smoke-free environment policies. For example, in 2017, the Edmundston Campus of the College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) became the first college campus in New Brunswick to implement a 100% smoke-free environment policy.
As public support for smoke-free outdoor environments continues to gain momentum, many municipalities and towns across the country are even looking at or have implemented bans on smoking and vaping in all public outdoor spaces, including sidewalks, roads, parking lots, etc. There has also been an uptake in communities choosing to hold all their family-focused outdoor events smoke-free.
Smoke-free outdoor environments in our communities support wellness by:
- Protecting children and adults from second-hand smoke;
- Assisting those who have quit or are trying to quit;
- Discouraging tobacco and vaping product use initiation by decreasing negative role modelling for children; and
- Protecting children, wildlife, and the environment from toxic litter.
(Source: Outdoor Spaces – Smoke Free for All – NBATC- 2019)
Encouraging the adoption of 100% smoke-free policies for public outdoor spaces not already covered under the New Brunswick Smoke-Free Places Act has been identified as a priority in New Brunswick’s Tobacco-Free Living Strategy (2019-2023). Smoke and Vape Free NB (SVFNB) is committed to helping communities work towards this objective. Contact us for help and support!
Legislation & Policies
See our Smoke-Free Environments page for the complete list of all designated smoke-free spaces required by law in New Brunswick.
Reporting Smoking and Vaping Violations
See our Smoke-Free Environments page.
Signage
See our Smoke-Free Environments page for information on signage requirements, as well as downloadable signs and templates.
Dangers of Exposure to Second and Third-Hand Smoke
See our Smoke-Free Environments page for information on the importance of smoke-free environments and the dangers of second and third-hand smoke – in both indoor and outdoor settings.
Of particular interest:
Resources – Making Outdoor Environments Smoke-Free
Cigarette butts are more harmful than plastic straws and stir sticks
Cigarette butts have been identified as a much more frequent waste problem than plastic straws or carrier bags. In the most recent Greats Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, cigarette butts far exceeded other plastic waste.
Continued exceptionalism for the tobacco industry?
It has long been observed that tobacco manufacturers are frequently exempted from regulations that are applied to other industries. In the case of the federal plastics strategy, Environment and Climate Change Canada has made clear the reasons it is exempting cigarette filters from its ban on single use plastics.
The department established 3 criteria to decide which single-use plastics to ban: 1) whether they were found in the environment, 2) whether they were often not recycled and 3) whether they have readily available alternatives.
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Coalition (HEPAC)
HEPAC is a coalition of government and non-government organizations that collaborate to foster positive change related to healthy eating and physical activity in New Brunswick.
Making My Outdoor Event Smoke-Free – A Guide for Event Planners, Organizers and Volunteers – Smoke and Vape Free NB – 2015 – updated in 2019
This guide is designed to help New Brunswick communities make their outdoor events smoke-free. Many tools are provided, such as downloadable signs and social media messaging that can be used to communicate the smoke-free nature of events.
Outdoor Spaces: Smoke-Free for All – New Brunswick Anti-Tobacco Coalition – 2015
A fact sheet developed to outline the benefits of smoke-free outdoor spaces.
Protect the environment, World No Tobacco Day 2022 will give you one more reason to quit
WHO today announces the 2022 global campaign for World No Tobacco Day – “Tobacco: Threat to our environment.” The campaign is aimed to raise awareness among the public on the environmental impact of tobacco – from cultivation, production, distribution and waste. It will give tobacco users one extra reason to quit.
The campaign will also aim to expose tobacco industry’s effort to “greenwash” its reputation and products by marketing themselves as environmentally friendly.
With an annual greenhouse gas contribution of 84 megatons carbon dioxide equivalent, the tobacco industry contributes to climate change and reduces climate resilience, wasting resources and damaging ecosystems.
Around 3.5 million hectares of land are destroyed for tobacco growing each year. Growing tobacco contributes to deforestation, especially in the developing world. of Deforestation for tobacco plantations promotes soil degradation and “failing yields” or the capacity for the land to support the growth of any other crops or vegetation.
“The environmental impacts of tobacco using adds unnecessary pressure to our planet’s already scarce resources and fragile ecosystems. This is especially dangerous for developing countries, as that’s where most of the tobacco production happens.” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion, “Every cigarette you smoke, you are literally burning resources where they are already scarce, burning resources where our very existence depends upon.”
The environmental burden falls on countries least able to cope with it, the profits are made by transnational tobacco companies that are based in higher-income countries.
With about 90% of all tobacco production concentrated in the developing world, tobacco has an immensely uneven impact on different socioeconomic groups. In low- and middle-income countries, many farmers and government officials see tobacco as a cash crop that can generate economic growth, however, the short-term cash benefits of the crop are offset by the long-term consequences of increased food insecurity, frequent sustained farmers’ debt, illness and poverty among farm workers, and widespread environmental damage in low- and middle-income countries.
The tobacco industry has also invested heavily to “greenwash” their environmentally damaging practices by reporting environmental impact and funding environmental corporate social responsibility projects and organizations. Their smoke screen is only able to work due to lack of objective data as well as limited and inconsistent legislation at international and local levels.
Reducing tobacco consumption needs to be identified as a key lever for achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals, not just those directly related to health.
The campaign calls on governments and policy makers to step up legislation, including implementing and strengthening existing schemes to make producers responsible for the environmental and economic costs of tobacco product waste.
Protection from Outdoor Smoking – Ontario Tobacco Research Unit – 2013
For many years, we advised smokers to “take it outside” to provide protection from circulating indoor smoke. Now, research shows that physical exposure to outdoor tobacco can also be unsafe. Moreover, research on social modeling and visual and other sensory cueing suggests that outdoor social exposure is a serious problem as well.
Smoke Is Smoke! – Smoke and Vape Free NB – 2019
Sheds light on the dangers of second-hand smoke from tobacco as well as cannabis. This fact sheet also addresses vaping and reminds people to respect smoke-free environments in New Brunswick, which prohibit smoking and vaping. We all win when we can live, work and play in 100% smoke-free environments!
The Wellness Movement
The Wellness Movement is a collective, ongoing effort in New Brunswick to inspire and support the creation of wellness-supporting environments, including tobacco-free and smoke-free homes, schools, workplaces and communities. Visit their website to join the Movement, find resources about a range of wellness topics, consult an events calendar of activities across the province and get inspired by New Brunswick success stories.
The Wellness Movement – Connect with Wellness in your Region
The Wellness Movement’s regional webpages make it easy to connect with your local Wellness Networks, and stay informed about wellness initiatives happening near you. You’ll find event calendars, resources, information, tools, photos, and inspiring stories, as well as a list of Regional Wellness Networks in your area.
The Wellness Movement – Tools for Partners
A number of tools were created to make it easy to align your messaging and promotional materials with those of The Wellness Movement. They are designed to be customized to fit your needs and have a professional look and feel, whether it be sharable visuals for social media, promotional tools to help promote your Wellness Week events, or kits to help you create or enhance various types of wellness-supporting environments.
Examples of Smoke-Free Policies in Canadian Municipalities and Towns
Funding & Grants
Funding and grants available for tobacco and vaping products use education and prevention, smoking cessation programs, and smoke-free environment policies are listed on our Funding & Grants page.
Learning Opportunities
Are you a community leader, health care professional, or policymaker? Recommended resources to consult are listed on our Smoke-Free Environments page for you to learn more about:
- statistics on smoking rates and exposure to second-hand and third-hand smoke;
- public health information on smoking and vaping; and
- aligning your efforts with those already underway nationally and provincially.