If you're a smoker and you light up in a public place, expect a few filthy looks as Auckland Council moves to make smoking in public places less and less acceptable.
The council's Parks Recreation and Heritage Committee voted on Tuesday to push through with a regionwide smoke-free policy in council-controlled areas like parks, playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and pedestrian malls.
The policy is expected to be rubber-stamped by the Regional Development and Operations Committee in July. It stops short of a ban - which would require the creation of a costly bylaw and staff to police it. Instead, council's gone for the non-regulatory approach being used successfully in places like Whangarei and Rotorua.
The smoke-free policy will be enforced by way of signs, education and, ultimately, public pressure.
Cancer Society Auckland CEO John Loof applauded the move saying the policy is already working well at Mt Smart Stadium, Botany Town Centre and throughout Auckland's regional parks. He says 1,800 Aucklanders die from cancers and other tobacco-related illnesses every year and a New Zealand Herald poll of 19,000 people showed 70 per cent supported the city becoming smoke-free. Auckland Council also says reviews of existing non-regulatory smoke-free policies have shown positive results. For example, in 2010 the Cancer Society and Auckland Zoo completed an evaluation of the zoo's smokefree policy. Feedback from zoo staff indicated there were high levels of public support for the policy and minimal issues with compliance.