Cancer Council WA is calling on developers of the redesigned Leederville Hotel complex to ditch the proposed smoker's terrace which will be situated directly above a children's playground.
Cancer Council WA's Make Smoking History Manager, Libby Jardine, said developers had completely contradicted the so-called 'family friendly' intentions of the new design.
"We take issue with 'family-friendly' venues that normalise products like alcohol and tobacco for children and expose them to unwarranted risk and harm," Ms Jardine said.
"We have known for many decades the dangers of exposure to second hand smoke, so we are perplexed why they would include a smoker's terrace where highly toxic smoke could affect children and other patrons below.
"In non-smoking adults, second hand smoke can cause fatal heart disease and lung cancer. Exposure to toxic smoke can also cause severe respiratory issues in infants and children."
Ms Jardine said in 2006 the Western Australian Government passed legislation that made all indoor hotels, clubs and pubs smoke-free.
Today however, liquor licenced venues are still permitted to designate up to 50 per cent of an outdoor eating area as a smoking zone. Liquor licensed premises can choose though to completely prohibit smoking on their premises.
"With smoking rates so low and the dangers of smoke exposure so apparent, it is time for this type of arrangement to go," she said.
"For the sake of the health of all community members - children and adults - responsible venues must choose to become entirely smoke-free.
"In addition, the design goes against the City of Vincent's plans for smoke-free city centres by 2025 which was announced earlier last month."
Ms Jardine said data shows that the community supports smoke-free venues and those venues with smoking zones are catering to a small minority.
"In Western Australia, only 11.5 per cent of adults report currently smoking," she said.
"A 2016 Community Survey commissioned by Cancer Council WA found that if liquor licensed venues became completely smoke free, 60 per cent of people said it would make no difference to how often they visit and 20 per cent indicated that they would visit more."
Ms Jardine also said that many people have attributed smoke-free venues to their quitting success.
"Cancer Council WA believes the next step for the WA State government is to remove laws permitting smoking areas in all licenced venues across the state.
"All venues in WA should read the writing on the wall. This is an opportunity to improve the health of Western Australians - not diminish it."
image source: dplh.wa.gov.au
REFERENCES
Original article:
'SEEDY LEEDY' PUTS FAMILIES FIRST
The West, September 2, Kim MacDonald
- "The Blue Flamingo is now closed for renovations, but will reopen as part of a bigger family-friendly pub of the future"
- "The makeover will include a children's play area, three takeaway kiosks, a smoker's terrace and a two storey, 77sqm shop."
Development design:
- Planning approval PDF page 10 here.
- Smoker's terrace PDF page 124 and 125 here. Note, the smokers terrace is situated directly above a children's playground
- Second hand smoke can cause fatal heart disease and lung cancer1
- Exposure to toxic smoke can also cause severe respiratory issues in infants and children.1
WA Tobacco Products Control Act 2006
- "The responsible person (owner/occupier) of a liquor licensed premises that is not the subject of a restaurant licence may allocate a smoking zone up to 50 per cent of all outdoor eating areas, provided the area is not already an enclosed public place."2
City of Vincent smoke-free city centres by 20253
- "The City of Vincent is embarking on a major health kick - and we want your opinion on the goals we've set for ourselves. The plan includes a target to introduce smoke-free town centres by 2025."
- According to the WA Health and Wellbeing Surveillance System, 11.5% of adults in Western Australia were daily or occasional (i.e. current) smokers in 2018.4
Cancer Council WA community survey
- 505 respondents in 2016 (smokers, non-smokers and ex-smokers)
- 47% of smokers stated that 100% smoke-free pubs and hotels were somewhat helpful/very helpful for quitting smoking
1US Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke: A report of the surgeon general. Atlanta, Georgia: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coordinating Center for Health Promotion, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2006. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2006/index.htm
2WA Department of Health. Smoking restrictions in outdoor eating areas: WA Tobacco Control Branch, 2020 https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/S_T/Smoking-restrictions-in-outdoor-eating-areas
3City of Vincent. Vincent's health kick to include smoke-free town centres. 2020 https://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/news/vincents-health-kick-to-include-smoke-free-town-centres/11307#:~:text=Smoke%2Dfree%20town%20centres%20%E2%80%93%20including,the%20normalising%20of%20smoking%20to
4 Epidemiology Branch, 2020, Prevalence of Smokers and E-cigarette Users, 18 years and over, 2002 2018, HWSS, WA Department of Health: Perth
