Voter promotes fine for smoke free areas

There are several places in Hamilton that are apparently smoke free, but are they really?

The Hamilton City Council website notes smoking is prohibited  in Garden Place, Civic Square, within 10 metres of all Hamilton City Council playgrounds, within 10 metres of Council owned or operated buildings and facilities, the entire precinct of Hamilton Transport Centre and Hamilton Gardens, and Pembroke St and Selwyn street surrounding the hospital.

Nawton resident Joseph Bowler, 22, says he supports  smoke free areas – but does not see many signs they are in practice.

“A couple of months ago, I was walking past the Hamilton City Council building and saw a [staff] member of the council smoking a cigarette on a balcony within the building. It’s actually disgusting.

“If council have smoke-free policies you think that their own council members would abide by them and set a good example,” Bowler said.

Hamilton City Council does not have any repercussions for anyone that is caught smoking in the smoke free areas

Bowler thinks that they need to have more signs and advertise more about the areas within Hamilton that are smoke free.

“I had no idea until I checked their website, what parts of Hamilton are smoke free, and I couldn’t believe it when I read it, as I have seen people smoking in and around all the areas listed.”

He also believes  if council want parts of Hamilton to be smoke free it should introduce a small fine for those caught smoking in the prohibited areas.

“If there is no consequence for smoking in these areas, people aren’t going to care and will smoke there anyway. It’s a sign not a cop, people aren’t going to listen to it,” Bowler said.