Dave Macpherson thinks smoking fine is unrealistic

Dave Macpherson is pushing for a smoking ban in Hamilton but he says it is all about being realistic.

West Ward council candidate Macpherson responded to the Waikato Independent’s article on a Nawton man who promoted fines for non-smoking areas.

Macpherson, who recently dropped out of the running to become mayor due to low number of votes, is continuing his campaign for a position on council.

He sympathises with Joseph Bowler’s thoughts on non-smoking areas, but is concerned about the practicality behind his ideas.

“As a very long term anti-smoker, I sympathise with Joseph’s thoughts, but I am concerned about how practical his desires are,” Macpherson said.

“I want smoking banned full-stop, but if you go too hard it could be driven underground, and become a worse problem, with gangs and criminals involved in dealing tobacco.”

Bowler said that he wanted fines put into play for people who are caught smoking in non-smoking areas, but Macpherson says that the cost of policing that would fall on ratepayers.

Instead he said he would rather use other methods of trying to cut down smoking in Hamilton.

“I would rather we supported a good public and school education campaign about smoking and I think that the Government should crack down on hard tobacco companies, who still make fortunes of addicting young kiwis to tobacco.”

He also believed that members of the public should help enforce non-smoking bylaws by “shaming” smokers in public places.

“These are slower processes but I think they are better in the long run.”