Graham, Tom and Ian

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Smoke-free play areas? Tell us what you think.

by Lib Dem team on 7 August, 2015

Stockport Council is encouraging residents to have their say on proposals to determine if the public would support the adoption of a Smokefree policy in Play Areas in Stockport parks and other Council owned play areas.
Children learn through example and evidence suggests that those who live in an environment where the adults smoke are more likely to try and start smoking themselves. The aim of Smokefree Play Areas is to reduce the places where children are exposed to second-hand smoke and make smoking less common in places where children go.
The Code would be voluntary and would not be legally enforceable, however it requests that people refrain from smoking around children in an environment that is designed for them.
Cllr John Pantall, Executive Member for Independence and Wellbeing at Stockport Council said: “As a Council we are committed to protecting children from exposure to smoking and reducing the number of young people who take up the habit.
“We are always looking for new ways in which to support this and one idea we want to investigate is the introduction of Smokefree Play Areas.
 “I would encourage all local residents to have their say on the proposals, in order that we can gauge your opinions and see whether this is an idea the people of Stockport support.”
Residents can have their say by visiting the Council’s website; www.stockport.gov.uk/haveyoursay and completing the online questionnaire.
The consultation will run until 26th October.
For more information about quitting smoking visit:  www.stockport.gov.uk/stopsmoking
   7 Comments

7 Responses

  1. Arthur Lampkin says:

    Can’t get onto the website but would like to say no smoking in a children’s play area should definitely be put in place so then no fag butts will be around for kids to pic up.

    • David Booth says:

      In such places the ‘passive’ smoking argument is simply not valid. If you don’t want to have children seeing adults smoking then ‘give’ us back our public houses where children are not allowed. As a Council Tax payer (unlike children) I expect all public areas to be available to all and not subject to discriminatory policies.
      The Council has far more pressing social issues to address.
      I had 2 children and now 4 grandchildren whom I take to the park. To them adults smoking is irrelevant (neither good nor bad) as they simply run around enjoying themselves.
      Hypocritical politicians should make smoking illegal (foregoing the tax revenue) or shut up!

  2. Lois Evans says:

    Definitely in children’s play areas – but all parks? that’s going too far – smokers have become the lepers of society and there are worse problems the council should be tackling such as child poverty, unemployment, traffic congestion – name your own problems with the council

  3. robert cohen says:

    Too much nanny state.

  4. Mak says:

    Absolutely strongly agree with this. Nothing to do with Nanny state (@Robert Cohen)

    I am sick and tired of inhaling smoke. Nothing to do with passive smoking but it makes me cough and i do not even suffer from asthma! My wife and children suffer from asthma and it gets worse when there are smokers in public areas, in particular outside shop entrances having to walk through it knocks me sick especially when I’m with my kids – no respect for others at all!

    It should not be allowed in parks near children. We have a right to less polluted air to breathe.

    The only issue i have is that, for example, Bruntwood park rangers do not have any powers. For example these lads brought two Pit Bull type dogs on leads into the children area of the park. I complained to the park ranger and he had a word. They just stayed and ignored him. How would this law be deployed in those situations?

  5. iqbal karim says:

    As a non smoker, I think the law should be changed to allow smokers to smoke in a separate room of pubs not outside or outside entrances of buildings exposing non smokers to passive smoking.
    It should be common sense not to smoke anywhere near children but in the absence of common sense I would support a law to enforce this in a play area but not the whole park. A voluntary code of conduct will not work.

  6. stephen j faulkner says:

    has anyone visited the back seats of a bus with cigarette burns on them , has anyone visited an area outside the entrance to a hospital with a carpet of butts , has anyone visited a bus station also with a carpet of butts , areas where smoking is prohibited where there is no active policing or penalties enforced and few people apply the concept of “regard” to fellow man AND smoking in movies are you going to put a 18 or over and drinking liquor in a movie also 18 with no active policing one is wasting your time
    yes i smoke
    have a goodday
    steve

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