Bus stops could be the next place that smokers won’t be able to light up, if the ACT Government can navigate the associated hurdles.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said that the next major challenge for governments and regulators was how to regulate smoking in public places.
Mr Stanhope said the Government had been successful in making smoking an ”antisocial pursuit”, with the percentage of smokers in the ACT down to 15 per cent.
Health Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed the possibility of further bans on smoking, with a spokesperson saying that bus stops were under consideration.
ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja said that while many Canberrans did not approve of smoking, the Government should proceed cautiously and take into consideration how intrusive anti-smoking measures could become.
The Smokefree Australia Coalition welcomed the possible ban, citing the issue of people enduring second-hand smoke at bus stops. Spokesperson Stafford Sanders said other jurisdictions had similar measures in place.
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This page was last updated on 26 April 2021
