wyliepoon
Senior Member
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/613682
TTC eyes stricter ban on smoking
Youth group urges smoke-free area nine metres around bus stops
April 4, 2009
Paul Moloney
CITY HALL BUREAU
The Toronto Transit Commission is considering banning smoking within a nine-metre radius of any of the city's 10,000 bus and streetcar stops.
The commission members yesterday approved the idea in principle and called for a report on how to implement and enforce such a ban, after hearing a plea from an anti-smoking youth group called T-Dot – Toronto Don't Own Tobacco.
To be an effective deterrent, the fine should be substantial, said Amulya Dakka, a peer leader with T-Dot, which has about 30 members aged 14 to 18. Dakka suggested $500.
TTC chair and Councillor Adam Giambrone said that because most stops are on the city's road allowance it would be up to city council to adopt a ban.
The city recently banned smoking near playgrounds, and carrying through on transit would send a strong message, Dakka told members of the transit commission.
"The TTC is one of the major transportation services in Toronto that provides facilities for 1.5 million passengers a day," she said. "We believe it is important for us to create a safer and healthier transportation system for all TTC users. The proposed nine-metre bylaw will reduce the number of people exposed to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke."
"I think the initiative is great," said Councillor Joe Mihevc, a former board of health chair. Giambrone said council could deal with bus and streetcar stops within Toronto, but there are also about 1,000 stops in adjoining cities that the TTC serves under contract, which would have to decide whether to join a ban.
"I think what you're seeing presented here today is the beginning of a campaign in Toronto ... around curtailing the spots where smoking is acceptable – playgrounds, transit shelters being some of them," Giambrone said.
The TTC has long banned smoking in stations and on vehicles and people have complied.
*****
Sounds good, but like other TTC bans on spitting or littering, smoking at bus stops is one ban that is hard to strictly enforce.
Not entirely. Many open-air TTC bus terminals are littered with cigarette butts, and it's not hard to find someone lighting one up while waiting for a bus.
I thought bus shelters were already off limits. The new bus shelters have "no smoking" decals on the glass.
TTC eyes stricter ban on smoking
Youth group urges smoke-free area nine metres around bus stops
April 4, 2009
Paul Moloney
CITY HALL BUREAU
The Toronto Transit Commission is considering banning smoking within a nine-metre radius of any of the city's 10,000 bus and streetcar stops.
The commission members yesterday approved the idea in principle and called for a report on how to implement and enforce such a ban, after hearing a plea from an anti-smoking youth group called T-Dot – Toronto Don't Own Tobacco.
To be an effective deterrent, the fine should be substantial, said Amulya Dakka, a peer leader with T-Dot, which has about 30 members aged 14 to 18. Dakka suggested $500.
TTC chair and Councillor Adam Giambrone said that because most stops are on the city's road allowance it would be up to city council to adopt a ban.
The city recently banned smoking near playgrounds, and carrying through on transit would send a strong message, Dakka told members of the transit commission.
"The TTC is one of the major transportation services in Toronto that provides facilities for 1.5 million passengers a day," she said. "We believe it is important for us to create a safer and healthier transportation system for all TTC users. The proposed nine-metre bylaw will reduce the number of people exposed to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke."
"I think the initiative is great," said Councillor Joe Mihevc, a former board of health chair. Giambrone said council could deal with bus and streetcar stops within Toronto, but there are also about 1,000 stops in adjoining cities that the TTC serves under contract, which would have to decide whether to join a ban.
"I think what you're seeing presented here today is the beginning of a campaign in Toronto ... around curtailing the spots where smoking is acceptable – playgrounds, transit shelters being some of them," Giambrone said.
The TTC has long banned smoking in stations and on vehicles and people have complied.
*****
Sounds good, but like other TTC bans on spitting or littering, smoking at bus stops is one ban that is hard to strictly enforce.
Not entirely. Many open-air TTC bus terminals are littered with cigarette butts, and it's not hard to find someone lighting one up while waiting for a bus.
I thought bus shelters were already off limits. The new bus shelters have "no smoking" decals on the glass.
