Residents can expect to see updated signs, and not just at council facilities and parks, although an expanded smokefree policy might not lead to increased enforcement. It is hoped an educative approach will make a difference, along with what councillors described as positive peer pressure.
The Dunedin City Council decided this week to support making "substantive changes" to its smokefree policy — a draft updated policy is to be considered before October.
Key features will include adding vaping to the policy and introducing smokefree areas based on the council’s legal highs policy, which means "sensitive sites" such as areas around schools could be covered.
The policy was last reviewed in 2014 and concerns about vaping have since been mounting, particularly regarding young people picking up the habit.
Smokefree and vapefree signs could be obtained from Health New Zealand without charge, councillors were told.
The council favoured substantive changes to its policy, rather than moderate or minor changes, or the status quo.
It could have kept its focus on council properties, but ended up backing a broader approach.
The council’s legal highs policy has not had to be enforced, because there were no approved substances to which it might apply.
"This policy remains in place because, if a substance was approved, the DCC would have the mechanism to control where it could be sold," a report for councillors said.
Mapping regarding sensitive sites could be applied to revision of the smokefree policy.
