Smoking is to be banned from Central Otago District Council public spaces and events, but vaping is allowed - for now.
Discussion at the council's community services committee meeting yesterday over submissions on the council's smoke-free proposal included debate over public and personal rights regarding smoking.
Thirty-three submissions were received on the proposal, and most supported it.
The council has had a smokefree policy for playgrounds since 2013, and over the past few years had extended that to public parks, reserves and sportsgrounds.
The policy has been broadened to include other public spaces, and events held at any of council's public places. Public events receiving council funding will also be encouraged to support smoke-free messages.
The policy is not a bylaw and will not be policed, but ''no smoking'' signs will be erected. In practice, the public would end up enforcing it, sometimes by ''shoulder tapping'' others to remind they should not be smoking, councillors heard.
Under the policy the areas designated as smoke-free will include council-owned parks, reserves, tracks, walkways, sports grounds and playgrounds; areas within 10m of public pedestrian entrances to council-owned buildings such as libraries, swimming pools and council offices; bus stops, including a 10m perimeter from bus shelters, signs or bus stop markings; and areas for eateries on publicly owned land, and council-owned tables in public areas.
Vaping will still be permitted.
Diana Power, of the Cancer Society, and Jo O'Connor, of WellSouth, made verbal submissions against vaping, saying it promoted the image of smoking and should be banned through the smoke-free policy.
But councillors said vaping had not been consulted upon and therefore could not be included in the policy.
The smoke-free policy will be reviewed within three years, and vaping - and any potential changes to laws surrounding cannabis - will be considered then, councillors decided.
The smoke-free policy will be implemented progressively from February 1 next year.
