Why Outdoor Smoking Bans?

Why Ban Smoking in Parks, Playgrounds, Sports Fields and Outside Recreation Facilities?

• The majority of users are non-smokers, children and youth;
• Second-hand smoke contains more than 4000 chemicals, about 50 of which are known to cause cancer. The U.S. Surgeon General and World Health Organization has concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke;
• Social Protection: When children see adults smoking in a family-oriented place such as a park or sports fields, it normalizes smoking, making youth more likely to try cigarettes or other tobacco products; and
• The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) prohibits smoking on school grounds, including their playgrounds, but families using play spaces in the surrounding neighbourhoods do not have the same protection.