England will become smokefree on Sunday, 1 July 2007. The new law is being introduced to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
From 1 July 2007 it will be against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed places, workplaces and public and work vehicles. There will be very few exceptions from the law. These restrictions are currently reflected in the University Smoking Policy
-Smoking Policy(2006)
Indoor smoking rooms in virtually all public places and workplaces will no longer be allowed. This will include Student Union Bars and other bars around the city.
Managers of smokefree premises and vehicles will have legal responsibilities to prevent people from smoking. Please therefore co-operate with University requirements.
The new law will require no-smoking signs to be displayed in all smokefree premises. In practice this will mean that signs are displayed at the entrances to buildings. Enclosures or partial enclosures such as doorways and loading bays, etc will also fall within the law and signs will be displayed accordingly.
-Sign displayed at entrances to buildings
-Sign displayed at doorways
-Sign displayed in vehicles
The new law applies to anything that can be smoked. This includes cigarettes, pipes (including water pipes such as shisha and hookah pipes) cigars, and herbal cigarettes.
Failure to comply with the new law will be a criminal offence. Penalties and fines for smokefree offences are set out below:
a) Smoking in smokefree premises or work vehicles: a fixed penalty notice of £50 imposed on the person smoking. Or a maximum fine of £200 if prosecuted and convicted by a court.
b) Failure to display no-smoking signs: a fixed penalty notice of £200 imposed on whoever manages or occupies the smokefree premises or vehicle. Or a maximum fine of £1000 if prosecuted and convicted by a court.
c) Failing to prevent smoking in a smokefree place: a maximum fine of £2500 imposed on whoever manages or controls the smokefree premises or vehicle if prosecuted and convicted by a court.
Local Councils are responsible for enforcing the new law. They will also offer information and support to meeting the legal obligations.
More information on the new law can be found on the Smokefree England website.
-Smokefree England Website
