The Cancer Society and an outdoor cafe owner have welcomed Auckland Council's decision to ban smoking in outdoor dining areas from next month.
Urban areas, public beaches and outdoor dining on footpaths will be labelled smokefree, and there will also be smokefree conditions in council leases, funding agreements and events.
Cancer Society Auckland Northland Chief Executive John Loof spoke to 1 News at the popular al fresco dining area in Mission Bay, saying the smokefree move will have an immediate impact.
"I think the immediate impact in a place like this is providing a more pleasant, cleaner and, I guess most importantly, a safer environment for the diners, families and most importantly a group that gets a little forgotten, the hospitality workers as well," Mr Loof said.
He said the smokefree environment will support people who are trying quit smoking.
“I think it'll be a fantastic improvement for us and a good move forward
"They have to leave the table, go to another area. And the research says that smokers really say that that's an important way," he said.
Mission Bay Café owner Mark Goldstine says the smokefree move is fantastic and he put the possibility of making Mission Bay smokefree to the business association last year.
But he admits not all the operators will be happy with the ban.
"For myself, having a cafe with more dining than drinkers then, I think it'll be a fantastic improvement for us and a good move forward," he said.
"There's still places if diners wish to get up and go and have a cigarette. They may have to go over the road or out to the car park, sadly, if they need a break, but I think overall it will really enhance a dining experience for a majority of people who come here."
Both the cafe owner and Cancer Society head say the ban will create a better environment for hospitality workers.
John Loof said the dangers of secondhand smoke are well known and there are many cases of cancer each year that are attributable to this.
Mr Goldstine said: "We have staff who are smokers. But I think for our staff, for the working environment, it will be better for us. It must effect them in some way working around that."
SHARE ME