Windsor Essex County Health Unit
Clear the air we share
On November 21, 2016, the City of
Windsor took a step forward in protecting
the health of residents with the passing of
an enhanced Smoke-free Outdoor Space
Bylaw. The original bylaw, passed in 2006,
was outdated and in many ways was
surpassed by the level of restrictions
provided at the provincial level through the
Smoke-free Ontario Act (SFOA). Through
the passing of this enhanced bylaw, smoking
as well as the use of affiliated products like
electronic cigarettes and hookah/water
pipes, is now prohibited in all City of
Windsor parks, beaches, trails, bus shelters,
boat ramps/marinas, recreation centres,
conservation areas and community gardens.
With this change the City of Windsor is now
the seventh local municipality and one of
128 municipalities province-wide with a
bylaw that extends smoking protections
beyond what is covered under the
Smoke-free Ontario Act.
With 7000 chemicals and over 70
cancer-causing agents in secondhand
smoke, there is no safe level of exposure
whether you are indoors or out. In fact,
depending on factors like weather and air
flow, tobacco smoke can be detected from
up to 30 feet away. Children are at an
increased risk for exposure to these toxins
as they are less likely to leave a smoke-filled
space or complain about irritation to their
breathing or comfort. In addition, by
encouraging healthy behaviours in spaces
where children frequent, the perception
among them that smoking is a part of
everyday culture and acceptable in public
spaces is lessened. Factors like these are
Windsor, Essex, Lakeshore, LaSalle,
Leamington and Tecumseh all have
smoke-free outdoor bylaws in place. To
view them, click here:
part of the reason that youth uptake of
smoking is lower than it has ever been in
our province, but there are benefits for
adults as well. For those who are looking to
quit, smoke-free policies like these can
reduce exposure to smoking behaviour and
help to make their quit attempts successful.
Traditional tobacco uses (e.g.,
cigarettes) have been the focus of
smoke-free policies in the past; however, it
is also important to account for new and
emerging trends in smoking behaviours as
there is currently very little known about
how these products affect the health of their
users. One such trend is smoking or vaping
electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Recently
the sale of these products to minors was
prohibited with the passing of the
Electronic Cigarettes Act, but the
responsibility for regulating their use in
public spaces rests with each municipality.
With the passing of the amended bylaw, the
City of Windsor established itself as a leader
in passing one of the first bylaws restricting
public use of these products in the province.
In order to ensure that these new
regulations are being followed, Tobacco
Enforcement Officers from the
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit will be
on regular patrol of the spaces where
smoking is prohibited.
For more information or to report
someone smoking in a prohibited area, visit
the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
(WECHU) website at www.wechu.org or call
the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention
Department at 519-258-2146 ext. 3100.
For timely updates about health issues in your community follow the WECHU on
Facebook and Twitter @theWECHU
6 The HUB -December 2016/January 2017