Tower Hamlets prepares to go smoke-free

11.31.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 15th Jun 2007

Cllr Stephanie Eaton with Alwen Williams, Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust

Health professionals and Councillors this week launched Tower Hamlets' "Fresh-start" campaign to support smokers who would like to quit. The campaign is timed to co-incide with the workplace smoking ban which comes into effect on July 1.

Stephanie enjoys the smoke free environment of a pub in Wales

From July, new laws come into force making it illegal to smoke in public places and workplaces across England. Public transport and work vehicles will be covered by the legislation, as will public places that are more than 50 per cent enclosed. 'No smoking' signs will make it clear where people can't smoke.

The new legislation is designed to protect people from the significant health hazard of secondhand smoke. Local councils such as Tower Hamlets will be responsible for enforcing the new law. The council is working to ensure that local businesses and residents are ready for the changes and have access to the information and resources they need to prepare for a fresh start.

Speaking at the launch, Tower Hamlets Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Stephanie Eaton (who Chairs the Health Scrutiny Committee) welcomed the new legislation saying "Too many people in Tower Hamlets suffer the hazard of smoke in their place of work. The new legislation will make their workplace safer, and will improve the environment of restaurants and other public spaces for everyone. Having recently been in Scotland and Wales and seen the changes working well there, I am delighted that, at last, England is going smoke free and that we are also supporting people who choose to quit smoking."

More information on the new legislation and guidance on how to stop smoking can be found at:

http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/