Toronto medical officer recommends smoking ban on bar, restaurant patios

ABOVE:City Board of Health to consider stricter smoking bans at nextmeeting. Mark Carcasole reports.

TORONTO Torontos Medical Officer is recommending the citys bar and restaurant patios join the list of outdoor places that are smoke-free.

The recommendations come following an October 2012 request from the Board of Health (BOH), asking the medical officer to consult with key stakeholders on additional measures to reduce second-hand smoke exposure in outdoor public places.

Toronto Public Health said they spoke with bar and restaurant owners, property managers, the hospital sector, sports groups, health and community-based organizations, universities, colleges and students, members of the public and relevant city divisions. The goal was to improve protection from second-hand smoke and to decrease the visibility of smoking in public places.

The report recommends the following outdoor spaces be smoke-free as a result:

-public building entrances and exits

-sports fields

-specific amenities in parks

-swimming beaches

-public squares

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Toronto medical officer recommends smoking ban on bar, restaurant patios