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Previous History of introducing the law

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Purpose of this policy

To ensure there is no smoking on school grounds and near school entrances.

Policy

Schools must erect no-smoking signs and enforce the ban to prohibit smoking on school grounds and within four metres of school entrances.

Applying the ban

From 13 April 2015, smoking is banned within four metres of an entrance to all primary and secondary schools in Victoria, and within the school grounds, under an amendment to the Tobacco Act 1987. A similar ban applying to the entrances and grounds of Victorian childcare centres and kindergartens is also in place.

While smoking was banned on the grounds of all Victorian Government schools by the Minister for Education in 2009 via a Ministerial Ban Order, the new bans are enshrined in legislation and also apply to Catholic and independent schools in Victoria.

It is a legislative requirement that each school installs suitable 'No smoking' signs at all entrances to the school grounds.

Signs and other communication materials, such as posters and brochures, are available to order free-of-charge from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), see: Tobacco Reforms

Please contact the Tobacco Control Section in the DHHS for any questions regarding the new smoking bans, via phone (03) 9096 0469, or via email tobacco.policy@health.vic.gov.au.

The smoking ban applies to:

anyone present on school premises during and after school hours including students, teachers, contractors, parents/guardians or the wider community, such as sporting groups.

all activities that take place on school premises including pre-schools, kindergartens, outside school hours care, cultural, sporting or recreational activities and school fetes.

Electronic cigarettes

E-cigarettes are electronic devices which heat and vaporise liquids that may or may not contain nicotine and/or flavouring agents. The vapour is inhaled, simulating the act of smoking.

It is illegal to obtain, possess or use e-cigarettes, or their cartridges, which contain nicotine in Victoria. On this basis students, teachers and employees of the Department are banned from possessing or using e-cigarettes, or their cartridges, containing nicotine on school grounds.

It is not illegal in Victoria to obtain, possess or use e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine. However, individual schools may choose to ban all e-cigarettes, including those that do not contain nicotine, on the basis of student health and safety and that it may be difficult to determine if nicotine is being used.

Actions required

This table describes the actions required to promote and implement the smoking ban.

Principals/schools

Should:

install No Smoking signs at each entrance of the school premises.

develop and implement a smoke-free school policy.

communicate the ban to:
- Department employees
- parents/guardians via the school newsletter
- new students and parents/guardians during the enrolment process.

encourage employees to promote the policy to students.

remind the school community that smoking is actively discouraged at all times including at school sanction events held off school premises.

encourage Department employees who require support complying with the ban to use the Employee Assistance Program and contact Converge International (1800-337-068).

if necessary arrange training workshops with Quit Victoria (9635-5529) on how to support staff and young people to quit.

if advice is required about the drug education policy, curriculum learning strategies and the process of responding to a young person who has been smoking at school refer to the Smoke Free Schools resource and/or contact the regional drug education and student wellbeing officer (see: Department resources below).

make tobacco education information available.

Related legislation

Tobacco Act 1987

Education and Training Reform Act 2006

Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007

Department resources

For more information see:

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To ensure there is no smoking on school grounds and near school entrances. Schools must erect no-smoking signs and enforce the ban to prohibit smoking on school grounds and within four metres of school entrances.

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The laws and legisations regarding smoking in public is getting stricter on todays society and our future indiviudals. 

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The laws and legisations regarding smoking in public is getting stricter on todays society and our future indiviudals. 

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Call for smoking ban OUTSIDE pubs: Public Health wants 'exclusion zones' to be implemented around bars, restaurants, parks and schools

The Royal Society for Public Health wants 'exclusion zones' around pubs, in parks and at the entrances to schools

Its proposal comes eight years after smoking was made illegal inside pubs, clubs and other public buildings

The society says reducing the 'convenience' of smoking will prompt more people to give up

Smoking should be banned outside bars and restaurants, leading medical experts say today.

The Royal Society for Public Health wants 'exclusion zones' around pubs, in parks and at the entrances to schools.

Its proposal comes eight years after smoking was made illegal inside pubs, clubs and other public buildings.

The society says reducing the 'convenience' of smoking will prompt more people to give up.

Instead, they should be encouraged to switch to safer sources of nicotine such as e-cigarettes.

Stopping smokers from lighting up in prominent public places will prevent them setting a bad example for children, says a report published by the society.

The organisation, which represents more than 6,000 public health professionals, also calls for doctors to work harder to promote e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, gum and lozenges.

And it calls for e-cigarettes to be renamed 'nicotine sticks' or 'vapourisers' to distance the technology from tobacco.

The RSPH says nicotine by itself is no more harmful than caffeine - a fact its research suggests is misunderstood by 90 per cent of the population. But smoking tobacco, which contains tar and other chemicals, kills 100,000 people a year in the UK.

RSPH chief executive Shirley Cramer said: 'The introduction of a smoking exclusion zone around bars, restaurants and schools will further reduce the convenience of smoking, and we believe has the potential to move smokers to safer forms of nicotine, which could ultimately save many lives in the process.'

More than 400,000 smokers quit in the 12 months after the indoor ban was introduced, the report says.

Its authors write: 'By reducing the prominence of smoking in public locations, particularly those visited by children, we can ensure that smoking is no longer seen as a normal or safe activity.'

But Simon Clark, director of smokers' lobby group Forest, said: 'Banning smoking outside pubs and bars would discriminate against adults who enjoy smoking.

Renaming e-cigarettes is a silly idea. It ignores the fact e-cigs are popular because they mimic the act of smoking.'

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The Royal Society for Public Health wants 'exclusion zones' around pubs, in parks and at the entrances to schools Its proposal comes eight years after smoking was made illegal inside pubs, clubs and other public buildings The society says reducing the 'convenience' of smoking will prompt more people to give up Smoking should be banned outside bars and restaurants, leading medical experts say today.

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Should smoking be banned around schools,playgrounds and hospitals?

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Should smoking be banned around schools,playgrounds and hospitals?

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Most recently there has been a ban on smoking within school premises.

A landmark bill on public health that would introduce a ban on smoking in playgrounds, on hospital grounds and on school grounds is set to be introduced today.- 7th November

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School playground smoking ban in public health plan

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School playground smoking ban in public health plan

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Plans to ban smoking in school and hospital grounds and playgrounds in Wales have been launched.

But this second attempt to bring in the Public Health Bill does not include a controversial ban on e-cigarettes in some enclosed places.

The Welsh Government plans, first outlined in 2014, still include tattooing and piercing regulation.

Public bodies will also have to assess the effects on physical and mental health of any decisions they make.

If there was a plan to build a new road or open a fast-food restaurant near a school then councils, for example, would need to consider the health impact.

The first attempt at passing the legislation was defeated in March and First Minister Carwyn Jones said there was "no point trying to bang our heads against a brick wall when it comes to e-cigs".

Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans, who launched the proposals at a children's playground in Cardiff, said many of the measures included in the original bill had cross-party support and there had been "widespread disappointment" when it failed.

"At the heart of the bill is the aim of promoting the health of children and young people," she said.

"Proposals such as the ban on smoking in school grounds and playgrounds is intended to prevent children from being exposed to smoking behaviours, making it less likely that they'll take up smoking themselves."

She said, overall, the health of people in Wales was improving but there were challenges and she wanted to see the pace of improvement increased.

There is hope the bill will be passed by May next year.
Analysis from Owain Clarke, BBC Wales health correspondent
The Welsh Government sees this as an important piece of legislation to improve public health, especially for children.

The Bill should get a smoother ride because the elements which divided opinion, like e-cigarettes are not there. Originally, this Bill also included a minimum price for alcohol, but this was set aside because it was thought it would be challenged in the courts. So that is being pursued in a different way.

I think it is fair to say Dai Lloyd, the chairman of the assembly health committee and some of the professional bodies like the Royal College of Nursing might be a little frustrated that this might be a missed opportunity to be more novel and forward looking.

But the aim of the Welsh Government is to get those elements which have been agreed onto the statute book and it expects that to happen by next Summer. But this is the assembly and the whole process of scrutiny starts again.
TIMELINE:
2 April 2014: Then Health Minister Mark Drakeford publishes a public health White Paper including proposals for a ban on e-cigarettes in enclosed public places, a minimum prices for alcohol and a national register of tattooists.

June 2015: Details of the Public Health Bill are revealed - including a ban on e-cigarettes in some places, although plans for a minimum price for alcohol are put on hold.

August 2015: There is pressure from opposition parties not to restrict the use of e-cigarettes after research for Public Health England suggests they are much less harmful than tobacco.

November 2015: The assembly's health committee is divided on whether to support the Welsh Government's proposed ban on the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places, as it analyses the Public Health (Wales) Bill.

December 2015: Mr Drakeford agrees to water-down plans for a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

March 2016: Plaid Cymru refuses to support the bill after a row over the then Labour minister Leighton Andrews quipping that the party had been a "cheap date" in a previous deal. A frustrated BMA and RCN were critical of parties playing "political games" with the nation's health.

May 2016: Mr Jones said the planned ban on e-cigarettes in some public places would be dropped from the next Public Health Bill.

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Plans to ban smoking in school and hospital grounds and playgrounds in Wales have been launched. But this second attempt to bring in the Public Health Bill does not include a controversial ban on e-cigarettes in some enclosed places. The Welsh Government plans, first outlined in 2014, still include tattooing and piercing regulation.