'Smoke-Free City' - Blacktown City Council - Wouldn't this be good if Blacktown City Council could lead the way in banning smoking in Streets, Malls, outside of all pubic buildings, footpaths, walkways and any other public areas. The direct benefits is less air and ground pollution, a cleaner community environment.
This could possibly happen if it is an unanimous decision to do so by all Councillors to approves it. I do think they need to conduct surveys or open public meetings before this happens and in doing so bring local private medical experts, representatives from Blacktown an Mount Druitt hospitals.
Mount Druitt could be the starting point for this to happen, backed up by non-smokers, local businesses that want fresh clean unpolluted air to serve customers. With close to 100,000 population in Mount Druitt. I say in my calculation there would be 40-55% of people that actually smoke, 15-20% have given up smoking due to personal reasons being of health and or financial and I would if these laws were enacted within all public public local areas. I assume that if this goes ahead there would be approximately 15-20 of smokers that actually might give up smoking. For 15-20,000 to do this, this would so incredible, more lives could live a more enjoyable life.
For passive smokers who 'cop' the sudden blown puff of smoke, that will disappear in public. And for the community, the benefits would not just be visual, it would physically as people become healthier.
Dawson Mall Mount Druitt and Town Square would be a great place to start. There are always cigarette butts on the ground everywhere here in the afternoon, so by placing a smoking ban and having Council Rangers impose fines, will send a strong message to the community. That is how important health is. Next could be the Council events at Rooty Hill.
At the same time we still need to make Council's Environmental Health Officers work closely with NSW Health to get this great improvement for the community where thousands of people will benefit from it.
I understand the tobacco companies may not be happy with this as this will reduce their sales and profits and so should this happen. Yet I wonder if the tobacco companies are not happy when someone that has smoked quite a lot, dies of lung cancer!
The case against this, Smokers will state they have a right to smoke anywhere. That is true but it should be kept within their private living areas not in public areas where others are totally affected.
The community could be explained the benefits for Council, rate payers and local businesses, hospitals and local medical practices. Also explained of the Smoke-Free Environment Act 2000
I don't know of any sitting Blacktown City Councillors that are smokers. That in itself is a great representation of the entire communities within Blacktown Local Government Area. I'm pretty sure. So this could be a winner for a majority of people!
Let's spark a positive recreation from stake holders from here!
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Medical Facts on Smoking-World Health Organisation
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