Nightclubs told to designate smoke-free area

Fiji’s Ministry of Health is granting a self voluntary grace period of six months to all night club and pub owners to designate a smoke-free area within their premises.

The ministry’s spokesman Peni Namotu said this is effective from July 4 to December 28, 2012.

Namotu said the ministry is taking a step further and is considering nightclubs and pubs to have no smoking zones.

He said this is part of their effort in curbing the tobacco epidemic in Fiji and also addresses second hand smoking.

This is part of the ministry’s implementation of the Tobacco Control Decree 2010 where smoking is prohibited in certain public places such as bus stands, hospitals, public vehicles, restaurants, amusement centers and other designated places.

This is in line with the Tobacco Control Decree 2010, Section 5 (20)(1)(2) which states that(1) the Minister may by regulations and subject to any conditions he thinks fit, prescribe any class of buildings or any part thereof to which members of the public have access to be places in which smoking is prohibited, and (2) the Minister may, by order in the Gazette and subject to any conditions he thinks fit, prescribe any specific building or part thereof, to which members of the public have access to be a place in which smoking is prohibited either permanently or for a period he thinks fit.

By Ropate Valemei