Smoking

Tobacco reforms

Numerous tobacco reforms have been implemented over the past four years. These reforms have led to sustained declines in both adult and youth smoking rates in Victoria.

80 per cent of current smokers began smoking as adolescents. Evidence shows that the earlier a person starts smoking, the more likely they are to become heavy smokers and experience difficulty quitting.

For these reasons, reducing the uptake of smoking by young people and preventing their exposure to the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke are key platforms of the Victorian Government’s program to reduce the overall toll of tobacco use in Victoria.

Reforms include:

• smoking bans in a motor vehicle if a person under the age of 18 years is present
• extending smoke-free environments to include smoke free underage music and dance events
• advertising restrictions
• tough fines for the sale of cigarettes to minors.
• a ban on the sale of tobacco products from temporary outlets, and
• a ban on the display of tobacco products at the point of sale with the exemption for certified 'specialist tobacconists.'

In Australia, tobacco smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease.

Smoke-free places

In Victoria you can't smoke in:

• most enclosed workplaces. This includes restaurants, cafes and shopping centres.
• covered train platforms, bus and tram stops
• underage ‘music/dance’ events
• enclosed licensed premises including hotels, bars, clubs, pubs and gaming rooms, and
• some outdoor dining or drinking areas.

Smoking is also prohibited in an outdoor dining or drinking area (for example, a balcony or courtyard) if the area has a roof in place and the total actual area of the wall surfaces exceeds 75 per cent of the total notional wall area.

Sale of tobacco

Shops that sell tobacco have obligations under law in regard to the display and sale of tobacco products. These include requirements for health warnings and location of vending machines.

It is against the law to sell tobacco to anyone under 18.

Cigarette Litter Law

It is an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1970 to litter cigarette butts. The penalty is an on the spot fine of $119 for extinguished butts and $239 for lit butts.

There are provisions in the Moreland City Council General Local Law 2007 requiring litter bins outside premises that generate quantities of litter butts.

Report to Council

If you observe incorrect practices or wish to make a report contact Council with the details of the problems you saw. Council investigates all complaints and all complaints are confidential.

Links

• Ministerial power to ban certain products
• Ban on the sale of tobacco from temporary outlets
• Ban on smoking in motor vehicles
• Information for underage dance or music events
• Information for premises with tobacco vending machines
• Tobacco retailers guide PDF
• Online Law Handbook
• Penalties and Infringements