City of Melbourne has developed a comprehensive policy aimed at reducing the harms of smoking and vaping in the community.
Many programs aimed at harm reduction around smoking and vaping sit at a Federal and State Government level. City of Melbourne recognised that as a local government they could do more to reduce the harms of smoking and vaping in their community and protect future generations.
Since the successful pilot of an open-air smoking ban in The Causeway laneway in 2013, the City of Melbourne has implemented 13 smoke-free areas across the municipality. Smoke-free areas protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and can be helpful for smokers wanting to quit or to reduce their smoking. They also create fewer opportunities to smoke and contribute to the de-normalisation of smoking and vaping.
To further build on their smoke-free areas the City of Melbourne has developed a comprehensive Smoke-free Melbourne policy to protect the community from the harms of smoking and vaping. The policy highlights ambitions and includes the following four domains to guide the council's work: protect, educate, communicate and regulate.
- Domain 1: Protect: We will protect our community from second-hand smoke and aerosol, and discourage and de-normalise smoking by creating more smoke-free areas and events
- Domain 2: Educate: We will educate and raise awareness of the harms of smoking, promote behaviour change and the benefits of quitting.
- Domain 3: Communicate: We will communicate, promote and increase awareness of our policy with a focus on people who smoke, those from diverse backgrounds or with additional needs.
- Domain 4: Regulate: Regulate smoking activities including the advertising and sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products.
City of Melbourne has provided advice and support to other local governments and public health agencies who are looking to undertake similar work in their local area. If you would like to collaborate or want further information and advice on how City of Melbourne has created smoke-free areas and their Smoke-free Melbourne policy, please contact them via email.