06 Mar, 2012 12:30 AM
The hospitality industry will eventually need to accommodate a ban on smoking in outdoor dining and eating areas, if proposed government legislation is introduced.
Minister for Health and Ageing John Hill said the move comes under an action plan to reduce smoking rates.
“One of the important things is to stop the take up of tobacco by kids and that’s really what it’s about, most people who start smoking start under the age of 18,” Mr Hill said.
“The tobacco industry targets children, that’s what they do, they’re an evil industry and I will do everything I can in public life to control them, I absolutely guarantee you that.”
Mr Hill said it was a concerted effort by the government to not only educate the public on the dangers of smoking but also ensure support systems were in place for smokers to kick the habit.
“The three things that we need to do to stop smoking is to have a very good social marketing campaign which we’re doing, put the price of tobacco up which the federal government has done and the third thing is take the glamour out of tobacco,” Mr Hill said.
Read more in Thursday’s edition of the Whyalla News.