Lumby politicians continue their crackdown on those lighting up.
Council is on the verge of adopting a bylaw that will force anyone smoking to be 7.5 metres away from a designated area such as a bus stop or park. This is a dramatic change from the current three metres and the provincial policy of six metres.
And to tighten things up even further, the bylaw goes beyond traditional tobacco and includes vaping products.
Now obviously there will be some people who will find council’s actions upsetting and an infringement on their rights. However, anyone who lights up must understand that there are significant health risks connected to second-hand smoke and non-smokers must be provided with a safe environment.
The other thing to understand is that Lumby council isn’t just making arbitrary decisions.
A study of Charles Bloom Secondary School students was conducted about smoking and vaping and 73 per cent of respondents called for a smoke-free Lumby.
A common perception among many adults is that young people are apathetic and not willing to take a stand, but here are a group of students speaking out not for themselves, but for the health of the community.
In the end, Lumby council has done its homework and has a strong sense of overall sentiment about public smoking. It’s time for the rules to be accepted and enforced.