A quick guide to the smokefree law
The smoking laws were introduced to protect employees
and the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
The key points are:
- It is now against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed
and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces.
- Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person
also need to be smokefree.
- No-smoking signs should be displayed in all smokefree premises
and vehicles.
- Staff smoking rooms and indoor smoking areas are not allowed,
so anyone who wants to smoke has to go outside.
- Managers of smokefree premises and vehicles now have legal
responsibilities to prevent people from smoking.
- If you are uncertain where you can or can't smoke, just look
for the no-smoking signs or ask someone in charge.
Penalties and fines for breaking the smokefree
law
If you don't comply with the smokefree law, you will be committing
a criminal offence. The fixed penalty notices and maximum fine for
each offence are:
- Smoking in smokefree premises or work
vehicles: a fixed penalty notice of £50 (reduced to £30 if
paid in 15 days) imposed on the person smoking. Or a maximum fine
of £200 if prosecuted and convicted by a court.
- Failure to display no-smoking signs: a fixed
penalty notice of £200 (reduced to £150 if paid in 15 days) imposed
on whoever manages or occupies the smokefree premises or vehicle.
Or a maximum fine of £1000 if prosecuted and convicted by a
court.
- Failing to prevent smoking in a smokefree
place: a maximum fine of £2500 imposed on whoever manages
or controls the smokefree premises or vehicle if prosecuted and
convicted by a court. There is no fixed penalty notice for this
offence.
Local councils are responsible for enforcing the new law in
England. A telephone line - 0800 587 1667 - is in operation to
enable members of the public to report possible breaches of the
law.
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