Smokin'

Read it and weep Poor Sunray... what a thing to come home to.

"Big Smoke" goes smoke free: Toronto
stubs out cigarettes in bars

Tue Jun 1,11:34 AM ET


TORONTO (AFP) - Smokers stubbed out their cigarettes for the last time
in pubs across Toronto early, as the air cleared in a city known by locals
as the "Big Smoke."

Canada's largest metropolis barred ash trays
in bars on the same day that Norway became
the second country after Ireland to slap a
complete ban on smoking in public places.

Landlords ordered lights out for smokers at
midnight, in line with a hotly contested law
which bans smoking in all but a few bars and
restaurants equipped with a designated smoking room.

One pub, the Black Dog, encouraged drinkers to throw their fag ends
onto a bonfire outside, in exchange for a bar coupon and a T-shirt.

"People prefer to breathe clean air," said John Filion, chairman of the
Toronto Board of Health.

The by-law, which has sparked debates over the right of local
governments to regulate personal behaviour, has been phased in since
1999. Restaurants have been smoke free since 2001.

Smoking is now also banned in bars, casinos, bingo halls and Toronto's
horse-racing track. Transgressors face a fine of 225 dollars (165 US
dollars) and could pay 5,000 dollars (3,600 US) for repeat offenses.

The move has been unpopular with smokers, and has concerned some
landlords, who fear drinkers may stay home if deprived of their favourite
drag.

Toronto Star columnist Rosie DiManno vented on Saturday against
"Smoking Stalinists."

"I, for one, will not go gently into totalitarianism, will not be cowed by
nico-bullies or bamboozled by health charlatans," she wrote.

"Smoke more, smoke lots, smoke everywhere."

But supporters say the ban will discourge smoking and so save millions
of dollars in health care costs.

Toronto joined a wave of cities and states banning smoking in public
places.

California became the first US state to have tobacco-free restaurants in
1995 and smoke-free bars in 1998. New York followed suit last year.