Smokefree Berwick Borough

The new Health Act 2006 states that smoking will not be allowed by law in all public places, work premises and work vehicles. The new law will be in place from July 2007.

Smokefree Officer, Wendy Pattison is working with employers and groups in Berwick Borough to help - providing advice, information and materials, to becoming completely smoke-free as easy as possible.

If you would like information on smokefree legislation please contact the Smokefree Officer on 01289 330044 or e-mail wp@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk

Help for smokers who want to quit

Around 70% smokers say they want to stop smoking and the new smokefree law could provide extra motivation to do so. If you’d like to help your staff or customers become non-smokers, there is excellent free support available from the NHS. This includes:

Local NHS Stop Smoking Services – call the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 169 0169), visit gosmokefree.co.uk or text ‘GIVE UP’ and your full postcode to 88088 for details of your local service.
NHS Smoking Helpline – individuals can speak to a specialist adviser by calling 08001690169 (lines are open daily from 7am to 11pm)

Gosmokefree.co.uk– an online resource for all the advice, information and support needed to stop and stay stopped.

Together – call the NHS Smoking Helpline (0800 1690169) or visit gosmokefree.co.uk for details of this interactive support programme, which includes emails, text messages, mailing packs and phone calls to help individuals stop smoking.

Employers can speak to their NHS Stop Smoking Service about support for their employees during or outside work hours.

New guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) will advise employers on how to help employees to stop smoking. Visit nice.org.uk for more information.

Change in Tobacoo regulations as of 1st October 2007

Sale of Tobacoo products

Advice for businesses and voluntary/community groups.

Smoke free Legislation was introduced in England at 6am on 1 July 2007. This means that smoking will not be permitted in any enclosed or substantially enclosed workplace or public place or in any work vehicle. All premises that are wholly or substantially enclosed and used as a place of work by more than one person will be covered by the legislation.

These laws are being introduced to protect the general public and all workers from the harmful effects of breathing second hand smoke. The law will help to save lives and prevent diseases caused by passive smoking.

As an employer, you must not allow your staff or visitors to smoke anywhere in your buildings. Employers who allow smoking will be liable to a £2,500 fine. If members of the public or employees smoke in a smoke free building, they could also be liable to a £200 fine following prosecution.

Businesses are encouraged to prepare in advance for the implementation of this law in order that they comply and do not incur unnecessary fines.

This is what you need to do:

• take reasonable steps to ensure that staff, customers, members and visitors are aware that premises and vehicles are legally required to be smokefree
• close any existing indoor smoking rooms
• display 'no-smoking' signs in smokefree premises and vehicles
• ensure that no one smokes in smokefree premises or vehicles.

You may also wish to:

• develop a smokefree policy in consultation with staff
• provide your staff and customers with support to quit smoking.

For more information, to register your business and for free no smoking signs please visit www.smokefreeengland.co.uk