Wellington City Council has banned smoking and vaping on land owned by the council outside of reception areas in support of New Zealand becoming smoke-free by 2025.
Starting in March 2023, smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes will be prohibited in all outdoor dining areas located on Parliament-owned land. This includes the newly added "parklets" on Dixon Street, which allow restaurants to extend their dining area using Parliament-owned land.
The ban will be added to the list of smoke-free areas in the city, which includes beaches, amusement parks, bus stops, and sports fields.
The ban will not apply to private land, such as balconies, backyard dining areas, rooftops, or outdoor dining areas that are not on parliamentary property.
Helen Jones, manager of the public health committee of the city council, stated that this change reflects Wellington's contribution to national sports.
Our approach has always been to actively encourage smoke-free and e-cigarette-free zones rather than punishing those who smoke or use e-cigarettes. We will continue to take an educational approach and promote the benefits of smoke-free and e-cigarette-free environments for health, society, and the environment.
The change was originally scheduled to take effect in July 2022, but due to ongoing recovery from the aftermath of Covid-19, the committee has decided to postpone the implementation of this change to March 1, 2023.
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