Krista
If this new by-law is going to work, the city will need to enforce it,as currently the "no smoking" policy on OC Transpo property is NOT working. They need to monitor the stations. People are still smoking there.
I hope it goes through, but make sure it works!!

Troy - Ottawa
Living longer, smelling better, whiter teeth, having more money... well okay having more money is what does it for most quitters I know. Why not give them a stronger intensive to take the plunge? $10 may work for some, you never know. It is actually hard and costly to get most quitting aids.

Pam
I am interested in knowing why the Ontario government doesn't have a program like BC. My son has quit smoking now for about three months. His patches are supplied by the health department and he dosen't have to pay a cent. When I checked it out here, there is no such program. Apparently they did a study and it has now ended. Also as for Ottawa having a low population of smokers, I believe there is no real way to know, as many, many people have moved to Native brand. They are way cheaper and if you are First Nations they are not contraband and they are produced on First Nations property. I actually have not heard any Tv news reports about the native factories that produce cigerettes and sell them all over the world, including in Ottawa stores. They are also sold all up and down the reserve highways, on highway 7 and 2. If they are contraband, why aren't the police closing them up. Anyway I believe if the government really wants to stop people smoking then change the law. Right now its all one sided and rights are being stepped on with a product that is legal and sold all over. Big brother needs to stay out of it.

Terry Wasik
smokers stink !!
isn't it interesting that companies put up signs
"stating no strong uses of perfumes and such" but people that stink of smoke coming in from outside standing beside doorways littering the area is just fine and wonderful !
and if they can afford to buy illegal cigarettes and smoke,then they can pay for their hospital and doctor bills as well !!
cough cough ,hacking from Cornwall,ontario Canada

Herry69
if the doctors in this city had any brains, we'd actually might get somewhere. instead, let's just flog this dead horse because we're too lazy to do anything else. the focus should be on obesity. NOT anti-smoking. smoking rates are on the decline, big time. the problem is obesity. now we have a new problem; ignorant doctors. i hate ottawa !

Iro Cyr - Montreal
Either CTV got it wrong or they changed their plan because the original plan was to try to get all smokers to quit (whether they wanted to or not) not only those that have been hospitalized because of their addiction as we can read in the smokingcessationrounds.ca/crus/screng0507.pdf publication.

Oh by the way : ''This publication was made possible by an educational grant from Pfizer Canada Inc.''

Is it any wonder that pharmacotherapy is enthusiastically pushed albeit nicotine replacement therapy has no higher success rate than placebo (as has recently been reported by a Harvard study) and drugs such as varenicline and buproprion have dangerous side effects?

Alex
I can understand if they want to ban smoking from public places that are family oriented, but it seems a little rediculous to ban smoking from bar an pub patios. If the government really cared about how bad smoking is for the health of Canadians they would ban cigarettes out right.

steve_1234 - Gatineau
I think the majority of smokers wished they never started - the financial & health costs; and now smoking is not "cool" anymore. All "quit smoking" treatments should be free for the asking. We need to restore at least this aspect of our health. It's very costly and we all pay for it.

Mick
Smokers have the right to smoke, but before the city increases the ban area, the city should be able to monitor the areas that are already banned. I personally do not like walking into or out of shopping malls ie St Laurent into a cloud of smoke....so much for putting bylaws and not monitoring them!