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                    Smoking and vaping

                    A bin with a sign that reads keep Melbourne clean, no smoking or vaping.
                    The City of Melbourne is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our community through reducing the harmful effects of smoking and vaping including second-hand tobacco smoke and e-cigarette aerosol.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Smoking is a major cause of preventable death and a leading cause of avoidable chronic illness and hospitalisation from conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease. There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke including second-hand smoke.

                    E-cigarettes can contain up to 200 toxic chemicals, including those present in paint stripper and weed killer. These substances can cause cancer and impair brain function.

                    Data from the City of Melbourne Social Indicator Survey (CoMSIS) reveals that the percentage of residents in the City of Melbourne who are current smokers has increased from 12.5 per cent to 14.6 per cent between 2020 and 2022. The survey also captured vaping data for the first time in 2022, and found that the percentage of residents who currently vape is 12.5 per cent.

                    Smoking and vaping statuses in the ​City of Melbourne 

                    ​Smoker status
                    ​2020
                    ​2022
                    ​Trend
                    ​Daily smoker
                    7.9%
                    12.0% Vic
                    5.4%

                    ​Decrease
                    ​Occasional smoker
                    ​​4.6%
                    4.4% Vic
                    ​9.0%
                    Increase
                    ​Current smoker (daily + occasional)
                    12.5%
                    16.4% Vic
                    14.6%

                    Increase

                    Ex-smoker

                    23.0%
                    22.8% Vic
                    ​20.9%
                    ​Decrease
                    ​Non-smoker (includes ex-smokers)
                    86.1%
                    82.6% Vic
                    ​84.2%

                    ​Stable​

                    ​Vaper status
                    ​2022
                    ​Daily vaper
                    ​4.0%
                    Occasional vaper​​8.4%
                    ​Current vaper (daily + occasional)
                    ​12.4%
                    ​Ex-vaper
                    ​5.8%
                    ​Non-vaper (includes ex-vapers)
                    ​86.7%

                    Smoke-free Melbourne Policy

                    An illustration of a pair of lungs made of wildlife and plants. In July 2021, the City of Melbourne Future Melbourne Committee endorsed the Smoke-free Melbourne Policy. 

                    Melbourne is now the first city in Australia to have a comprehensive framework to protect the community from the harms of smoking and vaping. 

                    The aim of this policy is to outline our vision to reduce the harmful effects of smoking and vaping in our community and how this will be achieved. This policy will guide the creation of more smoke-free and vape-free areas in the central City of Melbourne, ways to reduce and de-normalise smoking and vaping as well as supporting people to quit.

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                    Smoke-free Melbourne Policy Development | City of Melbourne

                    Further information on the community consultation process and outcomes can be found on Participate Melbourne. ​

                    The development of this policy was supported by the Partnership for Healthy Cities – an initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies.


                    Partnership for Healthy Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Vital Strategies

                    Smoke-free and vape-free areas

                    All levels of government have a responsibility to protect, promote and improve health and wellbeing.

                    The Tobacco Act 1987 (the Tobacco Act) is a key piece of Victorian Government legislation that regulates smoking and vaping in public places, including the sale and display of tobacco and e-cigarette products.

                    In addition to the Victorian tobacco laws, the City of Melbourne has the authority to prohibit the smoking of tobacco in prescribed smoke-free areas under the Activities Local Law 2019 (Local Law).

                    The City of Melbourne have been successfully implementing smoke-free and vape-free areas since 2013. Following the pilot of a small CBD laneway which received strong community support, there are now 13 smoke-free and vape-free areas across the municipality. 

                    According to the Cancer Council, a smoke-free and vape-free environment is the only way to fully protect non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke. 

                    Some people mistakenly think the 'cloud' from vaping is water vapour, like steam. It is really an aerosol - a mix of gases and tiny droplets of chemicals. These sticky chemicals can lodge in the lungs of people when they inhale.

                    The aerosol is made up of many of the chemicals in the e-liquid. These include chemicals with known health risks such as cancer and lung disease. Chemicals from e-cigarette aerosols can move from the lungs into the blood, then all around the body. It only takes 10 seconds for nicotine to move from the lungs to the brain.

                    It is an offence to smoke or use an e-cigarette in a designated smoke-free area. An education first approach is taken, however non-compliance may result in fines or prosecution.

                    Information regarding previous smoke-free and vape-free area consultations and upcoming consultations can be found on Participate Melbourne.

                    Looking for support to quit smoking or vaping?

                    Quitline​ 13 7848 is a welcoming, confidential telephone counselling service. 

                    Quitline counsellors are qualified to listen and talk through ways to quit. They can also support you if you are using e-cigarettes to stop smoking and can help you stop vaping.

                    When you call Quitline, you speak confidentially with a qualified counsellor who can answer your questions without judgement, and support you on how you would like to quit. They’ll be there for you when you need them, at any stage of your quitting journey. Even if it takes a few attempts to stay quit.

                    Resources for creating smoke-free and vape-free areas

                    To create a smoke-free and vape-free area, the City of Melbourne conducts extensive face-to-face and online engagement with businesses, residents and people visiting the areas to shop and dine. Council carefully considers all feedback and submissions before prescribing an area smoke-free and vape-free. Decisions on smoke-free and vape-free area proposals are made at a Future Melbourne Committee meeting. Read more about council and committee meetings and reports.

                    The City of Melbourne has partnered with Quit Victoria to develop resources to support other local governments who are looking to implement smoke-free and vape-free areas. These resources include a guide on how to create a smoke-free and vape free area, and a map of smokefree V​ictoria.

                    To find out more about how City of Melbourne endorses a smoke-free and vape-free area, please read through the guide below. ​​

                    Map of the smoke-free areas

                    Benefits of smoke-free and vape-free areas

                    Smoke-free and vape-free​ areas support the community in the following ways:

                    • Protect community from second-hand smoking.
                    • Reduce uptake of smoking behaviour in children and young people by modelling non-smoking behaviour.
                    • Provide a supportive environment for people who smoke who are trying to quit or have recently quit.
                    • Reduce tobacco related litter.
                    • Improve public amenities.​

                    Where are the smoke-free and vape-free areas?

                    The City of Melbourne has created 13 smoke-free and vape-free areas under the Activities Local Law 2019. These are:

                    • McKillop Street

                    • Market Street Park

                    • Bourke Street (between Elizabeth Street and Russell Place, including Bourke Street Mall)

                    • Fulham Place 

                    • Collins Way 

                    • The Tan running track

                    • Princes Park running track

                    • Goldsbrough Lane 

                    • QV Melbourne 

                    • Howey Place

                    • Equitable Place  

                    • Block Place 

                    • The Causeway

                    View a map of the smoke-free and vape-free areas.

                    Smoking is also banned in a number of areas under the Victorian Tobacco Act 1987, including: 
                    • outdoor areas at hospitality and food venues during the times food is available 

                    • food fairs, organised outdoor events including community or street festivals

                    • entrances to indoor children’s play centres, public hospitals and registered community health centres

                    • entrances to public buildings including courts, police stations, public hospitals and certain Victorian Government buildings

                    • the grounds of, and entrances to, childcare centres, kindergartens, preschools and primary and secondary schools 

                    • outdoor recreational areas, including playground equipment, skate parks and sporting venues during under-age sporting events 

                    • outdoor areas of public swimming pools 

                    • patrolled beaches 

                    • enclosed workplaces 

                    • train stations, tram stop platforms and tram and bus shelters 

                    • under-age music or dance events.

                    For more information about legislation and regulations, visit Department of Health.

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