New Zealand: Auckland''s Outdoor Spaces to be Smoke Free

The Auckland Council has approved a new policy that will make public outdoor spaces smoke free across the city.

The policy will be introduced in stages.

The first stage will happen this month, with smoking banned at outdoor facilities like stadiums, playgrounds, parks and reserves; public outdoor areas associated with the council such as libraries and museums, and transport areas like bus stations.

The second stage will come into place in May 2015, with shared spaces and all plazas and civic squares becoming smoke free.

The final stage will occur in 2018, with smoking out of the question at al fresco dining areas, beaches, urban areas and common areas of council housing. Enditem