No Smoking Law
Every time the airplane touches down in the tarmac of Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City, a flight stewardess would be quick to remind all the passengers that Davao City is a no-smoking place. Of course at first, it is hard to follow such rule. However, when the same has become successful, a lot of places in the country are seen following it.
Our country has actually enacted a law which is Republic Act Number 9211 or otherwise known as "The Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. This law has actually banned smoking in the public places.
Accordingly, public places refer to enclosed or confined areas of all hospitals, medical clinics, schools, public transportation terminals and offices, and buildings such as private and public offices, recreational places, shopping malls, movie houses, hotels, restaurants, and the like.
As provided in R.A. No. 9211, smoking shall be ABSOLUTELY prohibited in the following public places:
1. Centers of youth
activity such as playschools, preparatory schools, elementary schools,
high schools, colleges and universities, youth hostels and recreational
facilities for persons under eighteen (18) years old;
2. Elevators and stairwells;
3. Locations in
which fire hazards are present, including gas stations and storage areas
for flammable liquids, gas, explosives or combustible materials;
4. Within the
buildings and premises of public and private hospitals, medical, dental,
and optical clinics, health centers, nursing homes, dispensaries and
laboratories;
5. Public
conveyances and public facilities including airport and ship terminals
and train and bus stations, restaurants and conference halls, except for
separate smoking areas; and
6. Food preparation areas.
As mentioned above, it is also prohibited absolutely to smoke in public conveyances. Public
Conveyances refer to modes of transportation servicing the general
population, such as, but not limited to, elevators, airplanes, buses,
taxicabs, ships, jeepneys, light rail transits, tricycles, and similar
vehicles.
In all enclosed places that are open to the general public, private workplaces and other places not discussed above, where smoking may expose a person other than the smoker to tobacco smoke, the owner, proprietor, operator, possessor, manager or administrator of such places shall establish smoking and non-smoking areas. Such areas may include a designated smoking area within the building, which may be in an open space or separate area with proper ventilation, but shall not be located within the same room that has been designated as a non-smoking area.
All designated smoking areas shall have at least one (1) legible and visible sign posted, namely “SMOKING AREA” for the information and guidance of all concerned. In addition, the sign or notice posted shall include a warning about the health effects of direct or secondhand exposure to tobacco smoke. Non-Smoking areas shall likewise have at least one (1) legible and visible sign, namely: “NON-SMOKING AREA” or “NO SMOKING.”
Under this Act, it shall be unlawful:
a. For any retailer of tobacco products to sell or distribute tobacco products to any minor;
b. For any person to purchase cigarettes or tobacco products from a minor;
c. For a minor to sell or buy cigarettes or any tobacco product; and
d. For a minor to smoke cigarettes or any other tobacco products.
It shall not be a defense for the person selling or distributing that he/she did not know or was not aware of the real age of the minor. Neither shall it be a defense that he/she did not know nor had any reason to believe that the cigarette or any other tobacco product was for the consumption of the minor to whom it was sold.
Also, the sale or distribution of tobacco products is prohibited within one hundred (100) meters from any point of the perimeter of a school, public playground or other facility frequented particularly by minors.
Comments
Post a Comment