Chase Village Council is considering becoming a smoke free community.

Interior Health’s Tobacco Reduction Coordinator presented the benefits of making the move at its meeting on Tuesday. Jeff Conners says there are obvious benefits to people’s health. “Smoke free environments are really good. Not smoking in public, beaches, trails that kind of places. Often if you go to music in the park, or in Chase music on the lake, not having someone smoking beside you is nice. So having a bylaw helps people just state that as part of their health infrastructure. It also helps reduce smoking rates.” He adds that vaping and cannabis are a part of these same discussions as well. He says many are worried about the smell that smoking cannabis can create in public spaces.

Conners says the goal eventually is to get the entire province on board, but for now it’s working community by community and he’s seen about 60 per cent of local governments join the movement. He says there are a number of benefits and although enforcement can be a challenge, most people are respectful. “We find it’s all peer enforcement for the most part. If someone is smoking and you can over and say to them ‘Can you please move, your smoking?’ For the most part, 99% of the time people are good at that. The other person has a significant mental health issue going on or they’re angry or something. So that’s been some of the challenges that we’ve faced.”

Conners says there are also a number of spin-off benefits. “And given forest fires, although we’re pretty lucky here in Kamloops this year, other years not so much. Historically over 50% of fires that people have to respond to are people related. So if we can reduce that by cigarette butts and litter, that’s another added bonus.”

Conners says most communities are willing to jump on board, and the one’s that have been more hesitant, typically just have it low on their list of priorities. Chase staff should be able to present a by-law to council before the end of the year.