A smoking ban is expected to be in place in hospital grounds, school grounds, and playgrounds by summer 2019, the Welsh Government has said.
The changes to the smoke-free legislation will be introduced under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, which was passed by Assembly Members last year.
While most hospitals already have no smoking policies in their grounds, it is currently difficult for staff to enforce this.
Welsh Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: “I am proud that Wales continues to be at the forefront of UK action to reduce smoking and prevent young people from taking it up in the first place.
“We have seen significant changes to the attitudes to smoking since 2007. Back then we received some resistance to change, but we have seen a remarkable culture-change and I am pleased our plan to extend smoke-free areas to outdoor public spaces has received overwhelming public support.
“This is another step in the right direction to de-normalise smoking in Wales.”
Smoking is estimated to be the cause of around 5,450 deaths each year in Wales and costs the NHS an estimated £302m annually.
Pro-smoking group Forest said there was no evidence to suggest that children took up smoking if they see strangers doing it in public.
Director Simon Clark said: “Threatening hospital patients, visitors and staff with fines when some of them may be at their most vulnerable is despicable.
“Smoking is a comfort to some and targeting patients for smoking in the open air discriminates against those who are infirm or less mobile.”
A move in the right direction to help improve health and wellbeing ( and a mome which will eventuallyhelp ease theburden on the NHS) – time for the likes of Forest to give in and accept that the public do not want their lives affected by smokers in public places.
why should it-should it not be down to the person that wants to smoke.
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