The anti-smoking legislation came into effect more than 4 years ago. It seems an age since bars and workplaces began to inadvertently treat our clothes (and lungs) better, smoker or non smoker.
The legislation is better for the majority of punters, but what about retail store owners? It is spelled out clearly;“Under the law, individual owners and companies who “fail to take all reasonably practicable steps” to prevent workplace smoking face a fine of up to $4000″.
What I believe makes it a big issue are the staff puffing at the frontage. As you walk around the CBD of any major city in NZ, count the seconds between being greeted by the smoke clouds of this breed exercising their legal right to a drug-fix break.
The sight of staff members puffing away on their death sticks outside the shops entrance is a sure kick in the pants for the owner of these retail businesses. If ever there was an excuse to create a cigar room next to your lunchroom, it would be this. But that wouldn’t happen we know. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Even owning a shop next to a bar would be pretty frustrating.
Walking through a cloud of smoke before entering a shop, let alone passing by, is no thing to expect of a customer (prospective or otherwise). What a terrible welcome.
Finally, here are some pretty interesting statistics about smoking!
