Call to make public spaces smoke and vape free

A Guernsey businesswoman is calling for vaping and smoking to be banned in all public places.

Currently vaping within indoor public places is not illegal, unlike smoking, and is at the landlord's discretion whether it is permitted.

Natalia Silvester is CEO of the Sylvester Group, which runs Crêpe Maison and Renoir Tea Garden, and has signed both venues up for a vape and smoke-free initiative.

Alex Hawkins-Drew, associate director of Public Health: said "The new Combined Substance Use Strategy, due to commence in 2027, includes an action to consider the introduction of a ban on vaping in indoor public places."

Silvester said: "If I would give my six-year-old son a pack of cigarettes, you would call me an abusive parent. So why are we allowing smoking and vaping, knowing that it's harmful to the environment people around us?"

"It should be put in legislation that all public spaces are smoke and vape free", she added.

Her comments follow calls for restrictions on vaping in and around venues from islanders and groups.

Doctors have said vaping could lead to health harms in children and young people and should be made "less attractive" to them, though data does suggest tobacco is far worse for health and e-cigarettes can help smokers quit.

The voluntary smoke and vape free initiative that Silvester's venues participate in was created by the Health Improvement Commission, with a total of 11 participating venues listed on the scheme's website.

The initiative focuses on recruiting venues that will commit to making their outdoor dining spaces smoke and vape free, in order to create a "welcoming space for families and help protect children and young people by reducing the visibility of smoking and vaping".

Smoking in most indoor places such as restaurants and bars was made illegal in 2005, although this does not extend to vaping, which is at the discreation of businesses.

Silvester said customers do not often "have an issue" with her staff enforcing the group's smoke and vape-free policy with the main issue being people ignoring the signage in the first place.

She said it "infuriates" her when business owners say they will not make changes due to a perceived risk of losing customers.

Silvester said: "People should not be afraid of making the right decisions even if they feel tricky or risky."

Public Health said the planned consideration to ban vaping in indoor public places "reflects concerns identified during the strategy's evidence review regarding the current legal distinction between smoking and vaping indoors, as vaping is not currently prohibited under Guernsey's legislation".

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