The draft Smoke-free Melbourne policy will be presented to the Future Melbourne Committee seeking endorsement on Tuesday 6 July 2021.

The draft policy outlines the following vision: “A smoke-free city where our community is protected from the harms of smoking”. The draft policy present a model for change that identifies four key domains:

1. Protect our community from second-hand smoke and aerosol, and discourage and de-normalise smoking by creating more smoke-free areas and events.
2. Educate and raise awareness of the harms of smoking, promote behaviour change and the benefits of quitting.
3. Communicate, promote and increase awareness of our policy with a focus on people who smoke, those from diverse backgrounds or with additional needs
4. Regulate smoking activities including the advertising and sale of tobacco and e-cigarette products

The draft policy was informed by extensive community engagement which took place from 25 November 2020 to 12 April 2021. A total of 1222 participants took part in the community engagement activities. Key findings included:

• Of all those who participated, 77 per cent were in support of the policy vision, 5 per cent neutral, 16 per cent were not supportive and 2 per cent did not answer.
• A total of 69 businesses responded to the community engagement activities. Fifty eight per cent of businesses were in support of the policy vision, 6 per cent neutral and 32 per cent opposed.
• A total of 158 participants identified as smokers, vapers or both. Twenty nine per cent of smokers, 25 per cent of vapers and 20 per cent of both smokers and vapers were in support of the policy vision.

You can have your say at the Future Melbourne Committee meeting by making a submission, requesting to be heard, or asking a question. Further information can be found on the Getting involved in meetings page.

Tuesday’s meeting will commence online at 5.30pm. You can access the agenda papers and watch a livestream of the 6 July meeting.