Jamaica to ban smoking in public from 15 July

Jamaica is set to become the latest country to impose a public smoking ban.

Health Minister Fenton Ferguson announced on Tuesday that smoking will be prohibited in public places beginning 15 July.

Ferguson says businesses will have six months to post “No Smoking” signs, and all tobacco products will have to include new warnings about the health effects of lighting up.

Hefty fines

Smokers may be fined $50,000 or three months imprisonment on conviction for a first offence under Section 18 of the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations (2013).

A second offence will attract a fine of $500,000 or six months imprisonment, while a third offence will result in automatic sentencing. Both fines and sentences may be imposed at the discretion of a Resident Magistrate.

Meanwhile, proprietors, managers, and lessees of premises, which are defined as public places under the regulations, are also liable for breaches of the regulations.

Legal Officer in the Ministry of Health, Cheryl Dennis, said: “Owners and lessees and managers of certain premises – where they have acquiesced or have allowed these breaches to happen – will be held liable, and therefore an onus is on owners, managers, proprietors and lessees to ensure that there is no breach.”

Smoking ban not meant to harass

According to the Jamaican Information Service, Ferguson has emphasised that the ban on smoking is not intended to harass smokers but to reduce non-communicable diseases.

“I don’t believe we can try to police this by witch hunting. Over time, as the public information becomes more available, and persons recognise that there is this ban on smoking in public spaces, you will see less and less disregard for citizens by smokers,” he said.

Other Caribbean countries that already have public smoking bans include the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Suriname and Grenada.