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Cayman Islands lawmakers have set a new date for the implementation of a smoking ban in bars and restaurants after deciding a 30 October deadline could simply not be met.
The new date, set out in a legal amendment to the Tobacco Law (Commencement) Order, 2009 will be 31 December.
Health Minister Mark Scotland had earlier vowed to have the smoking ban in effect "no later than that date" and said the current government fully intended to implement and enforce the smoking ban.
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Legislators have described as historic, last week's passage of a law that will ban smoking in many public places and place tougher restrictions on the promotion, sale and distribution of tobacco products.
Cigar smokers will still be able to smoke indoors under an exemption for cigar bars. Photo: James Dimond
After receiving unanimous approval in the Legislative Assembly, the bill will now go to Governor Stuart Jack for his assent.
Most parts of the bill are expected to come into force within six months of Mr. Jack signing off on the law, although Mr. Eden said he expects enforcement officers will give the public some leeway as they get used to the new anti-smoking regime.
"It's not about prosecuting people, it's about the health of the nation,
Two health advocacy groups are concerned there will be an increase in the number of venue’s calling themselves cigar bars in the Cayman Islands under a plan to exempt them from a general ban on indoor smoking.
Under a revised version of the Tobacco Bill that was released last week, cigar bars – defined in the law as “a licensed business that caters to patrons who smoke cigars on premises,” – will be exempt from the general ban on smoking inside public places.
“The definition of a cigar bar in the bill appears somewhat vague,” the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Cayman Heart Fund said in a joint statement. “We are concerned that we will see a sudden increase in the number of cigar bars on all three islands,” they said.
If passed unchanged, the Tobacco Bill would impose one of the world's toughest anti-smoking regimes, a Cayman Observer survey has found
If passed unchanged, the Tobacco Bill would impose one of the world's toughest anti-smoking regimes, a Cayman Observer survey has found.
A survey of tobacco laws elsewhere reveals legislative efforts of varying strictness, but none with the combined, comprehensive restrictions of the Cayman Islands bill.
Even though the Tobacco Bill is based on a World Health Organisation template drafted in 2003, only a relative handful of specific places around the world have attempted an outdoor ban similar in scope to Cayman's proposed prohibition in parks and on beaches as well as in enclosed public places.
The Government White Paper on tobacco legislation came under further criticism at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Business owners, legal experts and other interested parties gathered on Wednesday, 28 March at the Marriott Beach Resort to discuss their issues with the proposed bill.
Each of the series of speakers at the meeting spoke of the need to make several changes to the proposed bill and this was met with widespread agreement amongst those present.
Murali Ram, an attorney at Quin & Hampson, was charged with the task of analysing the White Paper and explaining the planned regulations to those gathered.
“In its current form it is riddled with flaws. It needs industry and public input as it doesn’t account for businesses or smokers perspective,” Mr Ram said of the proposed bill.
For his presentation, Mr Ram outlined the key points of the White Paper and tried to clarify some of the more muddled restrictions in the White Paper. . . .
largest tobacco company who offered his support in regulating a product that he himself described as dangerous.
As the largest tobacco company in the world, Philip Morris International distributes their products worldwide
Cayman's long-awaited plan to ban the use of tobacco products in all public places is getting a mixed reception this week from island business owners.
The bill would not allow smoking in restaurants, bars, or cigar bars. Even if those businesses have an outdoor area, people can't light up if they're within 10 feet of an enclosed public space, or if they're within 10 feet of a place like a public park.
Vehicles used for commercial or public transportation are also included in the ban.