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Peel delays full hospitality smoking ban to 2010 

Restaurants, bars and bingo halls in Peel Region have until June 1, 2010, to become smoke-free under a new bylaw approved by regional council.

Until that date, such establishments may continue to use designated rooms that are enclosed and separately ventilated for patrons who wish to smoke, and to install them any time up to the day the smoking ban takes effect, council decided in an 11-7 vote Thursday.

Under heavy lobbying from the hospitality industry and bingo hall operators and their affiliated charities, council backed off passing a tougher bylaw proposed by medical health officer Dr. David McKeown.

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