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This page was reviewed or revised on Monday, August 22, 2011 10:15 AM

County of Lambton:

On September 4, 2004, Lambton County became a 100% smoke-free community with Lambton's Smoke-Free By-law. On May 31, 2006, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act took effect making all enclosed workplaces and public places across Ontario smoke-free.

	Smoke-Free Ontario Act

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which came into effect on May 31, 2006:

• Bans smoking in all enclosed public places and workplaces, including restaurants, bars, schools, private clubs, sports arenas, entertainment venues, work vehicles and offices. It also bans smoking on any outdoor patio covered by a roof made of any type of material (wood, canvas, concrete, etc). 
• Toughens laws and fines for tobacco sales to minors. 
• Restricts the display of tobacco products in retail outlets, with a complete ban on displays of tobacco products (May 31, 2008).

For more information on how the Smoke-Free Ontario Act affects you:

Smoke-free cars
Employers and employees 
Multi-unit residences
Child-care services 
Bars and restaurants
Retailers& Manufacturers 
Hospitals 
Home health-care workers 
Schools
Hotels, motels and inns
Enclosed public places

Here is a list of frequently asked questions about selling tobacco products.

For more information about the law or to register a complaint about a business or workplace not in compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, call Lambton's Tobacco Hotline at 519-383-3810 or 1-800-667-1839 ext. 3810 and a Tobacco Enforcement Officer will follow up. Click for more information on Lambton's Tobacco Hotline.

Smoking on School Property

What the law says:

Smoking or holding lit tobacco is not allowed by anyone, anywhere on school property (school buildings, parking lot, soccer field, driveway, courtyard, cars in parking lot) at anytime - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Fines and Penalties If you are 16 years of age or older and break the law, you can be fined. If you are 12-15 years old you can be served a summons to attend court with your parents/guardian.  The minimum fine is $305 for smoking on school property. Repeat offences result in a higher fine.  The minimum fine for selling, supplying or sharing cigarettes to anyone under 19 is $365.  All schools must post "No Smoking" signs at each entrance.  The fine for failing to post these signs is $240. Click on the following link to access the Ministry of Health Promotion fact sheet Smoke-Free Ontario Act - How the Act Affects Schools. As part of the NOT TO KIDS! partnership, the County of Lambton Community Health Services Department is helping to stop the flow of tobacco to youth by reminding both retailers and the community that it is against the law to sell or supply tobacco to anyone under 19. NOT TO KIDS! is also involved in preventive work addressing chew/snuff tobacco and youth. For more information on tobacco and the law, check out www.nottokids.ca.