Smoke-Free Beach Trial In Swansea

Beach goers in Swansea are being given the opportunity to visit a smoke-free beach this summer as part of a drive to create more smoke-free places in the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council is launching a trial on April 27 at Caswell Bay where visitors will be asked to observe a voluntary ban on smoking at the popular beauty spot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The aims of the voluntary ban on smoking at the beach are to help provide cleaner, healthier places for people including children and to reduce pollution on beaches caused by cigarette ends. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has already created more than 70 smoke-free play areas across the city in a bid to protect young children from second-hand smoke. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Children from Bishopston Primary School will be at the launch event and will accompany the city’s Lord Mayor, Cllr John Newbury. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Steele, Swansea Council’s Health Promotion Coordinator, said: “Creating smoke-free places is essential if we are to provide a cleaner healthier environment for residents and visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A ban has already been introduced to prevent people smoking in cars if children are present and we have also created more than 70 smoke-free play areas. The addition of smoke-free beaches will further assist us in highlighting the dangers of smoking and hopefully discourage children taking up the habit in the future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Suzanne Cass, Chief Executive of ASH Wales Cymru, said: “We support Swansea Council in implementing their first smoke-free beach – only the second of its kind in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We know that seeing smoking highly influences young people and it is imperative we do anything we can to stop smoking being seen as ‘normal’ and keep our next generation away from tobacco’s clutches.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Caswell Bay is a picturesque area in Swansea. Chemical-filled cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world with over 4 trillion tonnes being dropped annually. A voluntary ban on smoking here will have a huge impact on preserving this area’s natural beauty by reducing litter which pollutes our beaches and waterways.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Christian Heathcote – Elliott from Public Health Wales, said: “We welcome the launch of Swansea’s first smoke free beach and are encouraged by the increasing number of smoke free spaces in Wales that will help to protect people from the harmful effects of second hand smoke.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​