Bans reduce passive smoking harm to children

New medical research based on the records of more than 2 million children shows that restrictions on smoking caused “rates of preterm births and hospital treatment for childhood asthma each [to fall] by more than 10 per cent”. Since 2006, all Australian jurisdictions have introduced bans designed to reduce the risk of passive smoking. The Tobacco Amendment Act 2013 (Vic) extended the ban to swimming pools, playgrounds, skate parks and children’s sporting events. The Transport Regulations were also amended to prevent smoking at bus shelters, train stations and platform tram stops.