From 30 April 2007, smoking in public places in Northern Ireland became prohibited. It is now illegal to smoke in workplaces, most enclosed public spaces, public transport and certain vehicles. The ban will be enforced by local councils. Individuals flouting the law face a fixed penalty of £50 or a maximum fine on conviction of £1,000. Businesses which fail to prevent smoking on their premises could be hit with a £2,500 fine and a failure to display no-smoking signs could lead to a fine of £200.
Environmental health officers will be on the ground all across the country to make sure that the smoking ban is adhered to. Smoking is said to cause over 3,000 deaths in Northern Ireland each year, with an estimate of 278 lives lost through secondhand smoke. Health minister Paul Goggins said, "It is internationally accepted that there can be no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. People do not want to breathe in other people's smoke. That was made very clear to us at the consultation stage of this legislation (the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order SI 2006/2957). By reducing our level of exposure, this legislation will improve health and save lives."
