The GRTU’s Smoking in Public Places Awareness Campaign

The GRTU, Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises is once more creating an Awareness Campaign both with its members as well as the Public in general regarding the prohibition of Smoking in Public Places, and the sanctions which the law provides in the case of breaches by patrons in public establishments, against the patrons themselves as well as the management of such public places.

During a cordial meeting held with High Officials of the Executive Police, GRTU officials moreover discussed the enforcement being carried out by the Police of the ban on Smoking in Public Places. The GRTU emphasized on the importance in the Police observing the discretion granted by Article 17 of the Tobacco (Smoking Control) Act (Chapter 315 of the Laws of Malta), in the event of persons being found smoking in public places, in relation to the operators of public establishments "who exercised  all due diligence to prevent the commission of the crime". Consequently if the operators have taken every possible care in preventing persons from smoking inside their establishments but patrons are still found breaking the law, then the establishment's operators should not be prosecuted.

Following the campaign which the GRTU had embarked upon in 2004 when the Smoking In Public Places Regulations originally came into force, Warning Stickers are once more being distributed to establishments which prominently indicate that the venue a patron has entered into is a public place and that consequently smoking therein is prohibited. These stickers serve a dual purpose: that of informing the general public that it is against the law to smoke in a particular venue, as well as a direct message from an establishment's management that they are adhering to the Smoking In Public Places Regulations and thus enforcing the smoking ban within their premises.

The GRTU invites operators of public establishments to collect their stickers, which are available in two sizes, from its offices in Republic Street Valletta.

Further information may be obtained from Philip Fenech, President Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure Division, GRTU on 99493534.