Children's playground equipment
Passive smoking can have significant health effects on children. The breathing in of tobacco smoke by non-smokers can lead to harmful health effects in the unborn child, and middle ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and other chest conditions in children. It is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In 1999-2001 in Queensland, exposure to passive smoking caused an estimated 21 deaths per year in children aged 0-4 years.
To further protect children from the harmful effects of exposure to passive smoking, the Queensland Government has introduced new smoking bans around children’s playground equipment.
Since 1 January 2005, smoking is illegal within 10 metres of children’s outdoor playground equipment situated at a place that is ordinarily open to the public.
This rule does not apply to smokers driving past a playground, or playground equipment that is in a private backyard.
For details on this new law go to the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
This page last updated:
July 2006
Review date: October 2006
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