COTPA Rules 2008

The Control of Tobacco Products Act, commonly known as COTPA, came into effect in 2004. The Act covers prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production supply and distribution of tobacco products.

The Act - short title is called; Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules - 2008 closes loopholes which allowed smoking in some public places. The rules , which officially become law on October 2nd, do not allow smoking in any public places where non-smokers may be present.

Public places include; workplaces, shopping malls, airports, bus and train stations, hotels, cinema halls, shops and restaurants.

Currently, hotels with 30 or more rooms or restaurants with 30 or more tables can have a smoking area. The latest rules differ in the sense that smoking areas in these places now have to be physically separated with full height walls, automatically closing doors, and separate negative air pressure to not allow smoke to drift outwards. This space will also only be allowed for the purposes of smoking and no other services will be allowed.

Furthermore, no ashtrays, lighters or other objects to facilitate smoking shall be provided in the smoke free places outside of the regulation smoking areas.

Signage specifications as per the revised COTPA regulations can be sourced from the secondhandsmokeskills directory - COTPA signage.