A smoke-free city charter could soon be established for Brighton and Hove.
City councillors will be asked to agree to adopt the pledge at a meeting on Wednesday.
Under its terms, the council will have to produce an annual action plan setting out how it will work to carry out the charter's objectives.
The plan could cover action such as the introduction of smoke-free areas or commissioning research into the impact of a ban in a certain area.
Smoking is the primary cause of preventable death in Brighton and Hove and the effects of tobacco smoke on non-smokers are a considerable risk to public health.
The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, says that based on the evidence of the damage done by passive smoking, greater infringement of civil liberties occurs when workers are exposed to tobacco smoke than when smoking is restricted in public places.
In a consultation in 2004 carried out by Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust, 78 per cent of respondents supported legislation to make all work and public places smoke-free.
April 11, 2005
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