Vehicles will be Smoke-free

Published on February 6, 2008 1:43 PM

Alberta province's new smoking ban prevents truck drivers from smoking during work.

Many of them are angry and say the new law is an infringement on their rights.

“I think this is insane,” said one of the truck drivers who frequently rides across Alberta. “I respect people that don't smoke, but that's my home. Sometimes I'm on the road for three weeks, a month and a half”.

According to the legislation, truck drivers cannot smoke even in their cabs.

The law includes not only trucks, but also all government, private industry and company vehicles.

Individuals will pay a penalty ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and companies - $10,000 to $100,000 for breaking the law.

Employees of trucking companies say: “It's often impossible and unsafe for drivers to stop and smoke along highways and most drivers voluntarily lean out when sharing the cab with non-smokers. It's an infringement of our rights. This smoking thing has gotten out of hand. The majority of long-range truckers fight with fatigue that comes from the solitude of long hours spent on the road”.

The Tobacco Reduction Act states that a workplace is any part or an entire building, or other closed area, in which people perform their duties. And this includes vehicles as well.

Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “It's a closed space and this means that people face an increased risk of exposure to secondhand smoke. It's an issue of safety and smoking while driving is an additional risk. Companies should help in making their employees assume the responsibity of the new regulation. There may be some enforcement challenges, but I believe that most people are law abiding”.