The advocacy group, which is focused on promoting the benefits of smoke-free products and working towards their legalisation in Australia, has lodged a submission in response to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Draft Smoke-Free Outdoor Areas Policy.

The council has reviewed the existing policy to take into account changes in legislation as well as the community's attitude to smoking.

The draft policy also applies to electronic cigarettes.

Smoke-free areas under the draft policy include parks, reserves, play spaces, pools, beaches, bushland and walking trails, bus stops, taxi ranks and outdoor dining areas.

Legalise Vaping Australia’s campaign director Brian Marlow said smokers of traditional cigarettes may believe their individual cigarette butts did little harm but cigarette litter represented a significant financial and environmental cost for ratepayers.

“Whether it is on our beaches, waterways, parks or public spaces, cigarette butts are often found carelessly disposed of, requiring council workers to clean up the mess,” he said.

“Smoke-free products, which are currently illegal in Australia, would present a solution to this problem.”

Smoke-free products, such as e-cigarettes and vaping devices, are legal in countries such as Canada, New Zealand, USA and the UK.

“It is absurd that a more harmful and wasteful product such as cigarettes are legal, whilst smoke-free products remain illegal,” Mr Marlow said.

“I commend Port Macquarie-Hastings Council for recognising the financial and environmental burden imposed on their community by cigarettes.

“It should also seriously consider the potential benefits of smoke-free products and we are calling on the council to actively lobby the federal and state governments for the legalisation of these products.”

Legalise Vaping Australia’s submission said smoke-free products often contained refillable cartridges or inserts, meaning there were no butts to throw on the ground or into our waterways.

The council’s Draft Smoke-Free Outdoor Areas Policy attracted 30 submissions.

The submissions are under review with a report to go back to a future council meeting.​

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