Many municipalities also have trained public-health inspectors to monitor compliance. So far, emphasis seems to be more on education than enforcement. Joanne Godin, tobacco-enforcement officer for the Niagara region, says education means visiting all tobacco retailers in the area to explain the regulations and penalties for violations. Many enforcement officers have started by visiting retail outlets that are near high schools. Godin believes retailers will rapidly stop turning their back on the law once they become aware of the penalties.
High schools have new problems now that school property has been declared a no-smoking zone.
After the act was passed, says Barbara McDonald, principal of Holy Cross High School in St. Catharines, student littering, loitering, trespassing and obstruction of traffic in the neighbourhood reached such proportions that the school was forced to call a meeting for the 200 smokers in the student population of 1500. They were reminded about their responsibility to be good neighbours, and cleanup crews were sent out each week to collect cigarette butts and other litter. The school has offered smoking-cessation courses, but there has been little response. Ontario hospitals are allowed to designate a limited number of smoking areas, but some facilities have decided to become even more smoke free. Smoking will still be permitted in the grounds, except within 9 m of an entrance.