As of July 6, all commercial outdoor dining areas in New South Wales will be smoke-free.

The Smoke-free Environment Act 2000 will extend to cafés, with NSW Health director of the Centre for Population Health Dr Jo Mitchell saying the ban will help protect the public from the effects of second-hand smoke.

“Creating smoke-free outdoor areas reduces exposure to second-hand smoke and can support those who have quit and are trying to quit. It also makes smoking less visible to children and young people,” she said.

The new law does not prevent the creation of designated outdoor smoking areas in licensed premises.