Smokers and non-smokers alike breathed a collective sigh of relief when Malta decided to ban smoking indoors.

Though there were some nicotine stalwarts who screamed bloody murder, most smokers were pleased because it gave them an incentive not to smoke as much. Most of those who do smoke would love to give up the habit, or at the very least, not smoke so much. Of course, those who do not smoke welcomed the news even more. The issue of enforcement is still one of contention. The vast majority of smokers do obey the law and do not light up indoors, but there are, of course, still instances where people just flout the law and do as they please.

But the latest move is one to be applauded. Anyone caught smoking in children’s playgrounds will be subjected to a maximum €232 fine – steep enough to be a deterrent. Quite why anyone would smoke around children is a bit beyond comprehension anyway, but this new move will surely stop people from lighting up in such places.

Smoking is harmful, everyone acknowledges the fact. Passive smoking is also very harmful, and recent foreign television adverts are also having an effect because they highlight the fact that most second-hand smoke is not seen by the naked eye. The one particular advert where a cold father tries his best to crane his neck out of the window and blow smoke outside the vehicle, is punctuated by doctored footage to show the ‘unseen’ smoke that envelopes the child inside the car, despite his father’s best attempts to smoke it out of the window.

Apart from the actual harm that cigarette smoke causes children, there is also the very important factor of keeping cigarettes out of their sight. Although education programmes are in place to show children just how dirty, smelly and unhealthy the habit is, little boys and girls hero-worship their mothers and fathers. If they see their parents smoking (or drinking or even doing drugs for that matter), there could always be the danger of them succumbing to the habit themselves.

One can understand that when it comes to law enforcement, it can be a bit difficult to be in a 100 places at once, to make sure that people are not smoking indoors. But a loud and clear message must be sent out with this one. Smoking around children is unacceptable, and there should be zero tolerance in this regard. Wardens and police officers should keep a very sharp eye and parents should shop perpetrators to the authorities when they come across them. Smoker or non-smoker, anyone with any sense will agree.