Concerns about Halifax’s draconian smoking ban may have been premature. There are precious few complaints coming into 311 about smokers, and those that have been logged with the city still haven’t resulted in any penalties. The latest figures from HRM show that 31 calls about the smoking bylaw have been made over the three-week period […]
Smoking
Posted inNews + Opinion
“We owe an apology to the public”


“I feel like we have let the public down,” deputy mayor Waye Mason says about the launch of Halifax’s new smoking ban. With hours to go until cannabis is legal across the country, Halifax is admitting that its complicated, city-wide ban on smoking needs some fine-tuning. “I think we owe an apology to the public […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
New smoking bylaws to be enforced starting October 15
You’ve got two more weeks to light up on public property. Come October 15, Halifax will officially start enforcing its new bylaw amendments banning all smoking on public property outside of designated smoking areas. A “couple dozen” smoking areas will initially be in place come October 15, just two days before cannabis is legal. “We […]
Posted inLifestyle
Public takes debate on Halifax’s new cannabis bylaws to social media
Last Tuesday the city passed a set of bylaw amendments that banned all smoking—of “tobacco, cannabis or another substance that is intended to be smoked or inhaled”—on municipal property. Smoking cigarettes and joints on the street, sidewalk or near a park will be punishable by $25 to $2,000 in fines. The municipal bylaws restrict outdoor […]
Posted inLove the Way We Bitch/Love
You wanna bitch about smoke?
I wanna bitch about the people that, for lack of a better explanation – seem to marinate themselves in a bathtub full of colognes and/or perfumes. SERIOUSLY… If you wanna come down so hard on smokers – you should come down just as hard on ANYBODY that wears any sort of scented product. They can […]
Posted inLove the Way We Bitch/Love
All parks?? Really?
It’s pretty awesome that under the guise of protecting the youth more fascist legislature is being passed every few weeks in this crummy province. We can now be harassed for sitting at the commons or the beach well away from any kids for smoking. I’m sure people who use the skatepark in the evening will […]
Posted inLove the Way We Bitch/Love
Turning Blue
Hey smoking A-holes, bus stops are public places too. Every day someone has to walk up behind me and light one up. Within two mouthfuls of your smoke I’m into an asthma induced coughing fit and turning blue. Me turning around and glarring at you (because I can’t talk by this point and tell what […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Smoked out II
To the editor, I wanted to speak up about The Coast’s decision to advertise some tobacco products. I believe, as a free publication surviving on advertising dollars as its revenue stream, The Coast should be able to publish ads from whomever they like. Whatever pays the bills! Why do so many of you think you […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Smoked out I
To the editor, I echo the concerns raised in last week’s letters about tobacco ads in your paper. I meant to write in last summer when the full-page ads started appearing every week. I’ll bet they pay you guys really well. I’m familiar with tobacco companies’ mob-like status in advertising circles from what I learned […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Smoke ad mirrors
To the editor, I was amazed to see a full-page ad for duMaurier cigarettes in the recent edition of The Coast on March 12. There is a big, bold image of duMaurier’s product sitting in a prominent place in a publication geared to a wide audience, including teens. Surely this is in contravention of Canada’s […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Still smoking?
To the editor, I read Geoffrey Allen’s letter about your decision to print an advertisement for cigarettes. The reader expressed outrage at The Coast’s willingness to disregard Canadian law and moral responsibility and print a tobacco advertisement. I was further shocked to see the same full-page advertisement featured again in last week’s paper. As a […]