Commentary on Sections Part 3.Tobacco and Nicotine Products Chapter 1 - Smoking Section 17 - Signs: smoke-free premises
39.This section requires a person who occupies or manages smoke-free premises to display smoke-free signs in accordance with regulations. Requirements for smoke-free signs may include details about how they are to be displayed, specifications regarding the dimensions of the sign, the minimum text size and font, any graphic or symbol that must be included and any mandatory warning message that must be included. The Welsh Ministers may also make regulations that place a corresponding duty on those who occupy or manage additional smoke-free premises (section 13) and smoke-free vehicles (section 15). Regulations may also require signs to be displayed in areas designated as not smoke-free. Regulations made under this section cannot require smoke-free signs to be displayed in premises used as dwellings.
40.Failure to comply with these requirements is an offence. The offence may only be tried in the magistrates’ court and is punishable on conviction by a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. The levels on the standard scale are set out in section 37 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. A fixed penalty notice may be issued by an authorised officer instead of prosecution. Section 27 contains more details on fixed penalty notices.