Smoke on a BC Ferries vessel, or at a terminal this morning and you will be asked to stop.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 it.

There will be no tickets issued or extra patrols scouring the ships today, or in the immediate future, just attempts at educating the public as the ferry corporation enacts its long-promised smoking ban.

ItB次元官网网址檚 National Non-Smoking Week and all our vessels and terminals are now smoke and vape-free can support your efforts to quit: . ^nb

B次元官网网址� BC Ferries (@BCFerries)

Effective this morning, BC Ferries officially became a smoke-free environment, banning all smoking substances including tobacco and e-cigarettes to all terminals, vessels, and the interior of any vehicles parked on their property.

B次元官网网址淎s enforcement it will be an education process,B次元官网网址� said Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries executive director of public affairs. B次元官网网址淥ur employees would be explaining to a customer that if somebody was smoking that we are now a smoke free environment and we would appreciate if they would extinguish their cigarette.B次元官网网址�

The ban, announced last August, is aimed at reducing the exposure to second-hand smoke for BC Ferries customers.

B次元官网网址淓ighty-five per cent of British Columbians do not smoke and the reason why we are going to a smoke free environment is to reduce the harm from second hand smoke,B次元官网网址� Marshall said.

At least one Vancouver Island resident feels the new regulations are discriminating towards smokers.

B次元官网网址淭o me [the ban] is discrimination to us that smoke,B次元官网网址� said Port Alberni resident Gale St. John. B次元官网网址淲ith [BC Ferries] being the only highway to get off or on the Island, then how can they put this rule in? ItB次元官网网址檚 like them saying you canB次元官网网址檛 get on the ferry because you wear a turban, to me itB次元官网网址檚 the same thing.B次元官网网址�

St. John, who uses the BC Ferries fairly frequently, believes the company should designate an area on the ferry and in their parking lots for smokers to have a cigarette.

B次元官网网址淚f IB次元官网网址檓 sitting in my vehicle and IB次元官网网址檝e got to wait three or four hours and IB次元官网网址檓 not allowed to have a cigarette because IB次元官网网址檓 on your property? If I walk up and around, my luck IB次元官网网址檓 going to be the next vehicle on the ferry and IB次元官网网址檓 going to be here having a cigarette,B次元官网网址� she said.

The smoking ban is the second big change announced last year. The company also announced a restriction on people staying in their vehicles during a sailing, if parked on one of the lower vehicle decks.

B次元官网网址淎gain its an education process so our staff would inform [passengers] that it is a Transport Canada regulation and no passengers are permitted to remain on the car deck during the voyage on a closed deck,B次元官网网址� Marshall said. B次元官网网址淚f [passengers] prefer to stay in their car, when they are at the ticket booth ask the ticket agent if they can be placed on the upper car deck and our staff will do everything that they can to try to accommodate that request.B次元官网网址�