Smoke Free Metro Hotels

Cities around the world, from North America to Europe and Asia, are banning smoking in public areas in a positive move to reduce the hazards of second-hand smoke.

When burnt, cigarette smoke releases over 4,000 chemicals, including over 40 known carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds and 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT.

Here is just a small list of the dangerous ingredients in each cigarette:

• Ammonia: Household cleaner.
• Arsenic: Used in rat poisons.
• Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber.
• Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid.
• Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas.
• Cadmium: Used in batteries.
• Cyanide: Lethal poison.
• DDT: A banned insecticide.
• Ethyl Furoate: Causes liver damage in animals.
• Lead: Poisonous in high doses.
• Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens, known carcinogen.
• Methoprene: Insecticide.
• Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs.
• Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India, in 1984.
• Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element.

Due to the health risks, Metro Hotels throughout Australia has a strict non-smoking policy in every hotel, for every hotel room. The majority of guest favour a non-smoking hotel environment.

Cigarette smoke seeps easily into rooms and lobbies when hotels are sold out, and non-smokers often find themselves in a smokey room. Given that some guests may have severe allergies to smoke and the increase in asthma attacks related to second-hand smoke, Metro Hotels felt it was in the best interest for the health of guests and staff that a non-smoking policy be implemented. This also keeps each hotel room smelling fresher, cleaner and also prevents toxic smoke particles from accumulating in the soft furnishings of the rooms.

This is a list of Metro Hotels all around Australia that have a non-smoking policy:

Sydney, New South Wales

• Metro Hotel Sydney Central
• Metro Hotel on Pitt
• Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour
• Metro Apartments on King
• Aspire Hotel Sydney (Ultimo)
• Metro Hotel Miranda
• Metro Inn Ryde

Brisbane, Queensland

• Metro Hotel Tower Mill
• Metro Hotel Ipswich International
• Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone
• Apartments G60 Gladstone

Melbourne, Victoria

• Metro Apartments on Bank Place

Perth, Western Australia

• Metro Hotel Perth

Northern Territory

• Dugong Beach Resort

The Metro smoke-free hotel policy has received praise and positive support from guests and the broader community. The continuing efforts of these properties to comply with the smoke-free policy reinforces Metro Hotels commitment to being an environmentally friendly company. There is a significant room recovery fee for guests who do not comply in order to cover the extensive cost of restoring guest rooms to a smoke-free condition.

Although smoking is not permitted within hotel buildings themselves, guests who smoke are permitted to do so outside in designated areas.

Smoking, Did you know?

Did you know?

·         Cigarette smoke contains up to 4, 000 chemicals.

·         Cigarette butts take, on average, 1.5 years to break down.   

·         Almost 50% of all litter in urban areas is tobacco related products including butts, cellophane wrapping, foil inserts and packaging.

·         An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year.

  

·         About 24 billion cigarettes are sold in Australia each year.  It is estimated that 7 billion of these cigarettes are littered.

·         An estimated 100 000 tonnes of polluted air is exhaled by smokers in NSW each year.

·         In some parts of Australia, if caught littering cigarette buttsyou can receive a fine of up to $2,000 if the matter goes to court.

·         Cigarettes accounted for 17% of the total rubbish items collected on 2004 Clean Up Australia Day.

·         A cigarette butt can smoulder for up to three hours causing a grass fire or even a bushfire.

·         Over 4,500 fires a year are caused by cigarettes and smokers’ materials.

(Source: Clean Up Australia)

Victoria Prepared to Ban Outdoor Smoking

Victoria's health department is said to be pushing for a total smoking ban in outdoor areas throughout the state.

The calls have reportedly been made in a report to Health Minister David Davies.

Several metropolitan councils have already introduced bans at playgrounds and sports centres.

The plan has drawn opposition from business owners and smokers alike, who say it is still legal to light up and every person should have a choice.

The move follows Queensland's state-wide smoking ban in outdoor areas, in July 2006.

Sydney Goes Smoke Free

SYDNEY has emulated universities on the other side of the country by declaring itself smoke-free.

The policy came into effect at the end of January after being approved by the University of Sydney Senate in December.

Human resources director Colin Streeter said the policy matched moves by other universities. “The dangers associated with smoking and passive smoking have long been recognised, and we have an obligation under state legislation to provide a smoke-free environment,” he said.

The universities of Western Australia, Curtin and Edith Cowan instituted similar policies on January 1, and Murdoch has promised to follow suit next year. The University of Adelaide phased in a total smoking ban over the last two years, and Macquarie will this year review plans for a total smoking ban from 2015.

But Sydney has eschewed the total ban approach of the WA universities, designating 19 small external areas for smoking across its seven campuses.

In this respect it has followed the example of James Cook University’s Cairns campus, which banned smoking from all but four external designated areas.

Sydney has established a quit smoking program and offered counselling via its employee assistance program.

The university union was consulted over the new policy, and pre-empted it by banning tobacco sales from its outlets last October. President Sibella Matthews said the union was committed to a “healthy campus environment”.

The new policy also meets union concerns by allowing organisers to apply for temporary smoking areas at enclosed events, such as ticketed performances at the popular Hermann’s and Manning bars.

However with the university and union in dispute over whether the union will continue to run Manning, it’s yet to be seen who will benefit from this concession.

University polls reportedly revealed 83 per cent support for smoking exclusion zones, with 78 per cent or respondents supporting a complete ban on campus.

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Metro Hotels Smoke-free Hotel Policy

Metro Hotels is committed to providing its guests and associates with a 100% smoke-free environment, and is proud to boast one of the most comprehensive smoke-free hotel policies in the industry. Since its introduction in May 2006, the policy has been implemented in all 14 properties throughout Australia under the Metro Hotels, Metro Apartments, Metro Inns, Aspire Hotels brands.

The smoke-free hotel policy has received praise and positive support from guests and the broader community, and Metro Hotels remains committed to achieving a smoke-free environment in all of its properties. The continuing efforts of these properties to comply with the smoke-free policy reinforces Metro Hotels commitment to being an environmentally friendly company.

We look forward to welcoming you — so you can experience the clean and clear difference that Metro Hotels offers.

1. What is Metro Hotels Smoke-free Hotel Environment strategy?

Metro Hotels Smoke-free policy strategy includes all of the company’s accommodation brands throughout Australia. This policy began in May 2006.

This policy includes guest rooms, public spaces and hotel management work areas.

2. Why did Metro Hotels implement a Smoke-free Hotel policy?

The majority of guest requests favour a non-smoking hotel environment. The only way to provide this experience is to not allow smoking within the property. Therefore, we have applied this preference throughout our hotels. We do provide designated smoking areas outside the building to accommodate the needs of guests who smoke.

3. How will smokers be accommodated? Will they be able to smoke on the property?

Although smoking is not permitted within hotel buildings themselves, guests who smoke are permitted to do so outside in designated areas.

4. What measures will Metro Hotels take to enforce the Smoke-free Hotel policy?

All property staff have been trained to respond to potential violations of the policy. For example, housekeepers are trained to observe signs of smoking in the hotel. Guests are reminded at the time of booking and upon arrival at the hotel that smoking is not permitted inside the building. Pre-arrival email notifications also include a reference to the policy. Signage is also placed in the rooms and the information about all properties being non-smoking is highlighted in all online and offline marketing material. There is a significant room recovery fee for guests who do not comply in order to cover the extensive cost of restoring guest rooms to a smoke-free condition.

You can view this Smoke Free policy and all of Metro Hotels Policies

Australia Anti-Smoking Laws to be 'Toughest in the World'

Australia has unveiled what it claims are the toughest anti-smoking measures anywhere in the world.

They would completely ban logos and branding on packets of cigarettes - making Australia the first to do so.

The packets would also be plain olive green, which is the colour that smokers apparently find least attractive.

The tobacco companies say they are selling a legal product, and that the proposals infringe international trademark laws.

The colour, olive green, is the latest weapon in the ongoing battle between the Australian government and big tobacco.

Under aggressive new proposals, billed as the toughest in the world, every packet of cigarettes sold in Australia would be packaged in that colour after research showed that olive green was the most off-putting for smokers.

Logos and any form of distinct branding would be completely banned.

Instead, the brand names would appear in a standard size and font, making them as bland and anonymous as possible.

A greater area of the packaging would also be taken up with grotesque pictures of cancerous tumours and the health effects of tobacco.

Claiming a global first, the Australian government says it wants to remove any remaining glamour from cigarettes, but the big tobacco companies have questioned the legality of the legislation.

Worried about the possible worldwide knock-on effect of Australia introducing such stringent regulations, they've vowed to put up a fight - saying the new measures infringe international trademark and intellectual property laws.