A group of people smoking at the entrance to a business or organisation gives a poor impression to visitors, customers, clients and patients. It also means that those entering your premises have to pass through a toxic cloud of tobacco smoke.

Each business or organisation will need to decide what is suitable for their individual situation; the following actions are suggested as a guide to preventing this problem:

1. When drawing up your policy, include a clause which states 'smoking will not be tolerated at entrances and exits by either staff or visitors'.

2. Make the staff aware that they are responsible for politely asking anyone smoking at entrances and exits to move away.

3. Place no-smoking signs at entrances and exits

4. Employers and businesses should provide facilities for the disposal of cigarettes outside of their premises. But think carefully before providing bins to extinguish cigarettes, at entrances and exits, as this can lead to a group collecting around them to smoke. Where a ban on smoking is in place and does not include grounds, smokers will congregate outside of a building or drop their cigarettes on the ground before entering. Cigarette butts build up and look unsightly, creating a poor impression of the place. To prevent this, ENCAMS (environmental charity) would like to see employers and businesses promote a strong anti-littering message, and provide suitable facilities for the disposal of cigarettes to be used by their employee’s customers and/or patrons.¹⁷ Cigarette bins are unlikely to require planning permission due to their small size, though Listed Building consent may be required. An example would be where a cigarette bin/ash tray is physically attached to a Listed Building (the Listed Building status can also cover boundary walls and buildings within the ‘curtlage’ of the main building, such as an outbuilding.

5. No-smoking monitors can be bought which detect a flame at six metres and play a pre-recorded warning message.

6. Remind smokers to take responsibility for the correct disposal of their litter. The most effective way to tackle problems created by the irresponsible disposal of smoking related litter is to stop people from dropping it in the first place. This can be achieved through a combination of sustained campaigning and enforcement. Smokers should also be offered a suitable alternative to their littering behaviour.