Assembly Members set to vote on health bill
The Public Health Bill which will extend smoke free areas and introduce a licensing scheme for tattooing is expected to be passed into law by the National Assembly today.
The bill includes new legislation to ban smoking on hospital grounds, school grounds and in public playgrounds. It also prohibits tobacco and nicotine products from being handed over to under 18s by home delivery or collection services.
The bill also includes:
Creating a mandatory licensing scheme for 'special procedures'; including acupuncture, body piercing, tattooing, and prohibiting the intimate of piercing of anybody under the age of 18.
Placing a duty on local authorities to prepare and publish a local toilets strategy, including an assessment of the need for toilets for public use and details of how that need will be met.
Requiring public bodies in Wales to assess how their decisions will affect people's physical and mental health.
Making the planning of pharmacy services more responsive to the needs of their local community.
Placing a duty on the Welsh Government to produce a national strategy on preventing and reducing obesity.
Smokers group Forest has criticised aspects of the bill, insisting that smoking restrictions will not improve public health.