ANTI-SMOKING LEGISLATION could be passed in Barbados by the end of May.

Denise Carter-Taylor, Senior Health Promotion Officer of the Ministry of Health said that while officials had been working on legislation dealing with smoking in public places for over a decade, there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Speaking at a media training workshop on tobacco control held by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados at the University of the West Indies yesterday, Carter-Taylor said that the legislation has been drafted and presented to Cabinet.

"We hope that by World No-Tobacco Day at the end of May, it will be passed," said Carter-Taylor.

World No-Tobacco Day is celebrated on May 31.

In a brief telephone interview with the DAILY NATION afterwards, Carter-Taylor confirmed that the legislation had been presented to Cabinet within the last few months and that Ministry of Health officials were aiming at having the legislation ready to be passed by World No-Tobacco Day.

"We're working towards that - I can't guarantee that it will be ready by then. There are a couple of additional steps that we have to go through," said Carter-Taylor.

Several interest groups have been lobbying the Government to have legislation banning smoking in public places. (AL-F)