Ottawa Public Health has kicked off a campaign to highlight the adverse effects of second hand smoke in public spaces.

The city started the campaign this week in response to concerns raised by residents.

"On a restaurant patio, at the beach or in the park, exposure to second-hand smoke outdoors (SHS) can be as dangerous as it is indoors," says a posting on the public health website.

The City of Ottawa enacted a city-wide smoking ban in 2001, but outdoor areas like patios are not affected.

Public health is encouraging people who find themselves breathing in second hand smoke while outside to immediately leave the area if they can .

"They shouldn't sit there and breathe in the second hand smoke because they are potentially doing damage to themselves," said Krista Oswald, the supervisor of the city's tobacco control program. "We have the research that says, yes, it is affecting people, it can cause adverse health effects."

That research is based on air quality tests done on patios in Vancouver and in the United States, Oswald said.

Health officials say a city-wide poll to see how residents feel about outdoor smoking will be conducted in the fall.