Smokers are set to take their last puff in Sydney’s second largest business district, with the North Sydney Council voting last night to bring in a smoking ban taking in the entire CBD.

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson confirmed to 9News that the vote was passed unanimously.

“I am absolutely thrilled that it went through, I’ve been working on this for a long time,” Cr Gibson said.

“There was actually a mood amongst the councillors, which I agree with, that we might try to extend it the whole municipality.”

Speaking before the vote, Mayor Gibson said it was: “time for non-smokers to claim back the streets”.

“We used to accept all sorts of things from smokers, smokers had all the rights,” she said.

“Now I believe it’s the time of the non-smoker.

“It’ll be cleaner, healthier, so much better for everyone.

“We’ll have no butts littering the pavement, and people will be able to walk down the street free of cigarette smoke.”

It follows overwhelming support from the thousands of people working and living in the area.

Consultation of local residents and businesses found 80 per cent backed the proposal, with the majority concerned that “second hand smoke is bad for health”.

Julie Anne Mitchell, Heart Foundation Director of Prevention, said it was a view shared by more and more Australians.

“Exposure to second hand smoke, even if you’re not a smoker yourself, increases the risk by up to 30 per cent,” she said.

Of the 18 per cent who didn’t support the ban, some believed “smokers need somewhere to go”, while others argued “government shouldn’t be regulating behaviour”.

The ban would take in the entire North Sydney CBD and would be rolled out in stages.

The first three months would involve education and promotion, and once the signs were installed, the next six months would rely on self-enforcement before the council’s votes on whether to introduce fines for those flouting the laws.

“We don’t want to have to fine people, we want them to come on board themselves,” Mayor Gibson said.

“We’ll probably have less backlash if we go a little bit more slowly.”

Whereas Ms Mitchell urged the council to “just get on with it”.

“Four out of five people in North Sydney support this move, I think the Australian public in general is now well used to smoke free public places so there’s no need for a long, educational transition phase.”