A smoking shelter is a type of constructed, designated smoking area that is typically covered and in other ways designed to allow both smokers and non-smokers remain more comfortable. These structures are often designed to work well in summer and winter, with a number of different styles and construction options available, depending on the manufacturer. They often work well to help enforce laws regarding smoking in public places, and may be utilized by a number of different types of businesses. A smoking shelter allows smokers to have a designated area in which they can smoke, while also allowing non-smokers freedom from secondhand smoke.

Many different regions, including numerous states within the United States (US), have strict laws regarding the ability of people to smoke in public places. This often includes restaurants, businesses, shopping centers, and offices and multi-floored office buildings. While many of these places may strongly enforce a “no smoking” policy within the building, they may put less effort into discouraging smoking near the entrance of the building. Many of the smoking laws, however, also make it illegal to smoke within a certain distance from the entrance to a public building.

In order to combat this issue, some businesses have turned to establishing designated smoking sections to allow employees and customers a place to smoke that still enforces laws in the area. A smoking shelter is a type of smoking section that is constructed and intended to make the environment more comfortable for smokers. These can be fully enclosed structures complete with lighting and air conditioning or more open frameworks that allow air movement while still establishing a smoking section. A smoking shelter is also often built in areas of intense heat in summer or extreme cold in the winter, to allow smokers to remain comfortable and protected from the elements while smoking.

Though smoking is certainly a choice, and many people might disregard the desires of smokers to have places where they can smoke comfortably, some businesses recognize that customers or employees who smoke still want to feel welcome. A restaurant that does not allow smoking within the building can still invite smokers to sit in a comfortable smoking shelter and feel welcomed by the business. There are a number of manufacturers of smoking shelters, and they typically offer a fairly wide range of designs and options in different styles. Ashtrays are common accessories, and some fully enclosed models of smoking shelter can have sliding doors as well as natural ventilation.