(CJME News staff)

By Lisa Schick/CJME News

New rules coming to keep vapes out of kids’ hands

Apr 26, 2021 | 1:22 PM

Following in the footsteps of tobacco rules, the provincial government is trying to make it harder for kids to get their hands on vaping products.

This week, the government introduced The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Amendment Regulations.
Among other things, the rules will make it illegal to sell vaping products to people under 18 years of age.

“This isn’t something they should be involved in. I see more and more people around, just young kids, vaping. It’s pretty easy to spot them on the street with the big cloud of vape in the air,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said.

Merriman believes this is a big thing. He pointed to smoking, saying the province has treated that very seriously.

“When vaping came out, people were sold on the idea that this was an alternative to smoking and safer. The science is certainly not there,” said Merriman.

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The new rules will also prohibit the display and advertising of vaping products where areas and retail business where young people can have access. They allow the restriction of flavoured products as well.

Merriman said the flavours out there, like bubble gum and candy floss, are targeted to kids.

The new rules would also not allow vaping in or around public buildings like schools and would prohibit the sale of vapes in places kids frequent like amusement parks, arcades and theatres.

“This is a step on the vaping trail. If there’s an opportunity for us to do more in the near future – I know other provinces have moved further than we have – we’ll continue to look at it as we continued to do with smoking and any other harmful products,” said Merriman.

The new rules are set to come into effect Sept. 1 and are enforceable in the same way tobacco regulations are.