The Provincial Government has amended the Smoke-free Ontario Act to help further address the prevalence of youth vaping.
Southwestern Public Health reports that these amendments respond to parental, public, and health stakeholder’s concerns about the increase in youth vaping and include restricting the sale of flavoured vapour products to specialty vape stores and licensed cannabis retail stores.
The province has also restricted the sale of vapour products with high nicotine concentrations (greater than 20 mg/ml) to specialty vape stores. In addition, specialty vape stores will no longer be permitted to have indoor displays and promotions that are visible from outside their stores.
Research has shown that flavours are appealing to youth and are an important factor in youth initiation of vaping. These new regulations will restrict places youth are able to access flavoured vapour products and those with high nicotine concentrations.
Dr. Joyce Lock, Medical Officer of Health says Southwestern Public Health supports the recent amendments to the Smoke-free Ontario Act and and will be enforcing these changes within the local community as there is substantial evidence that e-cigarettes have short-term negative health effects and that e-cigarette aerosol contains many harmful chemicals and that nicotine itself alters the adolescent brain.
