New vaping legislation in Sask. takes effect Saturday

Tougher regulations on vaping come into effect in Saskatchewan on Saturday.

The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act was unanimously passed in the Saskatchewan legislature on Nov. 6.

“I’m excited to have this legislation in place,” Minister of Health Jim Reiter said in a media release. “This legislation will protect Saskatchewan youth from the harmful effects of vapour products. If you never smoked, then don’t vape.”

“Vapour products are highly addictive, trendy and extremely popular among teens and young adults,” added Jennifer May, the vice-president of community engagement with the Lung Association of Saskatchewan.

“The Lung Association and its Youth4Change groups congratulate the government on the implementation of The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act. This is a great day for lung health as there has been a dramatic rise in youth vaping over the past few years and this will help protect the health of Saskatchewan kids.”

When it comes to vaping, the new legislation will:

• restrict the sale of vapour/e-cigarette devices and products to individuals 18 years of age and older;
• prohibit the display of vapour/e-cigarette products in a retail business where young persons have access;
• restrict the use of vapour/e-cigarette products in and around public buildings, including schools and school grounds, in the same manner as our provincial tobacco legislation;
• prohibit the sale of vapour/e-cigarette products from specified facilities such as amusement parks, arcades, and theatres where youth frequent;
• restrict advertising of vapour/e-cigarette products in the same manner as tobacco products by prohibiting advertising signs and promotional signs in areas where young persons can enter;
• provide the ability to restrict the sale of flavoured tobacco and vapour products by regulation; and,
• expand the authority of tobacco enforcement officers to include enforcement of vapour/e-cigarette product restrictions.

The legislation brings Saskatchewan in line with other provinces in the country.