Vancouver city councillors push for stricter restrictions on vape sales
Motion calls for banning vape ads on city property and distancing retail locations from schools
Two Vancouver councillors are asking city staff to look into ways to make it harder for young people to use vaping products.
Non-Partisan Association Coun. Lisa Dominato has put forward a motion that would limit the sale and promotion of vape equipment and products in the city.
Vancouver does not currently impose any specific restrictions on these sales and Dominato wants that changed as soon as possible given the known health risks associated with vaping.
Dominato, along with the motion's co-sponsor, Coun. Rebecca Bligh, specifically want restrictions that limit how close vaping retailers can be to schools and youth-oriented facilities and to ban vape product advertisements on city-owned property.
"The targeting of teens and young people is the greatest concern," said Dominato on CBC's The Early Edition Monday, adding she has heard from Vancouver Coastal Health employees about numerous complaints they have received concerning retailers selling vaping products to minors.
In B.C., the rules around the sale of vapour products are the same as for cigarettes, meaning it is against the law to sell to someone under the age of 19.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said in a statement Oct. 29 that the province is planning regulatory action that would be the first of its kind in Canada. He said it involves education, empowering young people, working with its partners and pressuring the federal government to act.
"We should be adding our voice in terms of advocating for these changes but it definitely helps if it is done at a federal or provincial level so we have some consistency across communities," said Dominato.
Last month, the B.C. School Trustees Association approved a motion urging federal and provincial governments to make funding available for vape education and cessation for students.
The motion is being brought forward at Tuesday's council meeting. If it passes, Dominato is asking staff to report back on a possible regulatory framework in early 2020.
"We do think this is really an important issue and we need to get ahead of it. It feels like we are a little bit in catch-up mode," she said.
With files from The Early Edition and The Canadian Press