N.L. to seek public input on possible ban on tobacco for next generation

Newfoundland and Labrador's Health Department wants to hear from the public about potential changes that could lead to an increase to the legal age to purchase tobacco products and a ban on purchasing for young people, even as they age.

A press release Thursday said an EngageNL questionnaire will be sent out in June to ask participants about several potential changes. Examples of the listed topics include prohibiting tobacco sales in vending machines, increasing the legal purchase age from 19 to 21, and the prohibited sale of tobacco to anyone born after a certain date.

Health officials in P.E.I. proposed a ban on tobacco sales earlier this month to anyone born after a set date — for example, Jan. 1, 2009 — which they hope will create a smoking-free generation.

"We are looking at what other jurisdictions have done," Health Minister Tom Osborne said Thursday.

"It will, over time, phase out the legal purchase of cigarettes, for example. So that is one thing we want to seek and consult with consumers, with retailers, with health professionals, with other stakeholders … to determine the future of, you know, retail sales and the legalized sale of cigarettes."

Kevin Coady, executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Alliance for the Control of Tobacco, said he looks forward to discussing changes with government.

He said something like what P.E.I. has proposed has potential but it would need to go under the microscope.

"There's a lot of room for discussion here, and hopefully as we go down the road we'll get it right," Coady said.

"We've had an age limit. And still 12- and 13- and 14-year-olds have been getting cigarettes, getting addicted, starting the smoking pattern that stays with them probably for life. So the bigger thing, I think, is how do we find a way to stop young people from accessing the tobacco."

Coady said that comes with improving education and awareness of the dangers of smoking, and pressing for changes to legislation on vaping products. The Health Department press release says vaping feedback will also be taken.

Coady said statistics reported by the alliance show 27 per cent of youth, including 58 per cent of youth in senior high school grades, in Newfoundland and Labrador are using or have tried vaping products, .

"Obviously, while regular tobacco is one way to deliver nicotine to people, we now have the vaping issue, which is somewhat of a crisis in our province and across the country," he said.

"We'd like to broaden the discussion and wrap all these things into it."

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