Saskatchewan

SUMA votes in favour of asking province to ban vaping in public

SUMA voted in favour of a ban on vaping in public places at its annual convention on Tuesday.

Regina's Mayor Michael Fougere says ban would prevent a patchwork of different rules across province

Dr. Natasha Johnson says that even though there is a perception that vaping and e-cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes, both release toxins, albeit different kinds. (Regis Duvignau /Reuters)

The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association will ask the province to ban electronic cigarettes in public places.  

At the association's annual convention on Tuesday, SUMA members voted in favour of asking the Ministry of Health for a provincial ban on vaping in public.

The ban would extend to places where cigarettes have already been prohibited. 

Regina Mayor Michael Fougere said it would prevent a patchwork of different rules on vaping throughout the province. 

"It makes a lot more sense that way, and obviously the convention agreed with that," Fougere said.

Members of SUMA voted in favour of asking the province to extend the public smoking ban to include electronic cigarettes. (Brian Rodgers/CBC)

A Saskatoon bylaw that went into effect Jan.1 already prohibits smoking and vaping in public places owned by the city. 

Jennifer Miller, vice president of Health Promotion at the Lung Association of Saskatchewan, was at the conference Tuesday. 

She said her organization would like to see some movement come out of this. 

"I would certainly hope with the voices of the health groups, the voices of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, and now the voices of SUMA, that the provincial government will take an ear and listen," she said. 

Voters on the issue included hundreds of leaders from the province's towns, cities, and villages.