Windsor-Essex health unit has issued 20 youth vaping fines since April

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has issued a total of 20 fines against underage students consuming vaping products since April 2019. 

The fines are a result of collaboration between the WECHU and local law enforcement agencies in Windsor-Essex, including Windsor police and the OPP.

The various regulatory bodies have been working together since April in an attempt to reduce instances of vaping among secondary school-aged youth. 

Eric Nadalin, manager of chronic disease and injury prevention at the WECHU, said that the fines are issued to students caught vaping indoors, as well as on school campus. 

Youth vaping, smoking on the rise

Citing data recently published in the British Medical Journal (pdf link), Nadalin explained that youth vaping in Canada, England and the U.S. has increased by 74 per cent between September 2017 and September 2018. 

Nadalin said that there's been a notable increase in youth smoking during that same period — approximately 45 per cent more youth started smoking between September 2017 and September 2018.

"And that's the first time that has occurred in decades," said Nadalin. 

It's worth noting that the rise in youth smoking is merely a correlative connection rather than a causative one. 

Still, Nadalin said he's worried about the addictive effects of the nicotine contained in vaping products, as well as the targeted marketing used by companies that sell vaping products. 

"One e-juice pod can contain the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes."" explained Nadalin, adding that the long-term effects of vaping are still unknown.