Canadian Cancer Society, NDP call for vaping regulations

The Canadian Cancer Society is calling for more regulations around e-cigarettes.

A new report from the British Medical Journal found a 74-per-cent increase in vaping among Canadians aged 16 to 19. It also found a 45-per-cent increase in cigarette smoking among that same demographic.

Donna Pasiechnik, the health analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society, called the statistics “highly disturbing.” She said the problem is fuelled by a lack of advertising regulations on vape products.

“Kids in Saskatchewan can walk into any convenience store and be bombarded with big product displays and flavours and video displays on monitors, right beside the candy and potato chips,” she said.

She called for a number of restrictions on e-cigarettes. She said that the legal age for both tobacco and vapes should be raised to 21, that vaping should be banned in the same areas as smoking, and that the Tobacco Control Act should be amended.

She said current regulations just aren’t enough.

“We’ve fallen woefully behind, and we have our smoking rates to show for that,” Pasiechnik said.

Pasiechnik said she has been told by educators that vaping is the top problem being dealt with in schools. Some principals have told her they’ve seen children as young as Grade 5 or 6 vaping.

She said another part of the problem is peer pressure.

“I’m hearing from kids that, ‘Everyone is doing it, you feel stupid not doing it, there’s a pressure to try it,’ ” Pasiechnik said.

NDP calls on government to act

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili has said the results of the study are “absolute madness” and his caucus has called on the provincial government to make some changes around vaping.

“We’re way behind in terms of regulations,” he said.

Meili wants the government to begin treating vaping like smoking by banning public advertising, putting vaping products behind the counter, requiring a licence to sell, banning its use in sporting facilities, and getting rid of flavours that appeal to younger kids.

Meili has also been concerned about the influence that manufacturers of vaping paraphernalia has on the provincial government. The NDP leader said some vaping groups have popped up on the lobbyist registry.

“Our registry has a high barrier before you report that publicly so that means there’s been a lot of pressure put on,” said Meili. “There’s a lot of effort being put into something that is not in the benefit of the health of Saskatchewan people.”

Meili added that he is pleased the recommendations the NDP are proposing are in line with what the Canadian Cancer Society suggests as well.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Nathan Meyer