The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WEHCU) is calling for tougher rules around vaping in Ontario. The WECHU Board of Health has endorsed the Smoke-Free Ontario Amendment Act, or Vaping is Not for Kids Act, saying changes proposed under Bill 125, a private member’s bill could help keep addictive products out of the hands of youth. The legislation would raise the legal purchasing age for tobacco and vape products from 19 to 21, ban flavoured vape products except tobacco, restrict vape sales to specialty stores, and prohibit the promotion of vapour products. Bill 125 would also direct revenue from vape products toward public education on the health risks of vaping, while requiring Ontario Health to provide an annual report on youth vaping and policy recommendations. Locally, the health unit says youth vaping is a major issue. 19 charges were laid against local vape retailers for selling to minors during the first six months of this year. In the province, 10.5 per cent of students in grades 7 to 12 reported that they had vaped in the past year, climbing to 17.3 per cent among Grade 12 students. Eric Nadalin, WECHU’s Director of Public Health Programs, says the health unit is seeing sales of vapes to youth continue in spite of regulations. “In 2027 we’ll be doubling the number of enforcement activities for our local vape vendors to make sure that they are acting and operating in compliance with these regulations. We’re optimistic as well that with the introduction of things like Bill 125, that we see that age restriction increase, we want to keep these addictive products out of the hands of youth.” He says raising the purchasing age, along with restrictions on flavours and promotion, could make a major difference. “The number of people who are smoking tobacco relative to the introduction of the Smoke Free Ontario Act in 2006 has dropped drastically. And now we see those same tactics being employed by the industry that produces these products being applied to vape products, and so these similar regulations - we’re optimistic that they’ll be effective.” Nadalin says the health unit is continuing education. “This is a major issue in Windsor-Essex and something that we have prioritized as an agency to make sure that our enforcement officers are out working closely with school boards and different partners in law enforcement and others to make sure that we are doing what we can to make sure that not only the enforcement components of preventing vaping amongst youth, but also the upstream prevention work as well.” Nadalin adds that there are a number of tools, tips, and resources on the WECHU website for parents and youth. Bill 125 has passed first reading at Queen’s Park. The Windsor-Essex Board of Health is now urging the provincial government to move forward with the proposed amendments.
