The Canadian Cancer Society makes the call after a Canadian study released in the British Medical Journal showed a dramatic rise in youth vaping and youth smoking with reports that students in Grade 5 and 6 are vaping.
Spokesperson Donna Pasiechnik says the government can’t just stand there and do nothing anymore.
“There is no more time to not do anything.” Pasiechnik said. “The time to act is now. We need strong legislation to both control tobacco and vaping products in Saskatchewan.”
Pasiechnik adds this study is horrifying to see as it puts a real damper on work the Cancer Society has done over the years to try and stop kids from lighting up.
“This has the potential to undermine all of the work we have done and all of the work I have done in the 16 years I have spent in this role. ” Pasiechnik said. “We have spent too long creating initiatives aimed at non-smoking to have this happen. Something needs to be done especially when you hear from principals that kids in Grades 5 and 6 are vaping.”
The NDP are also calling on the government to do something with health critic Vicki Mowat saying vaping should be banned wherever smoking is and that e-cigarette sales should be prohibited in places where tobacco sales aren’t allowed.
Health minister Jim Reiter says the government is considering the possibility of introducing vaping legislation.
