Richmond bans ads for vaping products on city property
Council votes unanimously to push through ban after increase in vaping-related illnesses
The city of Richmond has moved to ban advertisements for vaping and vaping-related products on city property including transit shelters and benches.
On Tuesday, city council voted unanimously to oppose advertisements for vaping products to draw attention to serious health risks associated with vaping.
City of Richmond spokesperson Clay Adams said the ban is aimed at protecting the community.
Vaping-related illnesses, which include coughing, shortness of breath and chest pain, have affected more than 1,000 people in the U.S. and has been linked to 26 deaths there.
In Canada, Health Canada says the first confirmed instance was reported in Quebec at the end of September, and New Brunswick has seen two probable cases.
"We're seeing lung-related illnesses in the U.S. and even here now in Canada of vaping-related illnesses so we said let's not just target youth let's target the entire community," Adams said.
He said said third-party agencies will be told vaping related ads on billboards and at bus shelters are not allowed.
"Vaping is a significant health issue. All the evidence suggests that, and this is at least one thing that we can do. We hope others will follow suit and do similar."
Adams said city staff will be reaching out to TransLink and Pattison Outdoor Advertising to explain the new policy.
Lack of information and warnings
Professor Christopher Carlsten with the University of British Columbia's faculty of medicine, said advertisements for vaping products do not provide enough warnings to address negative health effects and there is also misinformation about what products are causing problems.
Carlsten said the first confirmed case in B.C. announced on Wednesday involved a young person who was using nicotine-based vaping products, not a THC-based product, the main compound in marijuana that induces a high.
"It's misleading and irresponsible to blame this just on THC-based products which is convenient for the nicotine-based industry to suggest that their product is not part of the problem," said Carlsten.
Health Canada and B.C.'s Ministry of Health are looking into changes to rules dealing with vaping products.