Windsor-Essex health unit calls for ban on vaping ads

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) board unanimously passed a resolution Thursday calling on the provincial government to issue a ban on the promotion and marketing of vaping products.

The health unit also agreed the province should ban the sale of flavoured vaping products, as well as amend the Smoke Free Ontario Act to establish the same rules for both traditional tobacco and vaping products.

"Our recommendation that our board passed tonight doesn't ban the sale of vaping products," said Nicole Dupuis, director of health promotion with WECHU. "The recommendation was to ban the promotion and marketing of vaping products."

The Smoke Free Ontario Act currently allows the promotion and marketing of vaping products. Anyone who has visited a convenience store or gas station has likely seen such ads. 

"So what the resolution effectively would do is ask the government to reverse that," said Dupuis.

Dupuis said the health unit can't make specific bylaws for any municipality under its jurisdiction. 

"So if a municipality wished to create a bylaw that would effectively ban the promotion or sale within their municipality they could that," she said. 

According to Dupuis, reducing instances of youth vaping is among the reasons for the health unit's recommendation. 

Earlier this June, CBC News reported that WECHU issued a total of 20 fines against underage students consuming vaping products since April 2019.