With growing concerns over the health implications, Toronto is making moves to ensure all retailers selling vaping products be required to apply for a license to sell them.
A report before the city’s General Government and Licensing Committee said regulation of all vape products is done through the provincial government’s Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA). But it also said there is no reliable system in place for Toronto Public Health to track and inspect retailers to ensure they are complying with the rules.
The SFOA was created in part to reduce youth access to tobacco and vape products. Recently, there has been a spike in respiratory illnesses among vaping users in both Canada and the United States. The report said many of the cases of reported illnesses were from unregulated vape products, while noting those cases are still under investigation.
Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa said evidence has shown the best way to avoid harm from legal substances is through regulation.
“Vaping is no different,” said Dr. de Villa. “Making sure that those products are strongly regulated, appropriately regulated so as to mitigate harm, that’s the best approach.”
Matthew Bingley – Global News – October 7, 2019.
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