Saskatoon may restrict public vaping
Proposed bylaw would put electronic cigarettes on par with regular smokes
Jim Wollf has heard the same story time and time again from customers at his vape shop.
“They came in, they weren’t sure, they bought a kit from us, then you see them a week later and they say they haven’t had one cigarette since the day they bought it. It’s a very positive thing,” Wollf, one of the owners of Heavy Jam Vapour Supply in Saskatoon, said.
The use of electronic cigarettes, or vaping, could become much more restricted in the city if a proposed change to the local smoking bylaw is approved by city council Monday. The change would make vaping identical to smoking in the eyes of the law as of Jan. 1, meaning it would be prohibited in public buildings, bus shelters, schools, businesses and other places cigarettes are currently not allowed.
Wollf said he understands the argument that vaping puts unnatural chemicals into a person’s body, but argued it should be looked at as a harm-reduction strategy.
“Almost anybody you talk to, they’ll say, ‘I know this isn’t a great thing to be doing to myself, but if I wasn’t doing this, I’d be out smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day,’ ” he said.
City Coun. Pat Lorje brought forth the proposed bylaw change. When asked why she thinks vaping should be equated with regular cigarettes, her answer was to the point. “Why shouldn’t it be?” Lorje said. Council recently approved another change to the bylaw banning smoking from any public area other than streets and sidewalks. That change is also set to take effect Jan. 1, and vaping would be prohibited in those areas as a result if council approves the new change Monday.
The report in Monday’s council agenda asks for clarification on two points. First, it points out there is no allowance made for specialty shops and says such an article could be added. Lorje said she is still considering this question.
Wollf said not being allowed to demo products would be a significant hit to his business. Some of the vaping liquid is fairly expensive, he said, and it is also important to demonstrate how to use one of the electronic cigarettes for a first timer.
The second point of clarification sought in the report for council concerns traditional aboriginal ceremonies. There is already a carveout in the provincial smoking law allowing for tobacco use indoors in cultural and spiritual events. The report says a similar article could be added to the city bylaw.