More smoke-free places urged
Peterborough Public Health also wants ban on flavoured vaping products
Peterborough Public Health marked the annual World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday by reaffirming its campaign for flavour bans on vape products and more smoke-free spaces.
World No Tobacco Day was officially created by the World Health Organization and other non-profit organizations in 1987.
“There’s been lots of successes in commercial tobacco control over the years, which is great, and it’s definitely a reason to celebrate. But then we see so many youths that are starting to experiment with vaping products,” said Keith Beecroft, a health promotor on the health unit’s environmental health team.
“Young people are still smoking and using those types of things. So, it’s also a day where we recognize that there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
A good way to curb underage vaping would be a flavour ban, he said.
“Working toward some sort of flavour ban would be ideal in making them less appealing to youth,” he said. “We know through anecdotal evidence, chatting with students at schools, and looking at the research that it really is the flavours that draw youth into trying these vaping products.”
Underage smoking has gone down in recent years, he said, but vaping has increased.
“That preventative piece for young people is vitally important, to make sure that they’re not getting their hands on these products,” Beecroft said.
The health unit is also focused on seeking more smoking prohibitions in more outdoor spaces, he said.
“Namely, parkland, green space and some trails and outdoor areas. Right now, the Smoke Free Ontario Act covers beaches, playgrounds and sports fields,” Beecroft said.
“But the areas where people might gather for outdoor concerts, go for a hike with their dog, or have a picnic with their family, a lot of those places are still not protected.”
Such measures aim to limit people’s exposure to second-hand smoke, he said.
“We’re not saying that they can’t smoke, we’re just saying that we don’t want them smoking or vaping around other people,” Beecroft said.
Research has shown that cigarettes damage every organ in the body, he said. Research into vaping is still minimal, but difficulty breathing, increased rates of asthma, and nicotine’s impact on the developing brain have been reported, he added.
“There’s likely no debate that vaping is safer than smoking,” Beecroft said. “But when you’re comparing an activity to something that kills more people in the world than almost anything, it’s not the best benchmark to lean against.”