Kamloops MLA Todd Stone slams government for inaction on youth vaping

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops Liberal MLA is calling out the provincial government to act now in order to curb vaping among young people.

In a news release issued today, June 20, Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone says the inaction from the NDP government to decrease vaping among teenagers is putting youth health and safety at risk.

“Health Minister Adrian Dix has put out a statement of his own basically saying B.C. will wait for more direction from the federal government. That’s not good enough,” Stone says in the release. “We can’t sit idle as more and more youth succumb to this dangerous habit. Their health and safety should be paramount.”

Stone sites a new study that was released by the British Medical Journal which shows a dramatic spike in vaping among Canadian teens.

“All of this has prompted the Canadian Cancer Society to issue a statement calling for immediate action but it appears our province will be slow to react,” Stone says.

This past spring, Stone introduced a private member’s bill during the spring legislative session that would amend the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act. Stone says it was an effort to keep vaping products away from youth.

Some of the amendments included banning the sale of flavoured products, limiting the supply and accessibility of e-cigarette products and enacting tougher penalties for non-compliance.

“Unfortunately the government didn’t call the bill for debate,” Stone says. “As a parent myself, the statistics are frightening and the time for action is now.”

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