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Health groups urge province to do more to curb youth smoking

In this Wednesday, April 11, 2018 photo, an unidentified 15-year-old high school student uses a vaping device near the school's campus in Cambridge, Mass. Health and education officials across the country are raising alarms over wide underage use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. The devices heat liquid into an inhalable vapor that's sold in sugary flavors like mango and mint - and often with the addictive drug nicotine. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

According to the province, no sections of anti-smoking legislation are set to expire in December.

Health groups raised concerns that parts of the legislation were set to expire under the Statutes Repeal Act, which states that any legislation left unproclaimed for more than five years will expire.

According to a statement from the province, sections of the legislation left unproclaimed are actually subject to automatic repeal under the Statutes Repeal Act in December 2019.

“We will continue listening to Albertans and organizations like The Campaign for a Smoke-Free Alberta as we review these unproclaimed statutes in the coming months.”

Les Hagen, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health said the legislation was passed years ago, but was never fully proclaimed into law.

He said he’s concerned about the “explosion” of vaping and how flavoured water-pipe tobacco has become the most popular form of smoking among Alberta teens.

“We’re still awaiting full implementation of the new rules around sales to minors, which include carding anyone who appears to be under the age of 25 and putting up new signs that reflect new fines on sales to minors. All of these measures are outstanding and they’ve been outstanding for several years.”

Hagen added that thousands of Alberta youth could be protected from nicotine dependence in a single cabinet meeting where the legislation can be proclaimed in full.

Health groups are also concerned about secondhand smoke from the use of waterpipes in public establishments.

 

According to Statistics Canada around 10,000 youth between 12 and 17 years old were smoking in 2017. That’s down from around 14,700 in 2016.