The government of Ontario, Canada, has decided to delay the implementation of changes to the Smoke Free Ontario Act while it examines vaping issues that the proposed changes had raised, reports The Toronto Sun.
The changes were to have come into effect on July 1.
“The government will work with the public, experts and businesses to re-examine the evidence related to vaping as a smoking cessation tool to ensure that any changes are in the best interests of everyone and protect Ontarians’ health and safety,” Simon Jefferies, a spokesman for the recently-elected Premier, Doug Ford, was quoted as having said in an email to the Sun.
“The current provisions in the Smoke Free Ontario Act and the Electronic Cigarettes Act remain in effect and will continue to be enforced.”
Artuso explained that the previous provincial Liberal Government, under former-premier Kathleen Wynne, had planned to replace the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Electronic Cigarettes Act with a single new version of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act covering both tobacco and vaping.
The new legislation would have banned vaping everywhere smoking is disallowed, and expanded the prohibition zone to outdoor restaurants, bar patios, and around schools or children and youth recreational facilities.
The same strict rules for selling tobacco would have applied to vaping products.
Vapor Advocates of Ontario issued a statement praising the Government’s actions.
And Shaun Casey, president of the Canadian Vaping Association, was quoted as saying the provincial regulations needed to align with Health Canada’s stance on vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking to ensure the industry was clear on the legal expectations from both levels of governments.