Nova Scotia to consider ban on flavors

Nova Scotia will hold consultations in January 2015 on whether certain flavors should be exempt from a ban on flavored tobacco and e-cigarette juice, according to CTVnews.

The provincial government plans to gather input through online submissions in January and focus groups will be held to collect feedback from youth. Meetings will also be held with e-cigarette vendors and small business organizations representing tobacco vendors.

The government passed a bill this fall that outlaws the use of water pipes such as hookahs and e-cigarettes in indoor public places as well as the sale of e-cigarettes to people under 19.

When the government introduced the legislation it also proposed to ban flavored tobacco, but it later backed down from that proposal and instead promised further consultation.

The law takes effect May 31 and Health Minister Leo Glavine says it’s his intention to have legislation regulating flavored tobacco come into effect at the same time.