In Saskatchewan, the age to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes will rise next month.
In order to purchase tobacco and vaping products in the province of Saskatchewan, a person must be 19 years of age or older as of the beginning of February.
As of right now, the age is eighteen.
The use and sale of tobacco and vapour products in Saskatchewan are governed by the Tobacco and vapour Products Control Act and its regulations. The sale, use, exhibition, and promotion of vapour products are all covered by the new laws. The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Regulations have new standards that must be met by all retailers and users of vapour products.
When the planned changes were unveiled in November of last year, Health Minister Everett Hindley declared, Tobacco and vapour products should have no place in Saskatchewan schools. We are taking action to prevent students from being exposed to these products because of this.
“As an industry, we learned about the government’s decision to increase the legal age to purchase legal tobacco and vaping products to 19 in the Speech from the Throne at the end of October last year,” con-venience store industry council of Canada (CICC) vice president for Western Canada Sara MacIntyre responded to a question about the impending change in an email to Convenience Store News Canada.
Although we applaud the government’s intention of reducing the number of young people who smoke and vape, our front-line retailers will need some time to put these reforms into effect. The CICC did ask the government for a timeline on a few occasions so that we could update our stores’ signage and training. Regretfully, we discovered the modification on Friday, January 27th, through a link to a news release. Less than a week after the announcement, on February 1, the modifications take effect. Members find it challenging to continue practicing ethical retailing when changes are implemented across the province so quickly after they are announced. To bring our members up to date and compliant, we are collaborating with them.
The age limits for the lawful purchase of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and vape items in most provinces have been harmonised.
The following will be the new regulations as of February 1st:
• No vaping or smoking allowed near doors, windows, school property, or enclosed public areas.
• Prohibit smoking and e-cigarette use in enclosed public areas, such as school buildings and grounds.
• Make it illegal for anyone to smoke or vape within three metres of a closed public space’s doorway, window, or air intake.
• Limitations on tobacco and vape product advertising, marketing, and retail sales.
• Only allow people who are 19 years of age and older to purchase tobacco products and all other vapour goods.
• Outlaw the placement of tobacco and vapour products in areas accessible to minors.
• Outlaw the sale of tobacco and vapour products in places where young people congregate, such as amusement parks, arcades, and theatres.
• Limit the promotion of vape products in the same way that you restrict the promotion of tobacco products by forbidding promotional and advertising signage in places that are accessible to minors.
• Limitations on flavoured vape goods.
Retail locations that are open to those under 19 years of age, such as convenience stores and gas stations, are permitted to sell only tobacco and mint/menthol-flavoured vapour products.
The majority of flavoured vape products will only be sold in adult-only, specialty vape shops as of September 1, 2021. Speciality vape stores with age restrictions are required to post a sign at the door.
If the difficulties outlined in this article are affecting you, please reach out to us, and we will try our best to help.