VICTORIA – New Democrat MLA Judy Darcy has re-introduced a private member’s bill to ban flavoured tobacco products in British Columbia.
“This is a measure aimed at protecting children and teenagers, who would otherwise be drawn to products flavoured like peach or watermelon and have designs that make them look more like candy than the deadly tobacco products they are,” said Darcy, the New Democrat spokesperson for health.
“Tobacco companies know that when people start smoking young, they are more likely to get addicted and therefore are more likely to be life-long smokers. Stopping the sale of these flavoured tobacco products is one step toward reducing the prevalence of tobacco-related cancers in British Columbia.”
Darcy first introduced the bill last spring. At the time, Health Minister Terry Lake said he preferred to wait to see what restrictions the federal government would be making. The Canadian Cancer Society has said that new federal regulations fall far short of what’s necessary to limit the sale of these harmful tobacco products.
“If the health minister is not willing to introduce legislation of his own, here’s a bill that his government can support,” said Darcy. “It’s the right thing to do.”