Toronto board of health to review a ban on electronic cigarettes

Toronto Board of Health meeting to discuss banning electronic cigarettes

The Toronto board of heath is meeting on Monday to discuss a possible municipal ban on electronic cigarettes, categorizing them the same way as traditional cigarettes.  This would mean that there would be no vaping or use of electronic cigarettes in public parks, in any bars or restaurants, or anywhere that traditional tobacco cigarettes are banned across the greater Toronto area.

Furthermore, the Toronto board of health will review a suggestion to prohibit the sale of flavoured e-cigarette products and ban e-cigarette displays in stores.

The Toronto board of health also wants to look at banning the use of electronic cigarettes in the workplace, as well as at the Toronto School boards, universities, and colleges, and Toronto hospitals, encouraging them to prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes both indoor and outdoor on their properties.  They will also be contacting the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel association, and Toronto Association of business improvement areas suggesting they implement similar practices.  Finally, they will be suggesting this to the Parks and Environment committee.

The reason or justification for these potential actions are twofold.

First, they are suggesting that there is not enough stu on the risk of second hand vapor.  They are citing possible health risks associated with second hand vapor.

Secondly, they are stating that there could be an acceptance of this as a gateway to tobacco cigarettes, and a ‘normalization of smoking’ again, after many years of struggling to make tobacco cigarettes obsolete.

I believe they are missing the big picture, which is the overwhelming positive results already taking place by ex-tobacco smokers who have successfully transitioned to electronic cigarettes, and are experiencing success beyond their wildest dreams.  They have never suggested that mint flavoured Nicolette gum could potentially be a gateway to tobacco cigarettes, and in my opinion, electronic cigarettes are very different from tobacco cigarettes.  This is why so many ex-smokers who turn to electronic cigarettes will, almost without exception, state that when they go back and have a tobacco cigarette, it tastes and feels nothing like an electronic cigarette, and they no longer like the taste and feel of the tobacco cigarette.

Furthermore, I find it interesting that they are implying that scientific evidence states that e-cigs could be a gateway to tobacco cigarettes, of which there is no evidence to support this, and in the same breath using a lack of “Scientific evidence” regarding second hand vapor as a reason to ban e-cigs.  This is governmental heresy its finest.

For my last rant, I would state that it would be a much better use of time for our government to work on regulating the manufacturing of these products, instead of creating a ban based on zero scientific evidence.  Requiring labels, child proof lids, warnings, and information to be used by all vendors of e-cigarettes would be a much better potential governmental ruling vs. pulling them off shelves and banning them publicly.