World No Tobacco Day
Written by Comms Team, May 30, 2023
Peterborough Public Health Celebrates Success in Commercial Tobacco Control on World No Tobacco Day
May 31 is World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). This year, Peterborough Public Health (PPH)is celebrating the achievements made in commercial tobacco control with a reminder of smoke free spaces.
PPH is reminding athletes and spectators that sports fields are 100% vape, cannabis, and smoke-free. The same is true for beaches, playgrounds, and splashpads – places where children and families often gather.
In the first three months of 2023 youth vaping, and youth access to vaping and tobacco products was the biggest issue PPH Tobacco Enforcement Officers responded to. Approximately 45 youth access inspections were conducted from January to March of 2023, resulting in 3 charges for sales of vape or tobacco products to youth. An additional 7 charges and 9 warnings have been issued related to youth smoking or vaping at prohibited locations.
“Given that there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke, and children and youth are influenced by the behavior of adults around them, we are encouraging people to think twice about where they smoke or vape,” said Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health. “The Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) is designed to protect everyone from these products, and failure to comply with the law can result in a $305 fine.”
When the SFOA first came into force in 2006, cigarettes were the only products captured in the Act. Since then, we have seen the legalization of cannabis, and proliferation of vapour products. For those reasons, the SFOA has been updated to include these products that are smoked, lit, or vaped.
“Nicotine greatly impacts children and youth’s developing brains,” said Dr. Piggott, Medical Officer of Health. “Nicotine affects learning, memory, and concentration and some e-liquids used in vapour products contain as much nicotine as in one pack of cigarettes. Evidence also shows that youth who vape are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes.”
“Peterborough City and County is home to magnificent parks, playgrounds, beaches and sports fields – visited by thousands of people every year. Ensuring these places are smoke and vape-free is a priority for PPH,” said Dr. Piggott.
For more information and resources, visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/sfoa/
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