Sudbury health unit wants action on e-cigarette regulation

Morning North8:33Health unit gives its stance on e-cigarettes

Francine Brunet-Fechner from the Sudbury District Health Unit explains why she would like to see electronic cigarettes more tightly controlled.

The Sudbury District Health Unit says it wants the Ontario government to get tougher on e-cigarettes.

An e-cigarette is a vapour-based device that mimics a cigarette.

Toronto's board of health said in a recent report that it would consider banning e-cigarettes in all places in Toronto where smoking is prohibited.

Youth are very interested in this product.- Sudburypublic health nurse FrancineBrunet-Fechner.

Sudbury public health nurse Francine Brunet-Fechner said the health unit wants to give the province more time before it would consider pushing the city to consider its own bylaw on e-cigarettes.

At this point it's a little premature, she said.

I think we've put our support towards a provincial change. And at that point I think we have to be a little patient and provide the existing ministry the opportunity to move forward to make that change happen."

Brunet-Fechner noted there is not enough research on whether or not there are negative effects of e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are battery powered and look and act like cigarettes. They can contain nicotine.

They are being marketed to young people using bright coloured packaging and candy-like flavours, Brunet-Fechner said.

"Youth are very interested in this product and, even though they're non-smokers, they might be enticed to then normalize the behaviour of smoking, she said.

And [that can] get them hooked on nicotine, which then gets them hooked on use of other cigarettes or other tobacco products."

And thats one reason why Brunet-Fechner said the Smoke-free Ontario Act should be regulating e-cigarettes like any other tobacco product.