P.E.I. proposes banning Islanders of a certain age from purchasing tobacco products in new health plan
Prince Edward Island is proposing a bold move when it comes to the future of tobacco products on the island.
As part of the Island's new "Live Well" health plan, officials are proposing Islanders born on or after a certain date would never be able to buy tobacco.
"Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) proposals no longer allow tobacco to be sold to individuals born after a certain year," reads the Island's consultation paper on Wellness in P.E.I. "For example, no one born after Jan. 1, 2009 would be able to legally purchase cigarettes."
The Island's chief public health officer says, in 2020 alone, tobacco use on the Island led to 265 deaths, 1,036 emergency department visits, and 885 hospital admissions.
The TGF proposals would not impact adult smokers and are focused on tobacco rather than vaping.
"A tobacco-free generation that really we're talking about is pretty bold," said Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer.
"It would not impact those adults who are already purchasing tobacco products, so that would not change. But it would mean if you're 10-years-old right now, you would not be able to purchase tobacco when you are of legal age."
Even with some Island officials calling the move bold, a smoke-free generation is not completely unheard of.
"It’s moving forward through the parliament in the United Kingdom, it’s been considered by some municipalities in the United States," said Rob Cunningham with the Canadian Cancer Society.
The Island is also proposing changes as to where tobacco can be sold.
In 2021, legislative changes were made to permit electronic smoking devices and e-liquids to only be sold in tobacconist shops. A tobacconist shop is an age-restricted location whose primary business is the retail sale of tobacco and/or electronic smoking devices.
Island officials are now proposing the same could be done with tobacco products as a way to decrease youths’ access.
“We have a long way to go and I really think that the government is doing a good job in just moving the needle a little bit further," said Julia Hartley, P.E.I. director of operations for the Lung Association of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
"And I think if smoke-free generations does get approved, it’s going to be one of the biggest measures of our centuries in terms of public health."
This isn't the first big move the Island has made when it comes to trying to reduce tobacco overall.
In 2020, P.E.I. became the first province or territory in Canada to increase the legal age to purchase tobacco or electronic smoking devices to 21. A year later, the Island banned flavoured electronic smoking devices, along with permitting them to only be sold in specialty tobacconist stores.
Currently, the legal age in the other Atlantic provinces is 19.
Tracey French lives on the Island and says the proposed changes would be a good start to getting more people living a tobacco-free lifestyle.
"I think personally it’s a good idea to have them out of majority of the stores and have them like you would with your cannabis," she said. "You would have to go to a specialty shop. Less access for children, it’s less visible for children.”
The island has a survey online until July 5 for Islanders to weigh in on the entire health plan, which includes the tobacco proposal.
For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.