The Kamloops-South MLA is concerned that another school year could be lost with government taking no action to deter youth vaping.

Todd Stone tabled a private members bill in April with three recommendations to address youth vaping, but he says there has been no movement on the file.

He says possible vaping-related health cases among teens are now in the hundreds across Canada and the U-S.

“And many of those young people have ended up in the hospital, and there have actually been a couple deaths now as well. I don’t know why Adrian Dix and the NDP would want to wait for the federal government to take further action on this, when there is a lot that the province of B.C. can do.”

Stone says if the province waits for the feds, it’s going to be months of waiting because of the upcoming election.

“Which means it would be at least six months from now before we could anticipate, practically speaking, any actions being taken at the federal level. And what that means to the youth here in British Columbia is an entire school year lost, again, with respect to a lack of action on the part of the federal government to address the vaping epidemic.”

Stone has proposed banning the sale of flavoured vape products and limiting sales to adult-only tobacco stores, vape stores and approved pharmacies.

Health Minister Adrian Dix told NL in June that his ministry will act if the feds aren’t moving fast enough.