B.C.’s Health Minister says his government plans to act soon to bring in provincial restrictions on vaping.

Adrian Dix acknowledged deep concerns he has of youth vaping – and explains the federal government had a chance to bring in national rules in the spring which never happened.

“The federal government engaged in consultation starting in the fall of 2018, then again in March of 2019 and in May of 2019. And they published their first set of regulations – that could be coming into force now – in June, and they gave a period for people to comment on them. Unfortunately, those regulations… they chose not to bring those in force before the election. And that means for the federal government, another delay in action.”

Dix says there only needs to be one set of laws on vaping but says the province can ensure that vaping companies take their responsibilities seriously.

As for a letter written from Kamloops-South MLA Todd Stone on youth vaping, calling for immediate action from the provincial government, Dix says the former Liberal government didn’t do enough when it created framework rules on vaping.

“Legislation was passed by the previous government in 2016 with respect to vaping. At the time, a very different legislative legal regime was put in place for vaping and for smoking. As such that really about 93,000 retailers were available, no licenses required to sell vaping (products), etcetera. In addition really no change was made to the staff enforcing the law, so they added all of this work but no staff… And I don’t say that to blame the Liberal system that we inherited and are now addressing, but clearly it didn’t respond adequately to what has happened,” Dix says.

“With great respect, I’m glad the Liberal Party is now rejecting the regulatory regime the Liberal government put in place, that’s progress. And I’m prepared to work with Mr. Stone.”