The province is prepared if there was to be a legal challenge as a result of new strict rules around vaping.

That’s according to Health Minister Adrian Dix, who says he believes the province has the regulatory authority to restrict the content, flavour, packaging, advertising, and sale of vapour products.

“We’ve gone through step by step the appropriate way in gauging with all of the stakeholders,” Dix said. “We made the announcement in November, we produced our intentions paper in January, and we heard responses subsequent to that.”

“We prepared the regulations which were ready in March, and they are being implemented now.”

Dix says he understands there may be some concerns about the rules, but notes the restrictions a necessary public health step to protect young people from the dangers of vaping.

“The measures to control the use of nicotine in vaping the products, the level of nicotine in vaping products, and the need to treat nicotine as a health hazard in British Columbia, all of those are powers we have to declare that under the Public Health Act, and other legislation and so we are happy to proceed with that,” he added.

“We think this is consistent with our powers with the provincial authority that we have, so we’re satisfied that we have the authority to take these measures.”

All new retailers will need to comply with the regulations immediately, but existing retailers have until September 15 to sell off their stock.