In a recent poll, 81 per cent of British Columbia teens aged between 15 and 18 years, agree that the B.C. government should adopt legislation to ban all fruit and candy flavoured tobacco products. 74 per cent of people polled over the age of 18 support a ban.
The Angus Reid poll of more than 1,100 teens and adults was conducted in December.
The Canadian Cancer Society, B.C. and Yukon, is the organization calling for a ban on flavoured tobacco products in B.C.
“These numbers speak loud and clear,”says Kathryn Seely, director, public issues, Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon. “British Columbians want a ban in B.C. on flavoured tobacco products. We are urging the B.C. government to protect children from the predatory marketing practices of the tobacco industry and the products which, through their packaging and appearance, are aggressively targeted to youth. It’s time, now during National Non-Smoking Week, to commit to a ban.”
In Canada, many types of tobacco products are heavily flavoured, including cigarillos (little cigars), water pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco and menthol cigarettes. Flavours include chocolate, mint, cherry, peach, strawberry, and other fruit and candy flavours that are appealing to youth.
A national Youth Smoking Survey released last fall by the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo found more than half (53 per cent) of youth tobacco users in B.C. had used flavoured tobacco products. This equates to approximately 30,500 B.C. students.
“This is a real issue in B.C. and we can make an equally real impact by implementing a ban,” says Seely. “We believe the B.C. government has made great strides to help reduce smoking rates in our province but we need to do more and be leaders in protecting youth from these deceptive products.”
Smoking rates in British Columbia are the lowest in the country at 13 per cent. However, tobacco use is still the leading cause of death and disease in B.C., killing more than 6,000 British Columbians each year. Second-hand smoke is linked to the death of more than 100 British Columbians each year. In total, tobacco use costs the B.C. economy$2.3 billion annually.
The majority of new tobacco users are under the age of 18.
Comments