QUEBEC – The province has taken steps to toughen its rules around smoking, cigarettes and marketing tobacco products.
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MNAs unanimously passed Bill 44 on Thursday, which tightens existing rules governing the industry.
“The bill’s ambitious measures will enable Quebec to be a world leader in the fight against smoking,” said Lucie Charlebois, Minister in charge of public health.
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Some of these include:
- Tripling fines for smoking in prohibited areas
- Banning flavoured tobacco
- Stopping smokers from lighting up in play areas and sport fields
- Prohibiting smokers from being in a car with a child under the age of 16
- Requiring smokers to stand nine metres away from both building entrances and windows
Hotels will now have to restrict its smoking rooms to 20 per cent and shop owners will be required to ask for ID before selling tobacco product.
The same rules will be applied to e-cigarettes.
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Several of the anti tobacco measures will take effect in June.
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