Interior Health resumes crackdown on sales of nicotine products to Okanagan youth

Tobacco-carrying businesses in B.C.’s Okanagan region had best get caught up with what they are not allowed to sell to young people.

After a COVID-related pause, Interior Health is back to running inspections and doling out fines.

With the post-COVID resumption of the Minor Test Shopping program in recent weeks, seven fines have been handed out to Okanagan businesses that have failed to block minors from purchasing tobacco and vape products.

Interior Health representatives said in an emailed statement that the Minor Test Shopping program runs throughout the year, with most retailers receiving one to two compliance checks annually.

To do these checks, Interior Health said it hires test shoppers who are minors, usually 15-17 years old, and they work with their enforcement officers to test retailers that sell tobacco and vape products.

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The health authority is looking to see if retailers are asking for proper photo ID before selling tobacco and vaping products.

“This program is a key tool in protecting youth from accessing tobacco and vapour products,” Interior Health’s statement reads.

Businesses included in the crackdown between March 2 and March 27 are a Kelowna Safeway, Vernon’s Darth Vapour, an Armstrong Co-Op gas station, Kelowna’s Urban Fare, a Sorrento Petro-Canada and Sicamous Bargain Shop.

Interior Health was not able to provide youth smoking statistics by publication deadline. However, national statistics show an improved landscape in that regard.

According to the most recent Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, which measures the prevalence of cigarette smoking, vaping, alcohol and cannabis use among Canadians aged 15 years and older, youth cigarette smoking rates aren’t on the rise.

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In 2020, the prevalence of cigarette smoking among youth aged 15 to 19 was three per cent, a decrease from five per cent in 2019.

The study conducted by Statistics Canada on behalf of Health Canada didn’t indicate the rate of youth vapers or the prevalence of daily and occasional smoking among youth, due to the small sample size.