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Central Okanagan school board to send vaping letters to elected officials

Board members approved the motion at a meeting on Wednesday night
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A person vaping (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

The Central Okanagan School District will be writing letters to local MLAs and MPs about the dangers of vaping for children.

The district approved a motion to write the letters on Wednesday night after receiving correspondence from a Vancouver Island trustee that stated vaping among youth between the ages of 16-19 was up 74 per cent over last year, according to an academic journal.

READ MORE: New vaping regulations on the way, B.C.’s health minister says

The letters will include asking officials how they intend to address vaping in schools and how they would create and enforce regulations around the marketing of vaping towards students.

During the discussions, trustee Norah Bowman said both the federal and provincial government have a role to play in regulating the 90,000 retailers who sell vaping products in B.C.

“The marketing of vaping products could be regulated federally,” said Bowman. “The actual sale and distribution of vaping products — just like liquor — is provincial.”

Trustee Rolli Cacchioni said it should be the retailers who should be targeted with the letter.

“It would be much powerful I think if we could address the provincial issues, including the 90,000 retailers who sell it,” he said.

“I’m not too sure with all the noise of the federal election now if this is going to be lost in the shop.”

Despite the apprehensiveness by some board members, Bowman said the letters would help drive home the message to elected officials about their concerns.

According to the government of Canada, 15 per cent of Canadians have tried a vaping product in their lifetime. Young adults (20-24 years old) reportedly the highest rates of trying vaping in Canada.


@connortrembley
connor.trembley@kelownacapnews.com

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