‘We can see the harms’: Why health experts say Canada should consider the U.K.’s smoking ban

Should Canada follow the UK and ban smoking for people born after 2008?

Young people in the United Kingdom may go their whole lives without being able to buy cigarettes.

A proposed law aims to stop anyone born after 2008 from taking up smoking.

“The United Kingdom legislation is significant, historic, is generating incredible international media attention, and it’s something that we should be considering in Canada,” said Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society.

“Already, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador have public consultations for tobacco-free generations, smoke-free generations.”

While Cunningham said smoking rates among high schoolers have improved in the last 25 years, they’re still not in a good place.

“If we look at Grade 12 students, 9.5 per cent for smoking, 27 per cent for vaping, so it’s still elevated,” he said. “Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in Canada.”

Vaping has become a big concern among Canadian youth.

“There’s a lot of harms that we are able to detect now, and looking forward, it’s actually quite worrisome seeing some of the long-term consequences,” said Dr. Dimas Mateos, the division head of pediatric respirology at the IWK Health Centre.

“Vaping hasn’t been around for that long, but we can start to see the harms.”

‘Creates a nice buffer’

Health Canada has not said whether it is considering a lifetime ban for people 17 and younger, but the idea has started a conversation in Nova Scotia.

“I think that’d be a good strategy for Canadian youth. I’d be for that,” said Brian Kozaczuk.

“It seems a little authoritarian, but it’s for a good cause. I mean, no one really needs cigarettes, right?” said Matthew Murphy.

If a ban does not come into effect in Canada, both Cunningham and Mateos suggest a good place to start would be increasing the minimum age for buying cigarettes or vapes – something P.E.I. has already done.

“This really creates a nice buffer between those school-aged kids and someone that is 21 and older,” said Mateos. “There’s less likelihood that those individuals are going to be sharing their products with someone that’s in high school.”

The U.K. law has been approved by both houses of Britain’s Parliament, but it still does require royal assent before it can officially go into effect.