The Official Opposition will bring bill 17, An Act to Amend the Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Sales Act for second reading in the Legislative Assembly today. The bill, presented by the Liberal Health critic Jean-Claude D’Amours would prohibit the sale of flavoured e-liquids used for vaping.

“Prohibiting the sale of flavoured e-liquids is a relatively simple step that would have a major impact on the alarming rates of youth vaping in the province.” says Jean-Claude D’Amours. “These flavours like cotton candy and peach are very attractive to young people, for some it’s what first attracted them to these products and many have admitted they would likely quit if they could not access these flavours.”

According to the Lung Association of Nova Scotia’s Youth and Young Adult Vaping Survey of New Brunswick, 90 per cent of youth began vaping using a flavoured e-liquids, 92 per cent currently use flavoured e-liquids and 48 per cent would stop vaping if flavours were no longer available.

“This is simply the right thing to do. These products are harmful and we need to be doing everything in our power to discourage people from using them, especially young people,” said Roger Melanson, interim Leader of the Official Opposition. “I hope to see every member of the Legislative Assembly vote in favour of bill 17 this afternoon.”