E-cigarette ban debated in Vancouver

E-cigarettes could be placed under the same restrictions as their traditional counterparts in Vancouver, depending on the outcome of a city council debate on the issue.

Presenting a report to council Tuesday, Dr. Meena Dawar from Vancouver Coastal Health supported the banning of e-cigarettes in public spaces.

Dewar warned of a laissez-faire attitude to the product, noting that there is an absence of quality control in place, and that basically anything can end up in them.

She called for a ban on selling e-cigarettes to minors, raising the question of whether they may prove to be a gateway to tobacco products for youth.

Council also heard that it is too early to tell whether e-cigarettes pose a cancer risk, and that there is no evidence so far that they are effective in helping people to quit smoking.

Council invited speakers to attend Wednesday's meeting to talk further on the subject.