Vancouver ban on e-cigarettes should be national, says foundation

Vancouver city councillors voted unanimously this week to ban e-cigarettes in public spaces and the sale of the devices to minors.

Now, the Heart and Stroke Foundation is urging the federal government to also restrict the useand purchase of e-cigarettes.

"We are asking all levels of government, federal, provincial and municipal to act quickly to adopt regulations to protect Canadians similar to what Vancouver has done," said James,Lesley James, asenior health policy analyst for the foundation.

Vancouver city council's decision regarding e-cigarettes also includes banning their sale outright to minors.

The foundation advocates banninge-cigarettes in public spaces because, it says, little is known about the consequences of using the devices.

"We are not quite sure what the long-term impact of inhaling e-cigarette liquid is," James said.

Vancouver is the third Canadian jurisdiction to restrict e-cigarette use, joining the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario and theRed Deer, Alta.

School boards already have bans

A number of school boards in B.C. voted this past spring to ban e-cigarettes on school grounds, citing health concerns.

Health Canada prohibits electronic cigarettes that contain nicotine,andsome health advocateswarn the flavoured liquid solution couldcontain harmful chemicals.

However, theyare easy to find in some Lower Mainland stores andon the internet.

Electronic cigarettes that do not contain nicotine are legal and readily available in Canada.