Ontario set to ban vaping in places where smoking is prohibited

Ontario is set to ban e-cigarette and medical marijuanausers from smoking or vaporizing anywhere regular cigarettes areprohibited.

"We have made a determination that smoking whatever it iswhether it's vaping, whether it's medical marijuana, whether it'scigarettes that there should be restrictions on that," PremierKathleen Wynne said Thursday.

"And so the rules will apply to marijuana, to medical marijuana,to vaping as they do to cigarettes."

The new rules come months after the Liberal governmentbacktracked on electronic cigarette regulations just one day afteran exemption for medical marijuana users came to light.

The rules will apply to marijuana, to medical marijuana to vaping as they do to cigarettes.- Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne

The e-cigarette rules were supposed to come into effect Jan. 1 toban their use in enclosed public places, workplaces and certainoutdoor areas.

But after the public learned of the medical marijuana exemptionand that it meant users could vaporize in restaurants, at work or onplaygrounds, the government put the rules on hold and went back tothe drawing board.

Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla is set to announce thegovernment's second attempt at the regulations today.She said last fall that it was too early to tell whether or notthe original exemption was a failure.

The government says these new regulations will be posted forconsultation and they will continue to get feedback from experts.