New rules treating e-cigarettes like traditional smokes have come into effect in B.C.
As of Thursday, retailers are barred from selling the trendy battery-powered vapourizers to anyone under the age of 19, just like regular cigarettes.
E-cigarette displays and advertisements also must be kept out of sight of underage customers.
Under the province’s new regulations, puffing on the vapourizers is now banned in on public and private school grounds, in indoor public spaces and workplaces, and in vehicles when someone under the age of 16 is present.
Canada already has a ban on the sale of e-cigarette liquid that contains nicotine, but B.C. health officials believe the devices still normalize smoking behaviour for youths, which they fear can lead to nicotine addiction down the road.
A U.S. study published earlier this year found teens who had used an e-cigarette were more likely to start smoking a year later than those who hadn’t.
According to the Ministry of Health, B.C. has the lowest smoking rate in all of Canada, at roughly 15 per cent.
