The Village of Chase is looking to extinguish smoking and vaping on municipal property.
Following a presentation from Interior Health, Chase council called for the draft of a broad no-smoking bylaw.
On Sept. 10, council heard a presentation from Jeff Connors, tobacco reduction co-ordinator for Interior Health, explaining the benefits of adopting a bylaw that would prohibit smoking, vaping and cannabis use in parks and on other civic properties.
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It was not the first time Connors had spoken to Chase council. Approximately two years ago, a similar presentation was made that resulted in a smoking bylaw that does not address the use of cannabis. It also contains outdated mandatory smoking distances from building air intakes.
Sean O’Flaherty, the corporate officer in charge of drafting the bylaw, said an updated assessment could not come at a better time.
“Cannabis has been legalized in Canada, and the surge in use of e-cigarettes has appeared and is all over the news right now,” O’Flaherty said. “The timing is actually better now for us to address smoke-free areas in Chase than it was before.”
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The drafted bylaw covers use of cannabis, cigarettes and e-cigarettes. It also incorporates a concept that Connors said is used in ski resorts such as Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks, where smoking is completely prohibited in the village core, and outside the village centre in parks or on civic properties.
Ultimately, O’Flaherty said, council will decide just how stringent the bylaw through the approval process that includes public feedback.
So far, said O’Flaherty, Chase residents have indicated they are all for the bylaw.
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Most notably, organizers of the weekly Music on the Lake series have written to complain about smoking during the event.
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