Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre says the city doesn’t need a smoking bylaw, though it’s one of the rare Vancouver Island communities lacking a local ban on tobacco.
“My initial reaction is that I don’t think it’s a problem,” Lefebvre told
The NEWS Wednesday afternoon, when asked if the city could benefit from a more stringent ban on smoking.
“I have not been told ever, ever, ever that ‘Hey someone is smoking too much in here.'”
But Island Health’s Dr. Paul Hasselback called Parksville “an anomaly” for its lack of local regulation around cigarette smoke.
“Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo have some of the better (smoking) bylaws on the Island and they implemented those bylaws years ago…Parksville sits in the centre and hasn’t addressed this issue at all.”
Hasselback confirmed Island Health sent the City of Parksville a letter suggesting they consider a bylaw that would harmonize smoking regulations on Vancouver Island.
Currently, Parksville and all British Columbian communities are covered under the Tobacco Control Act, provincial legislation regulating the use, sale and display of tobacco products.
According to the Ministry of Health’s communication officer Stephen May, the Act prohibits smoking in public buildings (schools, hospitals, government buildings), enclosed workplaces, common areas of apartment buildings and transit shelters. It also bans smoking in buffer zones, meaning within three meters of a doorway, window or air intake to a building.
While the provincial regulations span B.C., local governments may increase protection if they want.
Nanaimo’s manager of bylaw Randy Churchill explains the city prohibits smoking in city-managed recreational spaces like parks, plazas and beaches.
“It’s really designed for recreational facilities and our trail and park systems,” Churchill said, noting the bylaws were enacted in response to a demand from the community.
He said those caught breaking the bylaw may face fines up to $150, however, it’s “a well respected bylaw” that “doesn’t create an onerous demand on resources.”
Qualicum Beach also has a bylaw in place prohibiting smoking in any public building and increases the provincially legislated 3 metre buffer zone to 7.5 metres.
“We know tobacco remains a significant health concern and we need to be doing what we can to reduce the use of tobacco and exposure to secondhand smoke,” said Hasselback. “A clear reason (for local smoking bylaws) is to establish our social norms particularly for our children.”
Island Health’s suggestion that Parksville consider a smoking bylaw comes at an interesting time as provincial regulations are in flux.
In March the government introduced the Tobacco Control Amendment Act to ensure e-cigarettes and other vapour products will be regulated similar to tobacco under the Tobacco Control Act.
This legislation, when passed and enacted, will require retailers to ensure e-cigarettes are only sold to adults age 19 and older, creates authorities to regulate displays of e-cigarettes which can be used to ensure they are not targeted to youth, and to ensure e-cigarette advertising is not shown where youth can see it.
Meanwhile, the Capitol Regional District introduced a new Clean Air Bylaw April 1 extending smoke-free zones to include outdoor public spaces including parks, playgrounds, playing fields, public squares and beaches within a park.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, 70 of which cause cancer. The society estimates 37,000 people die annually in Canada as a result of smoking tobacco. The CCS claims non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke breathe the same harmful chemicals as smokers and no exposure to secondhand smoke is safe.
