The Melfort Youth Evolution, a community group from Melfort, Saskatchewan, is advocating for stricter regulations on vaping to combat the high rates of teenage vaping in the province.

According to Lung Saskatchewan, 30% of Saskatchewan youth in grades 7-12 reported vaping in the last 30 days of 2019. Youth who vape are also reportedly three times more likely to start smoking, as both activities share the same fundamental health hazard: nicotine addiction.

To address this issue, the Melfort Youth Evolution is advocating for the following changes:

Ban all vape flavours except tobacco flavour
Increase the age of purchase from 18 to 19
Ban online sales of vape products
Introduce tobacco retailer licensing
Supports for quitting smoking
Taxation of vape products
Establish a provincially funded strategy to address vaping
Ban vaping in outdoor public places

Saskatchewan is currently the only province in Canada that has a younger minimum purchase age for tobacco and vaping products (18 years) than the purchase age for alcohol and cannabis (19 years). The Melfort Youth Evolution believes that this makes vaping products more accessible to underage youth.

The group hopes that by pushing for these changes, they can protect their friends from becoming “lab rats” and develop long-lasting healthy habits.

“I am so incredibly proud of these youth who spent the time to research, create displays and present to the government the dangers of vaping and why it shouldn’t be targeted at youth,” says Kathryn Carswell, one of their adult allies. “It was an opportunity that they won’t forget.”

The Melfort Youth Evolution understands that change won’t happen overnight, but they are committed to advocating for stricter regulations and awareness about the dangers of vaping.

Let’s support them in their efforts to create a healthier environment for the youth of Saskatchewan.