TORONTO — On the heels of its successful smoking ban on patios, the Ontario government has proposed new legislation that will restrict the use and purchase of e-cigarettes by treating them like regular tobacco products. It is also revisiting the proposed calorie-posting requirements for Ontario chains.
The Making Healthier Choices Act, 2014 will ban e-cigarettes wherever smoking is prohibited, which includes all outdoor patios. It will also ban the sale of e-cigarettes for anyone under the age of 19. “The health impacts related to smoking and obesity are serious issues affecting our children and youth, as well as the sustainability of our health-care system. That’s why we have introduced legislation that, if passed, would help Ontarians make well-informed choices of what they eat and feed their children, to protect youth from tobacco products and e-cigarettes, and to further limit exposure to second-hand smoke in public areas,” said Dipika Damerla, associate minister of Health and Long-Term Care.
The ministry is also bringing the calorie-posting issue back to the table. It proposed a new bill, which requires calories for standard food-and-beverage items, including alcohol, to be posted on menus and menu boards in restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores and other foodservice premises in Ontario, if the chain has 20 or more locations in the province. Foodservice operators will also have to post contextual information that helps educate patrons about daily caloric requirements.
