Youth4Change
YOUTH4CHANGE WANTS YOUR HELP: SIGN E-PETITION TO TAKE ACTION ON NICOTINE POUCHES TARGETING KIDS!
Please join us in protecting Canadian youth from the harmful effects of nicotine products by signing this E-Petition to take action on nicotine pouches. Available in a variety of enticing flavours including berry frost, chill mint, and tropic breeze, nicotine pouches are currently legally able to be sold to children of any age in easy-to-access locations such as gas stations and convenience stores. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that can interfere with healthy brain development in youth. Together, we can urge the Government of Canada to protect youth by:
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Requiring nicotine pouches to be sold on a prescription-only basis or temporarily suspending the legal sale of nicotine pouches until proper regulations are formed
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Ensuring no other new nicotine products are approved by Health Canada (except on a prescription-only basis) until adequate regulations are in place
Help make a meaningful difference in protecting the health and future of our youth by signing this petition today!
YOUTH4CHANGE APPLAUDS THE SASKATCHEWAN GOVERNMENT FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE TOBACCO AND VAPOUR PRODUCTS CONTROL AMENDMENT ACT
Youth4Change and their health partners from Lung Saskatchewan, Heart & Stroke, and the Canadian Cancer Society applaud the unanimous passing of the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Amendment Act by the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly on November 8, 2023. This act will increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 19, as well as crack down on the advertising and promotion of vapour products to help protect the province’s youth.
The proposed legislation comes after Youth4Change groups from across Saskatchewan, along with their health partners, had presented several recommendations to the government, including advocating for years to increase the minimum age for purchase. Bill 147 also received Royal Assent shortly after its passage!
YOUTH ADVOCACY RALLY
Youth4Change groups and health partners stormed the Saskatchewan Legislature on May 16 to advocate for regulatory measures to protect youth from vaping. Vaping is a youth & young adult issue and Saskatchewan has some of the highest youth vaping rates in the country. Tobacco continues to be the number one cause of preventable disease and death, killing almost eight million people worldwide, including 48,000 people in Canada every year. In Saskatchewan, that equates to 1,500 deaths per year (18% of all yearly deaths).
Youth4Change has eight recommendations for the government to reduce the impact of tobacco and vaping use on our healthcare system, economy, and our people:
- Ban all vape flavours (except tobacco flavour)
- Increase age of purchase
- Ban online sales of vape products
- Tobacco retailer licensing
- Supports for quitting smoking
- Taxation
- Provincially funded strategy
- Ban vaping in outdoor public spaces
Over the past decade, we have seen an increase in vaping product use especially among youth and young adults. Vaping has become a youth issue and with no response from the government we knew that the youth voice needed to be heard! Youth4Change was created in 2018 with a group of youth in Saskatoon, and expanded to include two other groups in Saskatchewan working together to educate and advocate for policy change! Youth4Change is working to make sure that youth understand the health risks of vaping and are advocating to the government to regulate vaping more closely. We are working hard to make changes to protect all Saskatchewan Kids.
Youth4Change groups from Saskatoon, Piapot Cree Nation and the University of Regina successfully advocated for the passing of Bill 182, The Tobacco and Vaping Control Act in Saskatchewan which came into effect on February 1st 2020.
If you would like to join Youth4Change, contact us at youth4change@lungsask.ca
