You now have to be at least 19 to buy tobacco and vape products in Sask.
As of Thursday (Feb. 1) those who smoke and vape in Saskatchewan have to be at least 19-years-old to legally buy products.
The move brings tobacco and vape in line with age limits for alcohol and cannabis in the province.
Health Minister Everett Hindley says Saskatchewan continues to have some of the highest rates of smoking and vaping amongst youth in Canada.
“That’s a concern, it’s one that I’ve heard from parents and from youth leaders as well, the Youth for Change group has been lobbying for a number of changes to help improve and reduce those rates,” Hindley said.
According to Hindley one of their main reasons for the change was the previous age meant that in some cases high-school students would be able to legally buy tobacco and vape products.
“We feel there’s no room for that in our province and so we think it’s important to make this change to help reduce those rates amongst youth in Saskatchewan,” he said.
“I think that whatever steps we can take to help drive that message home that this isn’t safe for young people to be doing I think we are wanting to make sure that we take those steps,” Hindley added.
Saskatchewan joins five other provinces in setting the smoking and vaping age at 19.
Prince Edward Island has the highest legal age limit in Canada to purchase tobacco and vape products at 21.
The province says that retailers will be responsible for making sure the products are not sold to anyone younger than 19.
“Government-issued identification containing the person's photograph, date of birth and signature (e.g. a passport or driver's license) is required to confirm age,” the province said in a January release.
Businesses selling the products will also be required to change signage reflecting the age change. Signs must also be visible at all times at the cash register, the province said.
Legislation on the matter was passed in October, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an “innocent” couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough, and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other – Marie-Claude Bibeau – doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year’s attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel’s most wanted man.
Meta attempts to crack down on sextortion in new campaign
Meta has launched a new campaign to protect teens and children from social media sextortion scams. It’s designed to help teenagers and their parents easily spot online scammers, who trick young people into sending intimate photos and use financial blackmail, threatening exposure.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
These are the top trending Halloween costumes in Canada, according to Google
According to Google search data, the top Halloween costumes trending in Canada include everything from Taylor Swift for kids to the Joker and Harley Quinn for couples.