The provincial NDP is calling for stronger measures that restrict youth from vaping.

Health critic Frances Gelinas is putting forward a Private Member’s Bill that includes several initiatives.

It includes raising the legal age limit to purchase products.

“If vaping is to help people quit smoking, then there is no reason to make it available to people of 18, 19, or 20 years old,” says Gelinas.

“The age to buy vaping products will go up to 21 years old.”

The Canadian Cancer Society supports the proposed bill.

Advocacy Manager for Ontario, Hilliary Buchan-Terrell, says the number of youth who vape is high, especially among grade 12 students.

“Twenty-seven percent of grade 12s are actually vaping. That’s nearly a third of youth,” says Buchan-Terrell.

“The high school rates are quite high, but particularly around that age group.”

Buchan-Terrell adds that increasing the legal age to purchase the product to 21 brings it further away from youth in high school.

Other measures proposed by Gelinas include a ban on advertising, limits on the amount of nicotine in vaping products, and restrictions on their sale to specialty vape stores.

She also wants to have a portion of the taxes raised from their sale earmarked toward education campaigns that inform people of the health effects of vaping.

“It’s about time that the government takes measures to protect our young people because there are more and more children who are becoming addicted to these products and to nicotine when they start vaping very young. This bill could change this situation,” says Gelinas.

The bill was introduced in the Ontario Legislature this week.