New anti-tobacco bill expected later this fall
Jump to full article: Saskatoon (Sas) Star Phoenix (ca), 2009-10-27
Author: James Wood, The StarPhoenix
Intro: The provincial government is contemplating a smoking ban on restaurant and bar patios and in vehicles carrying minors.
New anti-tobacco legislation, expected to be introduced later this fall, would also set new limits on how close people smoking can be to public buildings and curtail tobacco sales in pharmacies.
The Saskatchewan Party government promised new anti-tobacco measures in the throne speech that started the legislative session last week.
"Allowing pharmacies, especially the big-box store pharmacies, to be selling tobacco products, it's a little counterintuitive to be passing out (smoking) cessation . . . medicine, for example, as well as selling tobacco at the same time," Health Minister Don McMorris said Monday. He noted some provinces have banned stores with pharmacies from selling cigarettes or have required groceries and big-box retailers to keep tobacco products separated from the pharmacy in an area with a distinct entrance.
McMorris said details of the province's legislation still need to be worked out but Saskatchewan must take steps to deal with smoking rates that are among the highest in Canada.
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