Beginning August 15, the first provision of new tobacco legislation will come into force in Saskatchewan. This legislation is part of The Tobacco Control Amendment Act, 2010 which was passed by the Legislature on May 20, 2010.
"The different amendments of The Tobacco Control Act will come into effect in a staged approach," Health Minister Don McMorris said. "The first one to come into effect on August 15 is the provision that prohibits all tobacco use in schools and on school grounds."
The proposed date for the second stage is October 1, 2010, and will include the following provisions: prohibiting smoking in vehicles when children under the age of 16 are present; prohibiting smoking in common areas of multi-unit dwellings; and prohibiting smoking within a prescribed distance of doorways, windows and air intakes.
Provisions related to retailer signage, the visibility of tobacco and tobacco-related products and the sale of little cigars in packages of less than 20 will also come into effect at this time.
The final stage will occur early in 2011 and will include the provisions that will prohibit the sale of tobacco in pharmacies.
