About The Project
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Should the Smoking and Vaping Bylaw be further strengthened?
Council has asked Administration to engage Calgarians on whether the Smoking and Vaping Bylaw should be stronger, with consideration to prohibiting:
- Waterpipe (hookah/shisha) smoking in workplaces, public premises and specified outdoor places
- Smoking and vaping in outdoor public parks and at outdoor public events
- Smoking and vaping in hotel and motel rooms
Why is Council asking for feedback about smoking and vaping?
Around the world, there is a growing trend toward smoke-free places.
Over the last few decades, Canada’s federal, provincial and municipal rules around smoking have changed a lot. For example:
- In 2000 it became federal law that cigarette packages had to carry full colour photograph-based health warnings on cigarettes
- In 2007, cigarette smoking in public places and work sites was banned in Alberta
- Starting in November this year – in addition to visual health warnings – all cigarettes sold in Canada must be in plain, dark brown packages with no colours or logos
What is waterpipe smoking?
A waterpipe – also called a hookah – is a device used to smoke shisha. Shisha is an herbal mixture or tobacco blend that is usually mixed with fruit, molasses or other flavourings and placed into the head of the waterpipe. Hot charcoal heats the shisha and the resulting smoke is inhaled after passing through the waterpipe’s vase of water and a hose.
Why is Council asking for feedback about prohibiting waterpipe smoking in public places?
While cigarette and tobacco smoking is generally prohibited indoors in Calgary, waterpipe smoking of non-tobacco products is not.
In the last decade, a great deal of research has shown that shisha smoking is a serious health risk that may be more harmful than smoking cigarettes. For this reason, the World Health Organization has said that waterpipe smoking should not be allowed in public places. (Public places means: all or any part of a building, structure or other enclosed area to which members of the public have access as of right or by express or implied invitation. Cafes, restaurants, bars or shopping malls are all examples of public places or premises.)
As awareness of shisha’s health risks grows, governments are increasingly taking steps to regulate it. In the interest of public health, many municipal governments have prohibited waterpipe smoking in public places, including Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa; a ban is pending in Edmonton. It has also been prohibited in countries where shisha use is common, including Turkey, Singapore, Jordan, Rwanda, and parts of Saudi Arabia.
Feedback from Calgarians and all stakeholders will be fully considered and will be an important factor in Administration’s recommendations to Council for consideration in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Definitions
DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this survey, please keep these definitions of smoking and vaping in mind as you answer the survey questions
Smoking means: (i) inhaling or exhaling the smoke produced by burning tobacco or cannabis; or (ii) holding or otherwise having control of any device or thing containing lit tobacco or cannabis.
Vaping means: (i) inhaling or exhaling the vapour, emissions or aerosol produced by an electronic smoking device or similar device containing tobacco, cannabis or any other substance, or (ii) holding or otherwise having control of an electronic smoking device that is producing vapour, emissions or aerosol from tobacco, cannabis or any other substance.
A Waterpipe is a smoking device that consists of a bowl mounted on a vessel of water which is provided with a long tube and arranged so that smoke is drawn through the water where it is cooled and travels up the tube to the mouth. Typically, the smoking material is placed in a bowl on top of the waterpipe and burned by charcoal which rests on top of smoking material, usually separated by aluminum foil.
Public Premises means: all or any part of a building, structure or other enclosed area to which members of the public have access as of right or by express or implied invitation. Cafes, restaurants, bars or shopping malls are all examples of public places or premises.
Provide Your Input
PROVIDE YOUR INPUT
NEXT STEPS
Administration will report back to Council through the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services with recommendations and potential bylaw amendments in Q4, 2019. Feedback from all impacted stakeholders and the public will be fully considered and will be an important factor in Administration’s recommendations to Council.