Airdrie City Council will be backing a resolution to be proposed at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) meeting in Edmonton later this month that will ask the Alberta government to ban the advertisement and promotion of vaping products to Alberta youth. 

This week, council received information on a total of 20 resolutions to be presented by various members at the AUMA convention September 25th - 27th in Edmonton.  The one related to vaping comes from the City of St. Albert and says,

"It is resolved that AUMA advocate for the Government of Alberta to expeditiously amend the Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act and/or regulations under that statute as required to ban the advertisement and promotion of vaping products to Alberta's youth."

City council enthusiastically gave their approval to the resolution, with some councillors saying it didn't go far enough and that vaping advertising should be banned for everyone, not just for youth.

One Alberta government member, Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie, says personally, he'd be on board if the resolution is passed and the government is asked to ban the advertising for youth.

"I don't like vaping myself, I'm a non-smoker.  I don't think there's been enough research that's gone into vaping, certainly not enough research to say that it's a healthier option, for sure."

This week, a London, Ontario teen who used e-cigarettes daily suffered a severe case of pulmonary illness.  Local health officials say they believe it's the first confirmed case of vaping-related lung disease in Canada.  The youth was initially on life support but is now recovering at home after being treated in an intensive care unit.  

Officials in the U.S. have been investigating an increase in severe breathing illnesses linked to vaping marijuana in recent months. They have identified 380 confirmed and probable cases, including at least six deaths.

Guthrie says this simply confirms that vaping is not a safer option than smoking. "I think we're finding out as kids and even older people that are vaping and the health issues that they're having and developing, we're seeing that this is maybe not quite the safer option that's being put out there."

Guthrie says the resolution being proposed by AUMA would get his wholehearted support once it's presented to the government.  "Changing those advertising rules to be more in line with tobacco, that would suit me fine.  That's me speaking personally," he adds.

Several members of Airdrie City Council will attend the convention.  

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