Vaping shops should be excluded from new smoke-free regulations, says Sarnia e-cigarette...

Vaping shops could soon face a new hurdle in helping tobacco smokers kick the habit, says the owner of a Sarnia electronic cigarette shop.

Martin Lacombe, of Tugboat Vaping Co., is raising concerns over the Ontario government's plan to ban the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places, including vape shops.

“The problem is here we are turning a 25-year smoker into a non-smoker, getting all the carcinogens and toxins out, and I can't show them how to do vaping,” Lacombe said from his downtown Sarnia shop Monday.

Staff of Tugboat Vaping Co. currently spend about an hour with each new customer, walking them through the different types of e-cigarettes and vaping liquids – a flavoured mixture of vegetable glycerin and water with varying amounts of nicotine – before allowing them to take their first puff in a safe place.

“Vaping should be done in a relaxed atmosphere,” said Lacombe, whose shop also operates as a vaping lounge.

Under the province's proposed new regulations, Ontario e-cigarette and medical marijuana users would be banned from vaping or smoking in enclosed public places, workplaces and certain outdoor areas, similar to the rules faced by tobacco smokers.

These new regulations were expected to come into effect Jan. 1, but after an outcry from vaping and medical marijuana advocates, the Ontario government returned to the drawing board to reexamine its proposal and to allow for a period of public consultation.

Public input can now be submitted through Ontario's Regulatory Registry website until April 24.

Hundreds of vaping advocates – including Lacombe – staged a protest at Queen's Park in December over the proposed changes, and Lacombe said industry-wide advocacy efforts have continued over the last few months.

While Lacombe supports a vaping ban in public places, he said vaping shops should be excluded from the new regulations due to the nature of their business.

The Ontario government could instead be focusing its energies on regulating vaping liquids, he added, noting the industry is “self-regulating” right now by commissioning its own testing of e-liquids.

The Electronic Cigarette Trade Association of Canada (ECTA) has been lobbying for a regulatory framework for the vaping industry.

“I do believe within a year, we'll have it,” Lacombe said.

He believes vaping shops are saving lives by helping often-lifelong smokers kick the habit once and for all.

It's something he's experienced firsthand.

As a 25-year smoker, Lacombe finally kicked the habit in 2013 after he came across a friend using an e-cigarette at a poker night.

“The next pay cheque I went down and got myself an e-cigarette and within weeks, I was off smoking,” said the former truck driver.

Shortly thereafter, Lacombe decided to make a leap into the growing vaping industry. He worked as a district sales manager for an Ottawa vaping shop for three years, helping open up 17 new stores.

Last June, he opened up his own shop, Tugboat Vaping Co., in Sarnia due to the city's population and demand for e-cigarettes.

Sarnia has now three e-cigarette shops.

“For an industry that keeps on growing by leaps and bounds with no big money behind us, that's proof of how well the product works,” Lacombe said.

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These kinds of bans seem totally rediculous to me, especially since a lot of people are now vaping no-nicotine juice. It makes absolutely no sense at all the ban vaping in a vape store. The ability to go to a store and taste the flavors is so good for the merchant and the customer. If people want to pass a ban like this for restaurants or something... I still think it's dumb but I can abide by that. But to not make an exception for vape shops is just silly and a way for people to try to control what others do when it has NO effect on them at all.

 

I agree, now its vaping they want to ban, even in vape stores. Whats next its just a matter of controlling other people and taking their rights away. Its all good to them till its some thing they want or need. I too smoked for almost 20 years and I see signs all over no vaping its not fair, they vapor don’t hurt any one and if they don’t like the smell of my candy vapor its OK I don’t like their cologne I don’t try and stop them from wearing it.

 

Seems like another simple issue that gets fogged up when there is a classification issue. It is just sad that it gets lumped in with smoking and has to be tied in with all of these laws and statutes. Hopefully the more information and data that comes out can really spark some common sense and we can see more modest laws in place. I can hope and dream at least.