Expert: Health evidence supports an Ottawa hookah ban
Leia Minaker, a scientist with the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo is available to speak on Toronto’s vote to ban the use of hookah in licensed establishments, and why this decision should influence Ottawa and other municipalities to pass similar laws
“Hookah use has been bucking the trend of decreasing tobacco use among Canadian youth, and misperceptions of harms caused by hookah smoking persist,” said Minaker. “Toronto now joins 35 other Canadian municipalities that have shown a commitment to improving public health by restricting hookah use in public establishments. All the health evidence supports this being a clear decision for Ottawa and municipalities across the province.”
Last Wednesday, Toronto councillors voted 43-3 in favour of the ban, which will take effect April 1, 2016.
Hookah is steadily growing in popularity among Canadian youth. Over one-third believe it is less harmful to use a hookah than to smoke a cigarette. Approximately 14 per cent of high school students in Canada have tried hookah, up from 10 per cent in 2010.
The provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Alberta already prohibit hookah use in public establishments.
