MLAs pass anti-tobacco legislation

Bill 33, the Tobacco Control Act, received quick passage in the legislative assembly this week, with little comment from MLAs.

Ed Picco, the minister of health and social services, called the act a key part of Nunavut’s plan to reduce diseases due to tobacco.

“This is a very historic day for this assembly,” he added. “This is one of the most important pieces of legislation this government will pass in this session.” The bill received third reading on Nov. 3.

The act designates all public places as smoke-free zones, with a three-metre smoke-free zone outside public buildings.

But it includes exemptions for elders’ facilities and private clubs such as the Royal Canadian Legion and the Elk’s Club. Elders’ residences were added to the list of exemptions, Picco said, because it would be cruel to make the old and infirm go outside to smoke.

The act contains a clause that would repeal the exemption for private clubs after two years. It is meant to allow municipalities to gradually roll in total bans.

Iqaluit implemented its anti-smoking bylaw on April 15.

The act includes measures to “denormalize” tobacco and limit advertising, including prohibiting tobacco vending machines and displays that allow people to handle tobacco products before purchase.

“For instance, Mr. Chairman, if you go into a store and you start smoking, you could be removed. You will be removed,” Picco told David Iqaqrialu, chairman of committee of the whole, during his opening address.

It will be enforced by RCMP and bylaw officers. In addition, the act gives the department of health the authority to appoint tobacco inspectors to monitor compliance.

The act, as passed, will not ban tobacco sales from pharmacies located in grocery stores. Initial drafts sought to ban retail tobacco sales from pharmacies, but the North West Company, which operates Northern and NorthMart stores, objected to the standing committee on health and education, saying most pharmacies in Nunavut are located in grocery stores.

The standing committee also asked that the health department table an annual report, with details on the cost of implementing the act and savings in related health-care costs.

But Bernie Blais, deputy minister for the department of health, said it may be 10 years before there is any noticeable difference in health costs.