Health Ministry working on vaping legislation

THE Ministry of Health is currently doing baseline evaluations toward creating legislation to govern the increasingly popular use of electronic cigarettes in a trend called vaping.

The revelation was made by Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh during a January 15,meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration which  looked at the country's response to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a specific focus on diabetes, cardiological diseases and cancer.

During the sitting, Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit asked if the ministry intended to amend the Tobacco Act to include regulations on vaping.

Deyalsingh said the trend is most popular among teenagers, so several people have been trained to educate students nationwide.

"Basically what we are doing at this stage is collecting the baseline data, we are doing the interventions and actions, and that would be the precursor to any legislative change which is being suggested to the Tobacco Act."

Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram said side effects of the habit were still emerging, given how recent the trend is.

"It's a relatively new phenomenon...It's not like tobacco which has been around for quite a long time. In terms of effects, you are seeing the acute effects, generally in terms of the cardiovascular system, (which) are the main concerns at this point.

"In terms of longer-term effects, for longer-lasting use, there hasn't been any, as far as I am aware, any research with that linkage to cancer, which of course has been strong as it relates to tobacco use."

However, committee chairman Paul Richards said there was enough information on the trend's effects that led to many countries proactively banning it. Additionally, he noted the concern that vaping could serve as a gateway to getting younger people hooked on nicotine and tobacco use.

"Countries have been proactive in understanding that scientifically, empirically, and making moves to amend their laws to deal with that," Richards said.

However, Deyalsingh said the ministry's position at this time is to actively examine the practice and focus on preventative work at schools.

"As I said, this would form the precursor to inform legislative changes moving forward.

"Legislative change is something we are looking at, but we don't have a policy position now to say, 'Yes, we are banning vaping.' It is something that would come in the future as we look at it."

Countries to ban the use of electronic cigarettes include Australia, Thailand and Singapore. Dozens of others have also implemented strict regulations on their sale and purchase.

Richards expressed his hope that legislation would be introduced to regulate the products' use, as he admittedto being disturbed by what he frequently observed.

"It's very disturbing for me to drive down Frederick Street and see children in school uniform with vaping pipes, regularly. And it is becoming even more and more prevalent walking around the streets."

In the discussion on reducing the prevalence of NCDs, Mohit also asked Deyalsingh about ongoing discussions with fast-food chains to provide healthier food options on their menus. The minister said he met with the consortium of fast-food restaurants in October and they pledged to do so.

However, he noted that Trinidad and Tobago is a free country which will would not regulate the private sector on what food it can sell. This is why, he said, providing healthier food options on menus would need to be done of the restaurant's own free will. In light of this, he called for people to exercise personal responsibility.

"We always advise the population: a lot of the onus is on you, specially parents, not to overindulge in fast foods. It is not about banning anything. We have always advised the population, do everything in moderation."

There have also been calls for better front-of-label packaging which clearly and largely displays key information about food and drink. This is in an effort to help customers make better, informed decisions.

Deyalsingh said the issue was being examined by the Minister of Trade and Industry.