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Any restrictions already in place in Saskatchewan are only at the municipal level. Saskatoon was one of the first municipalities in Canada to impose bylaws banning smoking indoors as well as on restaurant patios in 2004.

“At the time, that was really ahead of the curve,” said Donna Pasiechnik, the Canadian Cancer Society manager of tobacco control in Saskatchewan.

Pasiechnik said one major problem is that businesses aren’t required to obtain a license from the province to sell tobacco — even though it could act as a potential revenue generator and give a clearer picture of how many businesses sell the products. She says it could also act as a deterrent if stores were required to pay a licensing fee to stock the products — and stores would be less likely to sell to minors if it meant risking this licence.

Pasiechnik noted 63 per cent of respondents supported banning flavoured tobacco products. She says although the federal legislation banning menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigarillos is a start, she would like to see all flavoured tobacco taken off the shelves, including popular options such as flavoured chewing tobacco.

“Why would we not, given that we have the highest rate of (flavoured chewing tobacco) usage in the country, ban it?” Pasiechnik said.

E-cigarettes are also playing a huge role in the flavoured tobacco market, adds Jennifer May, the vice-president of health and promotion for the Saskatchewan Lung Association.