A university student health advocacy group is calling for the public ban of e-cigarettes in Edmonton.

The University of Alberta's Student Advocates for Public Health (SAPH) -- a student body made up of 11 graduate students -- is asking Edmonton city council to amend the current smoking bylaw to include a public ban on smoking e-cigarettes, citing the devices "mimic" smoking behaviours which can influence young children to take up smoking.

"Observing this modelling re-normalizes and renews the social acceptability associated with smoking behaviours. This re-normalization process contributes to the perception that e-cigarettes are safe and acceptable, in particular to youth," said Sabrina Singh, SAPH co-founder and paediatric registered nurse.

In the United States, it's estimated 1.78 million students have reported using e-cigarettes, of which an estimated 160,000 of those students have never smoked traditional cigarettes.

But the need for long-term studies is crucial, says Alberta Health Services physician and U of A professor of medicine, Dr. Irvin Mayers, and until it can be proven that e-cigarettes can be used as an effective form of harm-reduction, they should be treated as "every other drug."

Mayers says studies in the U.K show that 40 per cent of grade school kids -- from Grade 7 to 12 -- have used e-cigarettes in the last year.

"This is massive. This is where we were with tobacco use 80 years ago and the time to reduce exposure is now," said Mayers, adding that the marketing behind e-cigarettes is aimed at squarely at youth.

"When you look at what these products look like -- cotton candy, cherry, Skittles -- these are not aimed at people my age looking to quit. I think this is clearly a gateway for kids to start what looks like an acceptable use. These have nicotine in them and are highly addictive, so even if you get 14 year olds addicted to these there is no long-term data that says these are safe."

In speaking with city council, Singh says councillors are looking for more evidence before making any decisions. Singh says the group has compiled information focused on children and youth modelling behaviours and hope to present the information to city councillors in meetings later this week.

"There are a lot of studies on the re-modelization of smoking behaviours in general and how children can uptake those behaviours and start smoking," said Singh. "I think they (councillors) are receptive to listening to what's happening but they still want that evidence before they can create a policy that says e-cigarettes are part of the definition of smoking."

Trevor.robb@sunmedia.ca

@SunTrevorRobb