Starting today, e-cigarettes will be treated exactly the same as their tobacco counterparts in British Columbia.

So what does that mean for vapers?

The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act means that you can no longer inhale e-cigarettes in public spaces such as workplaces and restaurants in BC. Their use is also banned from public and private schools, as well as health authority properties, unless they are used in a designated area.

The change in the rules will also impact the way that vapes are sold and advertised. Retailers are now required to check that e-cigarettes are sold only to adults aged 19 and above, and to ensure that no retail displays or advertising are targeted to youth.

The laws have been implemented to help curb the growing use of e-cigarettes by young people in BC. According to the provincial government, e-cigarette use is highest among young people with one in five youth in Canada having tried an e-cigarette.