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Ottawa Public Health is launching its third wave of recent anti-smoking initiatives, this time targeting youth vaping and examining areas where the city has no jurisdiction to ban smoking.

The first wave in 2012 was banning smoking in more public spaces, like parks and restaurant patios. The second wave in 2016 clamped down on water pipes.

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Now, the health unit wants to curb people’s vaping habits, especially kids’ growing addiction to e-cigarettes.

The board of health received the health unit’s plan of attack on Monday night.

According to the health unit’s research, there are more local youths now using e-cigarettes than puffing regular cigarettes. In 2017, 10 per cent of students reported using an e-cigarette, compared with six per cent who smoked cigarettes in the previous 12 months.

On top of that, the health unit learned 48 per cent of Ottawa students in Grades 9 to 12 believe that regular vaping presents slight or no health risks.