Lighting up a joint or puffing an e-cigarette in a public place might soon lead to a $250 fine as efforts continue to update Niagara's second-hand smoking bylaw.

Members of Niagara Region's public health committee supported the amended bylaw at Tuesday's meeting, adding cannabis and vaping to the 2013 bylaw that so far is limited to tobacco.

Niagara's chronic disease and injury prevention manager Diana Teng said the amended bylaw, slated to take effect Aug. 1, also expands the list of areas where use of the products is prohibited to include municipal and regional beaches and recreational trails and to within nine metres of entrances to any public building, in addition to all locations where smoking is currently prohibited.

The bylaw, however, will need triple majority support, from regional council and a majority of local municipal councils representing a majority of Niagara residents.

Fort Erie Coun. Tom Insinna said since Bay Beach in Fort Erie opened for the season, concerns have been raised "that people are actually going to smoke pot on the beach."

"It continues to be an issue, right now," he said.

Teng said the bylaw will be enforced on a complaint basis, adding the Region has five tobacco control officers who would respond.

"I understand that by the time we respond to a complaint about someone they would no longer be there," she said.

However, she added, the responding officers would be on site if there is "a common problem that's happening at the same time."

Municipal bylaw enforcement officers, too, will be able to enforce the bylaw.

Insinna was also concerned about ensuring people are informed about the bylaw, "even those who are coming into the area, let's say, from the United States from Buffalo, who want to go down to the beach and have a toke, because in Canada they can."

Teng said the health department is planning an extensive communication strategy to coincide with the bylaw, including additional signage, and on social media and other media.

Explaining the rationale behind the bylaw amendments, Teng told committee members cannabis smoke contains some of the same carcinogenic chemicals found in tobacco smoke.

She said harmful chemicals are also found in e-cigarette vapour, although the levels are not as high as conventional cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes is increasing among youths, which also increases the probability they will eventually move on to cigarettes.

"Youth that have never used e-cigarettes or tobacco have a 7.9 per cent chance of using tobacco in the future," she said. "Where youth that started using e-cigarettes would move on and have a 30 per cent chance of using tobacco in the future."

As a result, Teng said researches determined that for the first time in years, the use of tobacco among youths is increasing.

Including e-cigarettes in the bylaw, she said, "is really to deter youth from initiating use and then further progressing into tobacco use in the future, while reducing visual cues for those who might be trying to quit e-cigarettes."

Niagara Region program evaluator Amanda Kirkwood said recent public consultation on the bylaw amendments was "very favourable," adding more than 75 per cent supported the changes.

She said people who were opposed called it an inconvenience, while others predicted people will not comply with the amended bylaw.

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Allan.Benner@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1629 | @abenner1