P.E.I. vape and tobacco shops can now be fined up to $25,000 for breaking rules

Nicola MacLeod · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 2:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Shops connected Prince Edward Island that merchantability baccy and physics smoking devices, including vaporizers, tin present beryllium fined up to $25,000 for violating the province's rules.

In an effort to ace down connected younker vaping, P.E.I. raised the minimum property to acquisition nicotine vaping products to 21 backmost successful 2020, and banned the merchantability of flavoured products wholly successful 2021.

Changes to the P.E.I. Tobacco and Electronic Smoking Device Sales and Access Act came into effect connected Feb. 1 aft amendments passed during the autumn sitting of the legislature.

Among the changes is simply a large summation to the maximum good for corporations that repeatedly interruption the enactment — up to $25,000 for repetition offenders. 

Provincial tribunal judges tin besides present besides contented orders to halt businesses from being capable to merchantability those for up to 90 days arsenic punishment.

"Despite precocious compliance with astir retailers, the fines were accrued arsenic a deterrent to retailers who are successful continuous non-compliance," officials from the Chief Public Health Office said successful an email to CBC News.

Under the wire

On Thursday, Matthew Middleton appeared successful provincial tribunal connected behalf of the Charlottetown-based store Vape Head.

The concern was charged with 2 counts of selling flavoured baccy products and 1 number of selling to an underage person. But arsenic Vape Head was told successful court, it was lucky. 

The concern had been caught selling flavoured products for a 4th clip connected Jan. 18 — 2 weeks earlier the caller penalties came into force. 

Because they had been caught 3 times oregon more, the punishment could person been $25,000 had the complaint been laid aft Feb. 1.

The concern pleaded blameworthy to the underage merchantability complaint and 1 of the flavoured merchantability charges and was fined $1,000 for each. The Crown stayed the 2nd complaint related to the merchantability of flavoured tobacco.

Vape Head besides pleaded blameworthy to a flavoured merchantability complaint successful November and was fined $1,000 then.

On Thursday, Judge Lantz warned Middleton that the punishment could beryllium $25,000 adjacent time.

Middleton told the tribunal Vape Head would not find itself successful this presumption again.

The concern has until April 30 to wage a full of $2,100.