Tobacco Laws

Legislation is a key tool in reducing tobacco use. In British Columbia, the sale and use of tobacco is governed by a variety of laws, including:

British Columbia Tobacco Control Act and regulation - limits the promotion and sale of tobacco products, bans smoking in indoor public and work places and bans all tobacco use in schools and on school grounds
British Columbia Tobacco Tax Act - tobacco taxes are a key tool to prevent youth from starting to smoke and to reduce overall tobacco use. Retailers who wish to sell tobacco must apply for a Tobacco Retailer Authorization (TRA) Certificate. A separate certificate is required for each location where tobacco is sold.
British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act, (Smoking in motor vehicle prohibited) - protects children under the age of 16 from second-hand smoke in all motor vehicles
Community Care and Assisted Living Act, Residential Care Regulation (Section 23), and the Child Care Licensing Regulation, Section 13 (3) - restricts smoking at community care facilities
British Columbia Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation, Part 4 (Environmental Tobacco Smoke section) - governs smoking and second-hand smoke in the workplace
Federal Tobacco Act and regulations
Local government bylaws - many local governments in British Columbia have additional tobacco laws. Please check with your local government for details.

Enforcement of the legislation includes activities such as retailer education, public education, work with stakeholders, inspections, administrative checks, enforcement checks and surveillance operations. These activities are conducted by Tobacco Enforcement Officers employed by Health Authorities, and are guided by the Tobacco Control Act Compliance Enforcement Manual (PDF 220K). Fine amounts for contraventions of the Tobacco Control Act and regulation are set out under the Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation.

Resources - Tobacco Control Act

Information about the Tobacco Control Act is available for:

Other resources include: