Inspection and Enforcement Information for Retailers Selling Tobacco and Vapour Products (Vapes)
The health unit's tobacco enforcement officers (TEOs) are designated by the Ministry of Health as provincial offences officers with the authority to enforce the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (SFOA, 2017).
Among their duties related to retail sales of tobacco and vapour products, tobacco enforcement officers:
- educate retail vendors (including convenience stores, supermarkets, gas stations, specialty vape stores, and tobacconists) to ensure they are made aware of the laws and the expectations for any business or employee selling tobacco or vapour products;
- inspect retailers for compliance with the display and sales requirements for tobacco and vapour products;
- ensure the proper signage, including requiring identification to buy tobacco and vapour products, is clearly displayed and marketing materials promoting tobacco and vapour product brands are not visible to the public;
- work with youth test shoppers to ensure retailers are not selling tobacco and vapour products to anyone under 19 years of age; and
- lay charges where necessary and follow through with related court process.
TEOs also respond to complaints and requests from the public and retail vendors to ensure compliance with the SFOA, 2017 including concerns related to selling tobacco or vapour products to youth under 19 years of age. To lodge a complaint or request education or assistance, you can call the health unit at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 or go to our Contact Us page and a tobacco enforcement officer will follow up.
Retail outlets and business owners must ensure their staff are educated on the laws for selling tobacco and vapour products. Websites that can help explain the law and responsibilities can be found below. Businesses convicted of sales offences under the SFOA, 2017 are reported on the health unit's Tobacco and E-cigarette (Vapour Products) Retail Convictions web page.
Thinking about buying a tobacco or vapour product retail business?
Prospective buyers of a tobacco or vapour product business are strongly encouraged to contact the local public health unit to confirm the premises' compliance history. A premises with two or more convictions against the owner at that address for a tobacco sales offence under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 may be subject to a Notice of Prohibition Against the Sale, Storage and Delivery of Tobacco Products (known as an "Automatic Prohibition").
