[DrJones]

Axeman Axeman:

coaster_dot coaster_dot:

Is the smoking age in Canada 19 or 18?

You must be 19 to purchase cigarettes in Ontario, but 16 to possess them. So, a parent can legally purchase cigarettes for their 16 year old to smoke.

You are right. I stand corrected.

It is now the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statut ... _e.htm#BK3

Section 3 - you must be 19 to purchase.

I see nothing in there about possessing cigarettes at 16 though. I don't think there's any age restriction on that.

[coaster_dot]

Oh so it was 19...

I wonder if the border would care if I brought back a carton of "players" to the US.

[DrJones]

coaster_dot coaster_dot:

Oh so it was 19...

I wonder if the border would care if I brought back a carton of "players" to the US.

Depends on if you're 19 (?) and if you declare it!

[Axeman]

Brenda Brenda:

Its the law in Ontario.. it should be the law everwhere.. you should be only able to smoke in your own house..that is if you dont have kids... bout time
Now axeman just tells us you have to be 16 to be allowed to smoke.
so why didn't this girl get a ticket for smoking while she was 15?

They don't give tickets for possession of tobacco. They just confiscate it. They only give teens tickets if they're smoking on school property.

[Brenda]

Axeman Axeman:

Brenda Brenda:

Now axeman just tells us you have to be 16 to be allowed to smoke.
so why didn't this girl get a ticket for smoking while she was 15?

They don't give tickets for possession of tobacco. They just confiscate it. They only give teens tickets if they're smoking on school property.

Fixed that quote for ya... I didn't use Kenmore's words

why don't they give tickets for that? Offence is offence.

Is that a law that you can not smoke on school property, or just a school issued thing? Can you have legal possesion of tobacco under 19?


My point is... hypocrisy...

[DrJones]

There is NO offence in Ontario for possessing tobacco products when you are under 19. Check out the legislation in the link I posted earlier.

It is an offence to smoke on school property. Hence the distinction.

[Brenda]

then how can you make it illegal to smoke around minors, while it is not illegal for them to smoke themselves?

[DrJones]

That, Brenda, is an excellent question.

But no one ever said the government had to be logical in how it makes it laws!

(I guess the rationale is adults "should know better"...?)

[RUEZ]

Brenda Brenda:

then how can you make it illegal to smoke around minors, while it is not illegal for them to smoke themselves?

because they are minors.

[Brenda]

RUEZ RUEZ:

Brenda Brenda:

then how can you make it illegal to smoke around minors, while it is not illegal for them to smoke themselves?

because they are minors.

Shouldn't the first law regarding this be: minors are not allowed to smoke
with a sub paragraph to that one: adults are not allowed to smoke around minors
?

[Axeman]

DrJones DrJones:

There is NO offence in Ontario for possessing tobacco products when you are under 19. Check out the legislation in the link I posted earlier.

It is an offence to smoke on school property. Hence the distinction.

Not for just smoking, but possessing. Cops and teachers confiscate cigarettes from children under 16 in Ontario, whether they're actually smoking on school property or not. I don't know what peice of legislation gives them the authority, but they do it. To actually get a ticket, you're right, they must be smoking on public property.

[DrJones]

Hmmm... I would be interested in knowing what authority lets them to do that... not that I object to it, but still...

[Axeman]

DrJones DrJones:

Hmmm... I would be interested in knowing what authority lets them to do that... not that I object to it, but still...

I found the answer. For police, they can confiscate cigarettes under the Family and Child Services Act, which requires children be given "appropriate care, supervision and protection" under age 16. That is also the age that parents can be charged with Child Neglect or Failing to Provide the Necessities of Life, if the police want to go so far as to lay criminal charges or call in FCS to aprehend the child. For teachers, the Education Act gives them authority to confiscate cigarettes on similar grounds, as well as perform searches without warrant in some circumstances.

[DrJones]

Good researching! Still leaves me wondering why the officer in the original story didn't stop the 15 year old from lighting up in front of him.