ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — The Grenada government says it will ban smoking in public spaces as well as restrict the use and sale of electronic cigarettes on the island.

Legal Affairs Minister Kindra Maturine-Stewart, speaking at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting, told reporters that the Keith Mitchell administration had taken the decision to table legislation banning the use and sale of vaping and e-cigarettes in Grenada.

 “I am certain that we are all aware of the data and statistics that is coming from within the world and data from within Caribbean shows a very worrying trend in respect to the prevalence and use of e-cigarettes and vaping.

“As it is now, e-cigarettes are available in Grenada and there is no legislation that prohibits, restrict the importation or the sale and use of e-cigarettes in Grenada,” she said, while confirming that legislation will be presented at the next sitting of the House of Parliament.

“While we have not received any reports of adverse health effects of vaping from our nationals we have seen some worrying trends and we cannot as a government wait until we have an issue on our hand,” she said.

Grenada has already in place, a policy banning smoking in government buildings as well as schools and hospitals and Maturine-Stewart said that public space will now be defined as areas where the public congregates including beaches and recreational areas, like parks and playgrounds.