Smoking and vaping enforcement
How we enforce the laws related to tobacco, cannabis, waterpipes, and vapour products.
Laws are in place to protect people from being exposed to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and vapour, and to regulate the sale and use of these products.
Prospective buyers of tobacco retail dealer premises are strongly encouraged to contact Peel Public Health to confirm premises conviction history. For full details refer to tobacco sales offences and automatic prohibition.
Smoke-Free Ontario Act
Peel Public Health enforces the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017. This Act outlines the rules for smoking (cannabis and tobacco smoking) and vaping (all types of vaping).
The Act helps reduce youth access to tobacco and vapour products such as electronic cigarettes, and protects the public from second-hand tobacco smoke, cannabis smoke, and vapour. The Act also describes the responsibilities of tobacco and vapour product retailers.
Cannabis
Peel Public Health enforces Ontario's rules on cannabis use.
For other aspects of cannabis legalization, including retail sales, possession, growing cannabis, and driving safety, access cannabis information from the Ontario government.
Smoking, waterpipes and vaping
The Peel Waterpipe Smoking By-law (30-2016) does not allow waterpipe (hookah/shisha) smoking in the following settings:
- Enclosed public places (including, restaurants, bars, and cafes).
- Enclosed workplaces.
- Restaurant and bar patios.
- Certain outdoor settings.
The Peel Outdoor No Smoking or No Vaping By-law (49-2019) bans smoking and vaping on the property of:
- Outdoor public places such as parks, swimming pools, trails or paths, and sports fields.
- Outdoor municipal and regional properties, such as libraries, museums, municipal offices, and transit facilities.
- Outdoor construction sites.
The by-law also bans smoking or vaping within 9 metres of any:
- Indoor public place such as, medical centres, shopping malls, and restaurants.
- Indoor workplaces like office buildings.