Sask. audit report highlights inconsistencies in inspection, enforcement of vape shops
Global News
The provincial audit report found that 19 per cent of more than 1,200 retail locations that sell vape products did not receive an annual inspection in 2020-21.
Saskatchewan provincial auditor Tara Clemett said the government needs to improve its monitoring of the health authority’s enforcement of the sale, promotions and use of tobacco and vapour products.
Clemett released her findings in the Provincial Auditor’s 2021 Report – Volume 2, Chapter 15 on Wednesday.
In the report, Clemett examined the health ministry’s processes used to monitor the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) enforcement of provincial legislative requirements relating to tobacco and vapour products. Clemett found the ministry has improvement to make in its monitoring of the SHAs “inconsistent enforcement.”
The ministry hires youth to attempt to buy tobacco and vapour products during inspections at retailers.
The report found that the ministry of health does not sufficiently monitor whether youth test shopper inspections are done annually, or that warning letters and violation notices are delivered promptly to non-compliant retailers.
The auditor’s analysis found that 55 per cent of the 225 retail locations that previously sold to youth test shoppers didn’t undergo another inspection within the expected six months. The audit found that re-inspections ranged from seven months to two years after the previous inspection date.
Retailers were also not notified of their non-compliance “promptly.” The auditor’s report found that it took up to nine weeks after the violation for retailers to be notified.
Clemett told reporters on Wednesday that the ministry does not have a formal timeframe of sending violation notices out, but they aim to do so within three weeks of the violation.