news // no. 4 theotherpress.ca Cigarette packaging becomes drab brown >» New Government of Canada regulation redesigns tobacco packing Atiba Nelson Staff Reporter ife for smokers at Douglas College is becoming increasingly difficult and uniform. According to the Government of Canada, statistically one out of every five Other Press readers, or 20 percent of young adults aged 20 to 24, use tobacco, as highlighted by the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS). Last year the Other Press documented Douglas’ strict no-smoking policy on campus property, limiting the geographical smoking options for smokers. Now, the Government of Canada is aiming to whitewash cigarette packages with the hopes of deterring youth from starting smoking. A new Health Canada regulation, which came into effect on November 9, now requires uniform packaging for tobacco products sold in Canada. The regulation, aptly named the Plain and Standardized Appearance - Tobacco Packaging and Products regulation (SOR/2019-107) under the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, standardizes package design for all varieties of cigarettes regardless of the manufacturer. Under the new law, cigarette packages will feature a “drab brown’ foundational colour (Pantone 448 C), grey text (Pantone Cool Gray 2 C), and a very simple design. Additionally, package sizing will be standardized. Moreover, in the most expansive measure to date, the size and appearance of all tobacco products—including cigarettes and cigars—will be uniform. The only package design holdout between pre-November 9 cigarette packages and post-November g cigarette packages will be the Health Canada pictorial health warnings that were initiated in 2001, and redesigned in 2012. The inside the package health messages and health insert will also stay. Canada joins a list of eight countries (Australia, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand) that require standardized or plain tobacco packaging by manufacturers. Two more countries, Uruguay and Turkey, will be starting plain packaging enforcement by the end of 2019. Although the legislation came into effect on November 9, manufacturers have go days to sell their remaining branded inventory. The regulation aligns with The Government of Canada’s Tobacco Strategy, which aims to drive down tobacco use to five percent of the Canadian population by 2035. Thinking of quitting? If you smoke and you would like support with quitting, you can start a conversation with a trusted health professional— including your pharmacist—about ways to quit. How does this strike you? » Douglas Discusses: Who is affected by TransLink strike? Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief O; October 28, TransLink announced that their workers are going to strike for better wages and working conditions, effective November 1. With the strike in full swing of its first phase with some bus and SeaBus cancellations underway, the Other Press asked the students at Douglas College if they had yet been affected by the strike and these ride cancellations. With both Douglas campuses being within walking distance of SkyTrain stations, it didn’t seem that many people were negatively affected by the strike. One associate of science student, Abhishek, mentioned he didn’t even really notice the strike was happening. “I can see only TransLink strikes on the internet, but in real life it’s not like [...] that big a deal,” he said. Another science student, Akul, has seen some bus cancellations, but nothing that affects him majorly. “No problems,” he said. “Some buses are cancelled, like I take the 144 [to SFU], sometimes that cancels. Like one bus in three hours.” According to Douglas College Quick Facts for the 2017-2018 year, the majority of students come from Surrey (29 percent), Coquitlam (16 percent), Burnaby (13 percent), or the Vancouver and New West area (both 10 percent). The college is easily accessible by SkyTrain from these locations, so it didn’t seem that many students would be concerned with the bus strikes. However, people outside of these areas may see some bus cancellations in the near future as the strike escalates. Noah, a music major at the college, says he hasn’t seen any effect of the strike but thinks it’s only a matter of time. “Not yet. I think I will soon because I bus and SkyTrain here from Fleetwood everyday,” he said. “I have the alert thing on my phone and I’m seeing more buses being cancelled due to mechanical issues, so I see it, but I haven't actually been affected by it...yet.” Some other students have not been affected by the strike yet, even if they do Illustration by Athena Little Also, Fraser Health Authority—the local health organization that deals with both Douglas campuses—has several services and resources to help you quit, including QuitNow, BC Smoking Cessation Program, and Quit4Life, a resource directed at teenagers. Photos by Billy Bui take the bus to school, but have noticed the drivers not wearing uniforms. “All my buses have been coming on time and everything,” says Saffron, a math major at the college. For now, it seems people who bus to the college are safe from the impact of the TransLink strike. Since both campuses are accessible by SkyTrain, Douglas students will be happy that they’re not at SFU or UBC this term which are urging students and faculty to car-pool, cycle, or car-share to school. According to The Canadian Press, the union has said that the overtime ban could be extended to drivers and could affect up to 15 percent of the bus service in the region.