Advocacy groups question delay in federal ban on flavoured e-cigarettes

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As Quebec became the latest province this week to restrict flavoured e-cigarettes, advocacy groups question why similar plans announced by Ottawa more than two years ago have yet to be finalized even as youth vaping rates remain stubbornly high.

In June, 2021, the federal government proposed regulations that would prohibit flavours from being added to e-cigarettes, with the exception of mint and menthol. Typically, proposed regulations undergo a public consultation period, after which the government may make changes before publishing a final set of regulations that take effect shortly after.

More than two years later, Ottawa has yet to publish the final set of regulations that would bring the flavour ban into force, leading some to believe the plan has been shelved.

“I think they ditched it,” said Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. “The question is if it’s hit a stumbling block or whether it’s killed dead.”

In the absence of federal legislation, a handful of other provinces, including Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories have moved to restrict flavoured e-cigarettes. Advocacy groups say a national ban is preferred to ensure consistency across the country.

While the long-term effects of vaping are still unclear, as they were introduced in the early 2000s, mounting evidence indicates that vaping can cause lung damage, heart problems and other serious issues. Advocacy groups say they want the government to do more to protect young people now, rather than wait until there’s more evidence to demonstrate the harms of vaping.

Ms. Callard said the government appears to be more frequently referencing the potential use of vaping as a cigarette smoking cessation tool, which could signal its intention to drop the flavour ban.

For instance, during an exchange in the Senate in June, Senator Chantal Petitclerc asked Senator Marc Gold, the government’s representative in the chamber, about the need to act quickly to protect young people from the risks of e-cigarettes, given the rise in youth vaping and the appeal of flavoured products.

Mr. Gold replied by saying the government “is still examining this issue to find more ways to help adults” who want to quit smoking, while discouraging youth use.

Health Canada declined an interview request. In an e-mail statement, spokesperson Nicholas Janveau said the department is “examining the complex issue of regulating flavoured vaping products, recognizing that flavours play a role in appealing to youth and supporting adult smoking cessation.”

But e-cigarettes are not regulated or approved as smoking cessation devices, said Sarah Butson, public affairs and policy analyst with the Canadian Lung Association. It’s an important distinction, she said, as approved smoking cessation products, such as nicotine gums, are subject to rigorous standards and can only be sold at pharmacies, whereas e-cigarettes come in thousands of flavours and are available at a variety of retail stores.

Advocates fear federal government’s changing vape strategy will shift focus away from cigarettes

The vaping industry opposed changes to the regulation of its products, saying that it is critical for adult smokers to be able to access a range of flavours, especially those who vape as a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes.

In a press released issued on Wednesday in response to Quebec’s flavour ban, an Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. Canada spokesperson said the policy change will not lower youth vaping rates and will make it harder for adults to access e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.

The 2021-22 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, published earlier this year, found that 29 per cent of students in Grade 7-12 reported ever having tried an e-cigarette and that regular e-cigarette use increases with age.

Nearly two-thirds of all students who reported vaping in the past 30 days said they used a product with a fruity flavour, while the rest reported using products with no flavour or a mint or menthol flavour.

Last month, the American Heart Association published a scientific statement saying it doesn’t support the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, given the known and unknown risks, the rise in youth vaping and the lack of robust evidence showing vaping products are truly effective at helping people quit smoking over the long term. The group is calling for more research to help uncover the risks of vaping.