Imperial Tobacco Canada Survey: One Year Into Quebec’s Flavored Vape Ban, 76% of Users Still Buying Illicit Products

Key Points:

·Ban Effect Questioned: Quebec Province in Canada Implements Flavored E-Cigarette Ban. 76% of users are purchasing illegal flavored e-cigarettes, and sales in specialty stores have significantly increased. 

·Illegal market expansion: products evade regulation, with unknown ingredients, increasing health risks. 

·Regulatory adjustments suggested: strengthen enforcement, establish reporting mechanisms, set up licensed distribution points to control illegal circulation. 

·Policy challenges: current ban fails to curb demand, instead fueling black market development, requiring a reassessment of regulatory approach. 

【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report by Cision on July 10th, despite Quebec Province in Canada officially banning the addition of flavors to e-cigarette products, a survey commissioned by Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITC) from research firm Leger revealed that flavored e-cigarettes are still widely available in the local market and highly favored by consumers. This is the second survey commissioned by ITC, conducted from April 10th to 24th, 2025, interviewing a total of 1,005 adults aged 18 and above in Quebec, including 500 e-cigarette users.

The core findings of the investigation are as follows:

·76% of adult e-cigarette users admit to purchasing illegal e-cigarette products at least once in the past 12 months, a significant increase of 8 percentage points from the similar survey in the fall of 2024 (68%). 

·Despite the ban, the proportion of purchasing flavored e-cigarettes in specialty stores has risen from 40% in 2024 to 52% in 2025. 

·Online purchases have decreased, contrasting sharply with the increase in sales through physical channels.

These data have corroborated the findings of an independent investigation conducted by the Montreal Daily in May 2025 - banned e-cigarette products are still readily available on the black market.

"The health risks associated with illegal e-cigarette products are cause for serious concern. Quebec cannot afford a crisis similar to the EVALI (e-cigarette related lung injury) outbreak in the United States, which led to over 2,800 hospitalizations and 68 deaths. While some businesses may be operating unlawfully, we always strictly adhere to Quebec's current regulations, committed to keeping youths away from e-cigarettes through proper channels. However, current policies must be rigorously enforced to achieve public health goals. The data is clear: the illegal market is thriving, posing a threat not only to young people, but to all consumers. These products are being sold without age verification, circumventing regulations, with unknown ingredients and no adherence to any quality safety standards."

The Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs of Imperial Tobacco, Éric Gagnon, emphasized.

Imperial Tobacco is actively contacting government and health organizations, calling for the implementation of the following five measures to curb illegal sales:

·Strengthen law enforcement inspections: increase patrol frequency and harshly punish violators. 

·Establish a program similar to "Accès Tabac" for tobacco inspection, referencing proven effective mechanisms for controlling illegal tobacco sales, and create a special law enforcement plan for e-cigarettes. 

·Open a channel for reporting violations: provide tools for adult consumers and compliant retailers to report illegal sales outlets. 

·Conduct risk education: alert the public to the significant health risks of unregulated and substandard products. 

·Establish authorized distribution points for flavored products: while maintaining convenience store sales channels, consider following the model of the Quebec Cannabis Control Board (SQDC) to provide flavored nicotine products in a strictly regulated environment. Meanwhile, allow convenience stores to continue selling mint and menthol flavors - which play an important role in helping adult smokers quit. This approach can meet demand and curb the expansion of the black market.

Ganion concluded:

"This survey using black and white data confirms a well-known fact: the current e-cigarette regulations in Quebec have had minimal effectiveness, aside from fueling a thriving black market. It is not too late to correct this, but it will require a collaborative effort from all parties involved - the government must listen to the voices of all stakeholders, including the e-cigarette industry."