Key Highlights:
1.Several Canadian tobacco control organizations are urging the federal government to ban flavored e-cigarettes.
2.Data shows that the proportion of young people in Canada who vape e-cigarettes is relatively high.
3.The newly appointed Health Minister has been asked to take action within the first 100 days in office.
4.Industry companies support the restrictions but call for stronger enforcement of regulations.
According to a recent report by Global News, with the arrival of the new Canadian parliament and the new Minister of Health, multiple tobacco control organizations are reiterating their call to the federal government to implement a ban on flavored e-cigarette products.
Recent data shows that half of young adults in Canada have tried e-cigarettes. Former Health Minister Mark Holland criticized the tobacco industry during the last parliamentary session, demanding that they stay away from young people.
Several organizations, including the Smoke-Free Health Action Coalition, the Quebec Tobacco Control Alliance, and Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, are urging the newly appointed Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel, to implement regulations proposed in 2021. These regulations were originally intended to only allow tobacco, mint, and menthol flavors in e-cigarettes.
However, these organizations have expressed the hope for further strengthening regulations, namely allowing only tobacco flavors, and are requesting that this regulation be implemented within the first 100 days of Michelle's tenure. Flory Doucas, co-director of the Quebec Tobacco Control Alliance, stated that this measure is not a complete ban, but rather focuses on flavored versions of e-cigarettes that are appealing to young people.
For years, flavored e-cigarette products have been a focus of government discussion. The regulations mentioned by relevant organizations were promised by the government in 2021, but three years have passed and this restriction has not yet been implemented nationwide. Last year, the federal government implemented a ban on flavored nicotine pouches as part of a broader restriction on new nicotine products.
Cynthia Callard, Executive Director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, stated in a press release that the government should no longer continue the previous government's lenient attitude towards the tobacco and nicotine industries. Les Hagen, Executive Director of the Tobacco Free Action Coalition, criticized tobacco companies for promoting e-cigarettes to young people, stating that they cannot be trusted.
In addition, Canada's three largest tobacco companies have agreed this year to pay a $32.5 billion fine to the government of Quebec for decades of misleading marketing practices. In October 2024, then Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya'ara Saks stated that the relevant commitments are still in effect, but have been delayed due to considerations within the national framework. Saks' office noted that after Quebec banned flavored e-cigarettes, the black market has thrived, and stated that the experiences of other regions will serve as a reference for "future actions.
Eric Gagnon, Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada, stated that their position on banning underage individuals from vaping e-cigarettes is similar to other organizations, and they support federal regulations that restrict flavors to tobacco, mint, and menthol. He also mentioned the need for further restrictions on the size and volume of devices, as well as concerns about the expansion of the online market.
A new study on tobacco and nicotine in Canada, released in September 2023, revealed that nearly half of young people aged 20-24 have tried e-cigarettes. Additionally, among individuals aged 15 and above who have used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, almost 40% had never smoked before.
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