Canada (NS): Cigarette Sales Rise Again Following E-Cig Flavour Ban

Flavoured vaping products were banned in Nova Sotia back on April 1st, and based on evidence from previous studies, tobacco harm reduction and public health experts have long been pointing out that in response to such bans, most vapers tend to switch back to smoking. In fact, multiple studies have indicated that it is thanks to such products that smoking rates are decreasing in most countries.

Mike Hammoud, president of the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association, said that after a steady decline in cigarette sales witnessed across the last decade in Nova Scotia, the switch from e-cigarettes to original cigarettes has already begun and retailers have been reporting a sharp increase in sales. In line with these observations, poll results released by Abacus Data, have shown that about 29% of the vaping population in the region may be switching back to cigarettes.

“This is something that has kind of come out of nowhere for us on the scale of seeing such an increase in cigarettes,” said Hammoud. He believes that the reason behind this increase is twofold: “the first being the ban on flavoured vape products, the other being an increased presence at the border leading to a decrease in the sale of black-market tobacco,” he reported according to an article on Halifax Today.

What is the end goal?

Hammoud added that he would like to talk to government officials to discuss the future of flavoured vaping products, with regards to finding out what the end goal is. “We feel that the current restrictions may have gone too far, and smoking reduction cessation for adults may have been that unintended consequence.”

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