Home Politics America An Episode on Regulator Watch Challenges Health Canada’s War on Vaping

An Episode on Regulator Watch Challenges Health Canada’s War on Vaping

Countless tobacco harm reduction and public health experts agree that Health Canada‘s proposed ban on flavoured vaping products, will be counterproductive to local smoking rates. A live stream on Regulator Watch raised a lot of questions to this effect.

Diane Caruana

September 3, 2021

Health Canada itself freely admits that thanks to vaping, smoking rates are decreasing.

Based on evidence from previous studies, experts in the field have long been pointing out that in response to harsh vape 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.

This special edition of RegWatch, highlights that Health Canada itself freely admits this fact, in the Regulatory Analysis Impact Statement for the proposed new regulations. The episode questions amongst other things why if aware of this fact, is Health Canada still proceeding with these measures.

The live panel included national vaping activist Maria Papaioannoy-Duic from Rights4Vapers and guests include Shai Bekman, president of DashVapes Inc.; Luke Marshall, owner of County Vape; and David Levesque, founding partner of Digital Smoke supplies.

Data from Nova Scotia

Reflecting the above concerns, a new poll has indicated that following the ban on flavoured vaping products set in Nova Scotia last April, a high percentage of local vapers seem to be turning back to cigarettes.

President of the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association Mike Hammoud, 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.

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.”