The delay follows the release of a paper highlighting the role flavoured vapes play in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes. Written by a team of researchers which include renowned smoking ressation expert Professor David Sweanor, the study found that 68% of Canadian smokers who successfully switched to vaping used flavoured products, with fruit flavours being the most popular. In fact, between 2020 and 2022, one in five Canadian adults attempting to quit smoking relied on vaping as a cessation tool.
The data against bans could not be denied
Initially, Health Canada justified the proposed ban as a measure to curb youth vaping, citing studies reporting that young users are more likely to start with sweet flavours. However, data from provinces where such bans have been set, including Quebec and Nova Scotia, started indicating concerning increases in black-market activity for the products, making them highly accessible to minors.
To this effect, while reaffirming the government’s commitment to restricting vaping flavors, Yuval Daniel, press secretary for Minister Saks, emphasized the need for a comprehensive and enforceable approach. He (rightly) said that an ineffective or inconsistent policy could pose greater risks to Canadians, particularly youth. Daniel also cited examples from other jurisdictions where industry loopholes have been exploited following similar bans.
Tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocates have also consistently highlighted that banning flavours could drive vapers back to smoking, hindering Canada’s goal of reducing smoking rates to below 5% by 2035. Instead of bans, they advocate for stronger enforcement of age restrictions to address youth vaping concerns.
Many smokers quit unintentionally
Meanwhile, discussing the flavours study in an episode of Across the Pond hosted by Martin Cullip and Lindsey Stroud from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Sweanor retierated that the large majority of participants who reported trying to quit smoking have used vapes, and the majority of those used flavoured versions.
Sweanor who has been involved in tobacco control since the 1980s, and has published in major scientific journals, highlighted that flavoured vaping products help people quit smoking more effectively than traditional methods. The speaker added that many participants actually quit smoking “accidentally,” meaning they did not initially intend to quit but ended up doing so after trying vaping.
The THR expert went on to discuss how the Canadian government has historically been inconsistent about harm reduction policies. In 2007, Canada supported harm reduction efforts, but recently, there has been a push to ban vape flavours, with anti-vaping groups pressuring Health Canada to take restrictive measures. However, THR experts worldwide will certainly appreciate the Canadian government’s openness and willingness to acknowledge science, when faced with governments such as Australia’s, which staunchly refuses to change it’s failing strategies and ignore expert recommendations.
Ideology over science
Unfortunately, many policymakers and public health groups operate under a moralistic or prohibitionist perspective rather than a risk-benefit analysis approach. Sweanor compares the opposition to vaping to historical prohibitions on contraceptives, alcohol, and even coffee. Sadly, this stance is leading to misconceptions—only 5% of Canadians believe vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking.
The history of innovation suggests that harm reduction will ultimately prevail, despite resistance. Despite a general opposition by governments worldwide, consumers continue to drive the transition away from cigarettes. As public trust in health authorities is declining due to misleading messaging, Sweanor believes that this consumer-driven change will outpace government regulations.
Not all hope is lost
Ultimately, countries that embrace alternative nicotine products (e.g., Japan, Sweden, New Zealand) have seen rapid declines in cigarette use. Sweanor predicts that, in hindsight, governments will regret delaying the adoption of harm reduction strategies. Leaving us with a message of hope, he told Vaping Post why he believes that science and common sense will ultimately prevail.
“Ideologically driven policies can withstand a lot of evidence of ineffectiveness and harm. But eventually the facts, combined with the active violations of the laws and evolving public opinion, kills such laws. This is the history with such rights-denying laws as bans on birth control by the Comstock Laws in the US and similar measures globally.”
“In countries like Canada with a constitutional right to life, our courts have a track record of looking at the science even when legislatures refuse. So constitutional challenges can force rational policies even when those seeking to impose their moral views on the behavior of others have initially succeeded in flouting human rights.”
