2023-11-01 05:05:39
Watermelon and passion fruit vapes are on the verge of disappearing with the ban on the flavors coming into force Tuesday across Quebec. While some rushed to buy them before the ban, others are already considering turning to the illegal market to obtain them.
“Do you have a banana vape?”
— No, we’ve been out of stock for two weeks. »
At the Vaporus electronic cigarette store on Saint-Denis Street, in the heart of downtown Montreal, customers rushed to buy the latest flavored electronic cigarettes. Since Tuesday, the sale of vaping products offering flavors other than tobacco is now prohibited throughout Quebec.
I want to quit smoking and when I saw that it was the end of the flavors, I told myself that I was going to buy myself a banana vape for the last time.
Mathieu Laplante, met at the Vaporus store
“Customers are discouraged,” adds Médéric Potvin, employee at Vaporus. “The majority of my friends and I are going to stop vaping, because the tobacco flavor is not delicious,” says the young man, smiling. He believes that it is older people who will continue to vape. “They already have a greater tendency to take on a tobacco flavor,” he says.
At the Couche-Tard store located on the corner of Saint-Denis and De Maisonneuve, passion fruit, strawberry and watermelon vapes gave way on Tuesday to tobacco-flavored ones. “We explain to customers that it is a law that has been passed, but they hope to find it elsewhere,” says an employee.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Jules Pichot and Lionel Courchesne
Met at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal, Lionel Courchesne plans to illegally obtain lychee-flavored e-cigarettes, his favorites. “I think it’s just going to increase the black market. Addiction isn’t something you can fix overnight,” he says. The 18-year-old has been vaping daily since he was 14 and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “It’s certain that this will push us to turn to illegal sellers,” adds his friend Jules Pichot, at his side.
Fighting vaping among young people
“We are happy, because the regulations will help combat vaping among young people,” rejoices Francine Forget Marin, director of health affairs and research at the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Quebec.
Nine out of ten young people among vapers mention that aromas are an important reason which pushed them to vape and continue to vape, according to a survey carried out in 2021 by the foundation among Quebecers aged 16 to 24.
Half of young people said they would stop vaping if flavors were not available.
Francine Forget Marin, from the Heart and Stroke Foundation
In addition to the ban on flavors, Quebec limits the nicotine concentration of vaping products to 20 milligrams per milliliter. Furthermore, e-cigarettes can no longer have an appearance that may be attractive to minors, such as the shape of a toy or a character.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Since Tuesday, the sale of vaping products offering flavors other than tobacco is now prohibited in Quebec.
“Good news,” says Mme Forget Marin. She specifies that vaping is linked to respiratory problems and an increase in blood pressure. “Vaping and smoking at the same time poses an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks,” she says. Nicotine is also harmful to developing brains, she adds.
Countering the illegal market
For its part, Imperial Tobacco Canada said it was “very concerned” regarding the ban on flavored vaping products in Quebec. “What we deplore is the fact that this unilateral approach will undoubtedly have negative impacts on adult vapers looking for a less harmful alternative than cigarettes and will at the same time enrich the illegal trade,” declared by channel said the vice-president of legal and external affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada, Eric Gagnon.
He asks the government to ensure compliance with its new regulations by creating an ACCES Vapotage program. In recent years, the Quebec government has established the ACCES Tabac and ACCES Cannabis programs which are entirely dedicated to fines, investigations and seizures related to the illegal trade of tobacco and cannabis.
“We hope that the Quebec government will look into the issue and take the necessary measures to enforce the new regulations and apply the necessary sanctions to merchants violating the law,” said Mr. Gagnon.
The story so far
19 avril
A draft regulation aimed at limiting flavorings in vaping products has been put in place by the Legault government.
August 2nd
The government announces the end of flavors in vaping products by October 31 to “protect young people from the harmful and worrying effects of vaping”.
October 19
Canadian tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco is quietly leading a campaign opposing the upcoming ban on flavors in vaping products in Quebec.
October 31
The sale of vaping products that have “a flavor or aroma other than that of tobacco” is prohibited.
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