2023-04-19 23:15:52
Quebec’s decision to ban flavors in vaping is a major victory for tobacco companies, out-of-province sellers and contraband, says the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA).
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“What Quebec has done is shift the demand to products owned by tobacco companies, retailers outside Quebec and criminals. Quebec’s small businesses and national industry will be irreparably affected to the benefit of multinationals,” said spokesperson Darryl Tempest.
The ACV is saddened by the draft regulations proposed by the Quebec government. According to them, vaping is proven to be significantly less harmful than tobacco use. There is also evidence that many vapers will return to tobacco use.
Illicit market
The Quebec government recognizes that shops specializing in vaping will suffer closures and job losses, believes the ACV.
Canada has already seen that in Nova Scotia, just 90 days following a flavor ban, the specialty industry was wiped out.
The ACV says no data on youth vaping rates in Quebec has been released since 2020.
“The absence of a legal market opens the door to the illicit market to meet demand,” they said in a statement.
The flavor test
On the other hand, the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control applauds the government’s choice of
Québec.
The proposed regulations contain, according to them, several important measures to reduce the attractiveness of the products.
“The flavor ban is the single most important measure to reduce the appeal of vaping to young people. Trying flavors is the number one reason given by young people for why they vape,” said Flory Doucas, spokesperson for the Coalition.
The Coalition clarifies that the idea is not to deprive smokers of flavored vaping products, but to prevent the industry from creating new markets with non-smokers.
There would be more than 100,000 Quebecers aged 12 to 24 who vape without having been smokers.
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