Imperial Tobacco Canada supports regulations to curb youth vaping
Imperial Tobacco Canada says it agrees with public health organizations who have called upon Canada’s government to further address youth vaping in Canada.
Health groups came together recently to call upon the federal government for regulations that would ban flavours in vaping products, and to do so within the new Health Minister's first 100 days in office.
Restricting flavours in vaping products was a commitment made by the Liberal Party in the recent federal election, according to the groups.
"Minister Michel has inherited the youth vaping crisis, and her intervention is urgently needed to clean up the mess her predecessors left behind," said Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking & Health. "This will require her to stand up to the tobacco industry and its front groups, and to protect youth from their attempts to undermine health policies."
"The youth vaping crisis has gone on far too long," he added. "The past government's decision to liberalize the sale of vaping products has negatively impacted one-half of Canadian youth without producing any measurable benefit in overall smoking cessation among adults."
Imperial Tobacco Canada says its shares the concerns and goal of reducing vaping amongst youths in Canada, while as the same time supporting adult smokers in their journey to quit cigarettes. According to the company, survey data shows that youth vaping in Canada is on the decline. This is a positive trend, but more decisive action is needed to keep the momentum going, the company says.
Health Canada's 2023 Canadian Substance Use Survey found that over one million Canadian teenagers aged 15-19 (48%) had tried vaping products, 681,000 (31%) had used them in the past month and that 400,600 (17%) were vaping on a daily basis.
“We agree that more must be done to restrict youth access to vaping products, and that there are too many flavoured products on the market,” said Eric Gagnon, vice-president, corporate and regulatory affairs at Imperial. “We support the proposed federal vaping regulations to restrict flavours to tobacco, menthol and mint and we believe these flavours are sufficient for adult smokers looking to quit.”
"Over the past seven years, parents, teachers and health professionals have struggled to protect kids from the predatory commercial activities which followed," said Flory Doucas, co-director of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control. "They have waited for meaningful federal government action while hundreds of thousands of children were being recruited to nicotine addiction by an industry sugar-coating a harmful drug with exotic flavours and playful devices."
Imperial Tobacco Canada says, however, that is important, that any regulation be reviewed from an evidence-based scientific perspective; for example, as drafted, the current regulations would permit the use of several ingredients shown to be carcinogenic in vapour products.
It has suggested restricting the size and volume of devices, as higher puff count products can pose safety risks and may be purchased at a discount which can be more accessible to youth.
The company warns that stronger enforcement is needed to uphold the law — and Quebec’s recent experience has shown that without collaboration and sufficient policing of illegal products, legislating tougher rules just pushes products into the black market. We encourage governments and health groups to support a national enforcement plan, to remove illegal and non-compliant products from stores, and address the lack of compliance related to online sales.
Finally, the government should allow factual communication and information to adult smokers on the health benefits of switching from cigarettes to vaping. This is crucial to further reduce smoking rates in the country. The vast majority of smokers continue to believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking which is not aligned with what credible health organizations around the world say, including Health Canada.
“Imperial is eager to work with public health groups as well as the new federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel to take a balanced, evidence-based approach: one that protects youth, supports adults seeking alternatives to smoking, and enforces the rules already in place,” concluded Gagnon.
