What to know
- A group of University of Toronto medical students and a policy specialist from the Heart and Stroke Foundation are warning that youth vaping has become a major public health concern in Canada.
- Advocates say flavoured vaping products are a key driver of youth uptake because they make nicotine products more appealing and can reduce perceptions of harm.
- Health experts warn nicotine exposure during adolescence can affect brain development, increase the risk of addiction and contribute to other physical and mental health issues.
- Several provinces and territories have already restricted flavoured vaping products, but advocates are urging the federal government to implement a nationwide ban.
- Experts also stress the need for stronger public education campaigns to help young people better understand the health risks associated with vaping.
A group of Toronto medical students and a policy expert are urging the Canadian government to take action to address teen vaping, including banning flavoured vaping products.
University of Toronto third year medical students Salar Farokhi Boroujeni, Shavez Khan and Rushil Dave published an opinion piece, shared with Now Toronto, raising concerns over vaping among youth, which they say has become a public health crisis.
As pointed out by the group, Canada has one of the highest daily vaping rates among teens in the world. According to a poll led by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in 2021, 48 per cent of young adults aged 20–24 and 29 per cent of youth aged 15–19 reported trying e-cigarettes, while the rate of those who vape daily grew from 44 per cent in 2019 to 55 per cent in 2021.
Why are experts concerned?
Foram Patel, a Senior Policy Specialist at Heart and Stroke Foundation, explained that smoking rates among youth had been falling significantly in previous years, after decades of public health advocacy and awareness raising about the risks of smoking.
However, the smoking trend seems to have made a comeback among young people after vaping products gained popularity.
“Vaping is such a big public health issue because it’s extremely popular among young people, and within this demographic they are being exposed to long-term risk of nicotine addiction, as well as health harms, specifically tied to vaping in itself,” she told Now Toronto.
The consequences of teen vaping
As pointed out by Patel and the medical students, vaping comes with a wide set of physical and mental health consequences, particularly for young people.
According to the Government of Canada, the nicotine present in vaping products can lead to certain risks on brain development, as the risks of physical dependence and addiction are increased for youth.
The brain continues to develop into people’s mid-20s, and during this period, teens are more susceptible to addiction than older adults. Once they present symptoms of addiction, it can be extremely difficult to stop.
“Nicotine has been shown to affect parts of the brain that are responsible for mood control, impulse control, learning, and concentration. So, especially at a time when they’re in school, these are cognitive skills that are really important,” Patel said.
In addition, nicotine has also been linked to other health issues, according to Patel, including weakened immunity, oral health issues, and risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The dangers of flavoured products
Although smoking has become less popular among youth in recent decades, vaping has become more popular in recent years, which Patel says has to do with how they are manufactured and promoted, as well as for teen’s lack of awareness of their risks.
According to the policy expert, one of the main factors that might be driving the popularity of vaping products up is the presence of flavour.
“When you make nicotine palatable by putting in flavours that sound like your favourite cereal or candy or fruit: one, you’re less likely to think of it as a harmful product; two, it’s going to make the experience much more enjoyable,” Patel said.
“Flavours, in particular, are the driving factor behind the uptake of vaping products among young people.”
In addition, Patel said many teens are unaware of the risks of vaping to their health, especially when compared to traditional cigarettes.
“Just because it’s less harmful than cigarettes, [it] does not mean that it is completely harmless. So, there needs to be a lot of advocacy awareness and education being shared with young people, just so they know, and they’re making informed, healthy choices,” she added.
Experts urge government to take action
In light of the described harms that vaping products, particularly those with flavour, might have on teens, Patel is calling on the federal government to take action to ban flavoured products nation-wide.
Some provinces and territories in the country have already included certain restrictions on flavoured vape products, according to Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. Flavours other than tobacco are currently banned in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, New Brunswick, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Northwest Territories. However, in other provinces, flavour is permitted in age-restricted stores.
As the harms of vaping become more apparent across the country, Patel is urging the federal government to take action and completely ban flavoured vapes across all provinces in the country.
“This is one area specifically where one regulation can go a very long way and can be a very strong tool to be used to discourage young people, reduce the appeal of vaping products among young people,” she added.
