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The Canadian Vaping Association says the federal government’s flavour ban in some provinces is doing more harm than good

The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) is calling on the federal government to maintain science-based vaping regulations. (Courtesy: Benoit Debaix/ Unsplash - ABC)

One organization in Canada believes the federal government isn’t pulling its weight when it comes to harm prevention relating to vaping. 

The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) is calling on the federal government to maintain science-based vaping regulations.

This applies to both an increase in taxes and a ban on flavoured vaping products which it says is a harmful approach to public health. 

According to the CVA, research finds that flavours play a crucial role in the adoption of vaping by adult smokers and that using a flavoured product to quit smoking significantly increases the likelihood of a “successful quit attempt.”

The group also says that more evidence suggests that banning flavours leads to an increase in smoking among both adults and youth and that on average, provinces with flavour bans have the highest rates of youth vaping.

“The CVA advocates for policies grounded in evidence to safeguard youth, highlighting that strict measures such as flavour bans can lead to higher smoking rates among all ages. The data from provinces that have banned flavours shows no reduction in youth vaping but a growth in the illicit market, which often targets young people. Historical tobacco control efforts suggest that enhancing enforcement and prevention campaigns are the most effective strategies in deterring youth from nicotine products.” Darryl Tempest, a member of the organization, told Now Toronto in an email statement on Tuesday. 

Right now, Quebec, New Brunswick, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories have all prohibited the sale of flavoured vape products.

(Courtesy: Physicians for a Smokefree Canada)

Physicians for a Smokefree Canada says that bans aren’t showing promising results. 

According to the group, the country’s 2021-2022 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey found that many e-cigarettes seem to be addictive more quickly than cigarettes, however, provincial flavour restrictions are not doing anything to prevent youth from using flavoured e-cigarettes. 

“The CVA continues to call on all levels of government to strengthen enforcement and increase penalties. This is likely the single most effective thing we can do to better protect young people. There is evidence that flavour bans cause substitution of vapes with cigarettes among all ages. However, for those that want to continue using a flavoured product after a ban, these products remain easily sourced, putting regulated retailers out of business to the benefit of criminals,” Tempest added.

The CVA launched a funding campaign to help it defend Canadian’s right to harm reduction which has reached over one million dollars of a $1.5 million goal.

Its website states that each dollar raised through the GoFundMe goes directly to the federal legal challenge to “save flavours.” 

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