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Canadian Vaping Association says federal vaping policy “lacks common sense”

The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) is calling the Canadian government’s vape flavour ban “regressive” and “lacks common sense.”

The organization published a press release on Aug. 19 in reaction to the government’s announcement that Health Canada is proposing a full federal ban on vaping flavours other than tobacco, menthol and mint. The ban would take effect on January 1, 2022.

“Rather than be at war with vaping, we should be at war with tobacco. The objective is to provide smokers with a viable alternative to smoking. Vaping presents another option after NRTs and therapy have failed a portion of smokers,” said Darryl Tempest, executive director of the CVA.

The organization’s press release goes on to say that implementing the ban is “a form of punishment” to those that legally use vaping products. The organization believes that flavour restrictions are also cited to be ineffective in curbing youth vaping.

“For Canada to achieve its meager goal of 5 per cent smoking prevalence by 2035, the changes must be focused on harm reduction strategies that consider the lived experience of smokers,” said in the statement. “Smokers lives matter, and this narrative must be inclusive of them and the negative outcome a flavour ban would have.”