According to News Wire on December 9th, three anti-smoking organizations in Canada are once again urging Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Issues Ya'ara Saks to fulfill her promise and quickly remove flavored e-cigarette products from shelves.
Flory Doucas, Co-Director and Spokesperson of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, stated that...
Flavoring is the main driver of e-cigarette use among teenagers. Removing these enticing flavored products as early as possible can protect more young people from the harmful effects of addiction. Delayed protection is equivalent to lost protection.
Cynthia Callard of the Canadian Smokers' Rights Association pointed out that
These new studies further demonstrate that teenagers are at risk, and e-cigarette products are both dangerous and highly addictive. However, Minister Sachs appears to be delaying the implementation of flavor restrictions rather than speeding up protective measures.
According to reports, the federal government has indicated that restrictions on e-cigarettes will be introduced in the "near future," possibly in November. This news has prompted lobbying groups in support of e-cigarettes to launch a new round of activities to obstruct regulation, such as writing letters to all ministers, generating thousands of form letters from their customer base, and planning press conferences. This week, their spokesperson revealed on Twitter that the office of Minister Saks has invited them to provide alternative proposals for flavor restrictions.
Carad added that
Despite e-cigarette companies and their funded groups having the right to express their interests, we urge Minister Sachs to resist these lobbying tactics and prioritize the health of the younger generation and all consumers by swiftly advancing e-cigarette flavor restrictions.
In September of last year, the Canadian e-cigarette industry teamed up with one of Canada's largest online retailers, 180Smoke.ca, to meet with Health Canada and express concerns about declining sales and the black market issues.
Dukas stated,
180smoke.ca is one of several retailers that shipped illegal e-cigarette products to Quebec between April and October of this year, violating the province's flavoring ban and tax system. Not only is it a member of the Canadian Vaping Association, but its actions are reflective of industry interests, making it difficult to imagine the seriousness with which Minister Sachs' office or the Canadian Department of Health would address any statements made by the industry or any impact produced by their front groups or entities.
Les Hagen, Executive Director of ASH Canada, compared Canada's delay with progress in other countries.
More and more jurisdictions, including China, the Netherlands, Finland, and Hungary, have banned flavored e-cigarette products other than "tobacco." There are indications that the European Union will implement a ban across the board. However, despite Canada having one of the highest rates of youth e-cigarette use, the Canadian Department of Health has been dragging its feet and failing to provide a way for provinces to defend their provincial restrictions and prevent retailers from transporting flavored products across provinces.
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