Quebec Considers Banning Flavored E-cigarettes Amid New Taxation Policy

The Quebec government of Canada has announced that it will align with the federal electronic cigarette product consumption tax and is considering banning flavored products. Quebec is currently one of the most concentrated provinces for cigarette manufacturing in Canada and ranks second in the country's tobacco tax revenue.

The spokesperson for Quebec's Ministry of Health, Antoine de la Durantaye, announced that a new tax will be imposed on electronic cigarette products and that further proposals are being considered.

Electronic cigarette industry professionals see this statement as the beginning of Quebec's flavor ban implementation. The industry is preparing for the government's ban on all e-cigarette flavors. Darryl Tempest, the executive director of the Canadian Vaping Association, stated, "From all indications, they are planning on doing so.

During the period when the government was considering implementing a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, a video of a baby smoking an e-cigarette was circulated in Canada in early March. In the video, a 16-month-old baby can be seen coughing while smoking an e-cigarette, while an adult woman recording the video can be heard laughing.

The incident has caught the attention of the Quebec Department of Family Affairs, who have publicly stated that they are investigating the matter. The video has sparked concerns among many Quebec residents regarding the popularity of e-cigarettes, potentially eroding the government's confidence in fighting flavored e-cigarettes.

According to Vaping Industry Association representative, Daniel David Tupker, if the government of Quebec enforces flavor bans, many electronic cigarette stores will also be heavily affected, potentially leading to thousands of job losses. He stated that if the government continues with these regulations, the industry will likely challenge them in court.

Further reading:

The province of Quebec in Canada has raised taxes on tobacco products.

Next fall, Quebec province in Canada will implement a provincial electronic cigarette consumption tax.

Reference:

The Debate over Whether Quebec Should Ban All Flavored E-cigarettes