Advocates welcome flavoured vape ban, shops say approach botched

New regulations around e-cigarettes and vapes could see stability in the industry go up in smoke. 

The Government of Canada says the new restrictions could clear many of the products from the shelves, as if implicated, the dozens of flavours — from cotton candy to banana — will be limited to tobacco, mint and menthol. The change is applauded by anti-smoking advocates, but unwelcome to shop owners. 

“The viability of staying open really, really goes down,” said the manager of Vape Haven, Daniel Fehr. 

The ban, pledged more than three years ago, could be coming soon, said Canada’s Federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Ya’ara Saks recently and some say the ban will be a boon for anti-smoking efforts. 

“Any restrictions that we can have on vaping, vaping flavours, that makes it more attractive to our youth and students to start vaping is a plus,” said Juliette Mucha CEO of the Manitoba Lung Association. “We need to maintain that”

However, while the Lung Association says the new regulations will be a breath of fresh air, some local shops like Vape Haven say the changes could see them forced to shutter.

“Enforce the restrictions that are already in effect,” said Fehr. “If you don’t enforce those, what is putting on another measure going to change if you’re not enforcing it to begin with?”

Statistics Canada reports nearly half of young adults have tried vaping, with 86 per cent of new users never having smoked cigarettes, but Mucha says vaping is still harmful. 

“People don’t realize you’re still inhaling the chemicals, but you’re taking in mist that is actually nicotine and directly affiliated to your lungs,” she said. 

While there’s no timeline in place as to when the restrictions could be rolled out, many in the industry are following what’s happening in Quebec following a flavour ban, and say the illicit market that popped up in that province will also emerge here if the ban is put in place. 

“If that person is selling illegal flavoured juice, there probably also selling other things, and things can get mixed together,” he said.