VITA’s Statement on Nova Scotia Newly-Tabled Vaping Bill

The Vaping Industry Trade Association (VITA) is calling on the Nova Scotia Government to reject a bill introduced in the Legislative Assembly by the PC Leader, Tim Houston to amend the Tobacco Act. This legislation proposes a ban on flavoured vaping products. We urge the Nova Scotia Government to reject these short-sighted measures and instead work with stakeholders and rely on evidence to come to sensible regulations.

The federal government has established itself as a leader in tobacco harm reduction by legalizing vaping products and introducing regulatory restrictions on advertising, flavour marketing, and youth access. Health Canada is currently in the process of developing regulations on packaging, labelling and manufacturing standards.

To introduce provincial legislation in advance of Health Canada’s regulatory process would serve to undermine the evidence-based approach they are taking and create a patchwork of provincial legislation that would cause confusion and make enforcement even more difficult. The industry is in support of regulations that protect consumers, but we must take care to make sure they are developed without haste and to enforce regulations that are already in place. We want to ensure that adult Canadians have access to regulated products and to protect against illicit market products that could potentially be unsafe.

Consumer safety and transparency are top priorities for VITA. We remain steadfast in our commitment to collaborating with all members of the Nova Scotia’s Legislative Assembly, the province’s Minister of Health, as well as its Department of Health and Wellness, on all vaping related issues.

Collaboration with and among key public health stakeholders will be critical to ensuring the efficacy and success of our programs. In this context, VITA is eager to begin working with Nova Scotia’s elected officials, public servants as well as its civil society, to help strengthen a framework that ensures the safety of all users while protecting our youth.

Media Inquires:
Daniel David, President & CEO,
Vaping Industry Trade Association,
daniel@vitaofcanada.com