Positions

Vaping is much less harmful than smoking

Vaping products were legalized as consumer products in May 2018. Health Canada states that “vaping is less harmful than smoking” and “there are short-term general health improvements if you completely switch from smoking cigarettes to vaping products.”

Let us be clear: minors should not use or have access to vaping products. Vaping products are for current adult smokers only, not youth or non-smokers.

• VITA believes governments should focus on the issues of access, enforcement and education.
• It is not productive to blame one distribution channel or the other for youth using vaping products.

VITA does not support the application of an excise tax on vaping products as their uptake has the potential to reduce the externalities associated with smoking prevalence. Vaping products are currently subject to sales tax.

VITA does not support a flavor ban. Current regulations that prohibit the promotion of certain flavours are appropriate for the Canadian market and should be enforced.

We believe that Health Canada has struck the right balance between ensuring that adult smokers have access to less harmful alternatives while not promoting to young people.

We do not manufacture products with THC, cannabis or vitamin E compounds. Vaping products should display a list of ingredients relevant to adult consumers. 

• It's irresponsible and naive for governments to believe that by eliminating flavoured vape products they would prevent the actions for those looking to consume illicit THC products using the same delivery method.
• For more than 10 years, flavoured vape products have been on the Canadian market and are credited with helping thousands of adult smokers give up harmful tobacco consumption without a single vape-related illness or death reported.

Our members only market vaping products to current vapers and/or adult smokers. We never market to youth or non-smokers.

• Adult smokers should know about vaping as an alternative and communication freedoms are critical to building this awareness.
• VITA supports the introduction of guidelines and will work with third parties and government members to develop codes of conduct related to marketing practices and to eliminate subjectivity in terms of the application of “youth appeal” concept.

Consumers must be informed when nicotine is present in vaping products and the addictiveness of nicotine. We support the prohibition on vaping products with nicotine concentrations of 66 mg/mL or more.

Nicotine has not been shown to cause cancer in humans and has been safely used for decades in licensed nicotine replacement therapy products with few significant adverse effects-The International Agency for Research on Cancer does not list nicotine as a carcinogen.  Similarly, the US National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) in 2018 concluded that “there is no evidence to indicate that nicotine is a carcinogen” and that “there is likely no significant increase in risk of cancer from exposure to nicotine delivered by e-cigarettes.”

Product quality and safety is paramount to our industry. We comply with all requirements under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. 

We label our products with information relevant to adult consumers, including ingredient disclosures and health warnings.

Vaping products should be readily available to adult consumers, particularly wherever tobacco / cigarettes are sold. This is critical to achieve the harm-reduction potential of vaping products as an alternative to smoking.

Responsible regulation on vaping and vaping products must be proportionate and evidence based.

We will continue to openly share information, research and regulatory submissions to educate stakeholders about our category. This includes current adult smokers and vapers, government officials, health authorities, policymakers, the public, media, and industry partners.