VITA Yukon Response

The Vaping Industry Trade Association (VITA), a leading voice in the Canadian vaping industry, has been closely monitoring developments regarding new vaping legislation for the Territory of Yukon, which includes new provisions that could restrict flavoured vaping products.

Flavours are a complex issue yet play an important role for smoking reduction in adults. Many adult smokers looking for an alternative do not want a product that tastes like the cigarettes they are trying to leave behind.

We have sought to meet Yukon Government officials to discuss this issue, and in the meantime urge the Government to reject this approach, and instead work with industry stakeholders and rely on evidence to shape an effective approach.

By way of context, 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 Yukon Government – and levels of government across Canada – on all vaping related issues.

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