A National organization known as Youth4Change is calling on the federal government to regulate all Vape flavours including mint and menthol. The group says more than 1 in 4 youth who start vaping will start smoking afterwards. It says vaping is a youth issue, with 84 per cent of people who have vaped under the age of 25. Youth4Change says flavoured vape products are a way to entice kids into a nicotine addiction and vaping trends among youth have doubled since 2017. The organization says it wants the government to protect Canadian youth and children. The group says over 40% of youth who vape say they would quit vaping if flavours were not available.
According Youth4Change:
– Nova Scotia & PEI recently passed strong legislation banning all vape flavours (with the exception of “tobacco” flavour).
– Evidence shows a strong link between the appeal of flavours and youth use of vaping products.
– More than 1 in 4 youth who start vaping, start smoking afterwards.
– 84% of people who have vaped are under the age of 25.
– Vaping trends among youth have doubled since 2017.
– Over 90% of youth begin vaping with a flavoured vape product, and majority continue to use flavoured vape products.
– Canadian pediatricians are reporting vaping-related injuries with one third of cases having ongoing health problems and one quarter of kids and youth hospitalized.
– The latest data show that the top 3 flavours used by youth are berry, mint, and mango and over 40% of youth who vape state they would quit vaping if flavours were not available.
References:
Al-Hamdani, Hopkins, and Davidson. “The 2020-2021 Youth and Young Adult Vaping Project.” Heart and Stroke Foundation, March 24, 2021.
Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, Canadian Paediatric Society. CPSP 2019 Results. Ottawa, 2020.
Government of Canada. “Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS): Summary of Results for 2019,” July 7, 2020.
Government of Canada. “Vaping Compliance and Enforcement Report October – December 2019,” December 2019.
Nova Scotia Government. https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20191205001
