Question Period Note: Youth Vaping

Since late 2018, Health Canada has been tracking increasing reports and statistical evidence of a rapid rise in youth vaping in both Canada and the United States. There has been substantial concern expressed by parents, educators, health professionals and non-government organizations, accompanied by widespread media coverage.

The Government of Canada has implemented a comprehensive suite of measures to address youth vaping, including a national public education campaign to inform youth (aged 13-18) and their parents about the risks and harms associated with vaping and funding for youth vaping prevention and cessation projects.

This includes a commitment to prioritize online inspections and vaping speciality establishments inspections with the aim of inspecting up to 3,000 vape shops and convenience stores by the end of 2019.

Health Canada has announced options for further potential regulations to curb youth uptake of vaping products. The department published a Notice of Intent on February 5, 2019 outlining the Department’s plans for new advertising rules to strengthen the regulatory framework already in place through the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act. The proposed rules would restrict where advertisements could be displayed to limit their visibility to young people. They would also require health warning messages on advertisements, and would restrict the display of vaping products at points of sale.

In April 2019, Health Canada also undertook public consultation on further potential regulatory measures to reduce youth access and appeal of vaping products, including vaping product flavours, nicotine concentration and design features. Officials are currently reviewing the results of this consultation.

The department has also advanced regulatory proposals to place additional controls on the labelling and packaging of vaping products. Proposed regulations were pre-published in Canada Gazette, Part I in June 2019.

• What is the Government doing to address the increased use and appeal of vaping products to youth?

• Our Government shares the concerns of parents, educators, health professionals, youth and public health stakeholders regarding the recent rapid increases in youth vaping in Canada.

• In addition to enforcing the strong set of controls that we have already established under the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, my Department is taking further action to address the increasing popularity of these products with young people in Canada.

• Starting in early 2019, Health Canada put in place a multi-pronged approach to better protect youth and address youth vaping, including:
o A national public education campaign to inform Canadian youth and their parents on the risks and harms of vaping;
o Enhanced compliance and enforcement activities to ensure that manufacturers and retailers are doing their part to keep these products out of the hands of youth;
o A notice of intent outlining the Department’s plans for new advertising rules;
o Consultations on regulatory measures to reduce the access and appeal of these products for youth; and,
o Engagement with our provincial, territorial and non-governmental partners on how we can work together to make a greater impact.

• In June 2019, the Department consulted on proposed regulations regarding labelling and packaging requirements for vaping products. These regulations would protect the health and safety of Canadians by increasing awareness of the health hazards of using vaping products.

IF PRESSED ON THE YOUTH-ORIENTED PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN…

• In early 2019, Health Canada launched the Consider the Consequences youth vaping prevention campaign to inform youth (aged 13 to 18) and parents of the risks and harms associated with vaping.

• The campaign includes digital advertising on social media and advertising in malls, cinemas and on transit, as well as an experiential event tour in schools and community venues, and web-based and print resources for youth, parents & educators.

• Vaping awareness kits have been provided to all middle and high schools in Canada.

• The experiential tour continues to visit schools across Canada.

IF PRESSED ON COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT OF CURRENT MEASURES…

• The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act has significant restrictions in place to limit youth access to vaping products and vaping product promotions. For example, it is prohibited to furnish a vaping product to anyone under 18 in Canada, and lifestyle advertising of vaping products is strictly prohibited under the Act.

• Our government has increased compliance and enforcement activities to verify industry compliance with the current prohibitions on the sale and promotion of vaping products. Health Canada has taken actions that have led companies to remove:
o lifestyle advertising or advertisements from television and in-store displays; and,
o online content from social media influencers that encouraged youth vaping.

• In June 2019, the Department sent a letter to over 22,000 vaping product retailers reminding them of their responsibilities under the TVPA. Between July and November 15, 2019, Health Canada inspectors inspected 1600 specialty vape shops across the country and seized more than 72,000 units of non-compliant vaping products.

• Health Canada aims to visit 3,000 retailers of vaping products, namely speciality stores and convenience stores by the end of 2019. Health Canada is also identifying and addressing non-compliance online.

IF PRESSED ON FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON ADVERTISING…

• Our Government is pursuing a comprehensive, evidence-based regulatory agenda to address the access and appeal of vaping products to youth.

• Health Canada published a Notice of Intent on February 5, 2019 outlining the Department’s plans for new advertising rules to strengthen the legislative framework already in place.

• The proposed new rules would restrict where advertisements could be displayed to limit their visibility to young people. They would also require health warning messages on advertisements, and would restrict the display of vaping products at points of sale.

• In April 2019, Health Canada also undertook public consultation on further potential regulatory measures to reduce youth access and appeal of vaping products, including vaping product flavours, nicotine concentration and design features. Officials are currently reviewing the results of this consultation.

There is a rapidly growing consumer market for vaping products in Canada. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of premature death and disease in Canada. Smoking-related disease is caused by the toxic and carcinogenic chemicals in smoke. Vaping products expose users to far fewer toxic chemicals and substances than conventional cigarettes and are marketed, sold and used as alternatives to tobacco products.

However, vaping is not harmless. Vaping nicotine can lead to addiction and physical dependence and youth are especially susceptible to the negative effects of nicotine. In addition, for those who do not smoke, vaping can also cause lung damage and can increase exposure to harmful chemicals. The long-term consequences of vaping are unknown.

The most recent Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS) results from 2016-2017, released in June 2018, indicate that 15% of students in grades 10-12 (Secondary IV and V in Quebec) had used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days, up from 9% in 2014-2015 (a 64% increase over two years), and other published data provided to Health Canada suggests that there has been a marked increase in youth use rates over the past year. We have not seen a corresponding increase in student smoking rates; these rates continue to be at all-time lows.

The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) became law on May 23, 2018 and regulates the manufacture, sale, labelling and promotion of both tobacco and vaping products. The TVPA includes significant prohibitions and restrictions intended to prevent access to, and uptake of, tobacco and vaping products by youth, including:
• prohibiting the furnishing (including online) to persons under 18;
• prohibiting the sale and promotion of products with design features that make the product appealing to youth; and
• restricting the promotion of tobacco and vaping products.

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