20,000 Voices Will Not Be Silenced; The Lives Of 1,000,000 Vapers Are Valuable
TORONTO, Sept. 3, 2021 /CNW/ - Rights4Vapers, Canada largest vapour consumer rights' movement, filled a submission yesterday opposing Health Canada's planned restrictions to flavoured vapour products on behalf of the over 1,000,000 adult Canadians who depend on these products as a less harmful alternative to smoking.
"Health Canada will have no choice but to hear our voices. In the past, we have been silenced and marginalized," said Maria Papaioannoy, spokesperson for Rights4Vapers. "The last time the government asked for the public's views on flavoured vapour products, 23,000 postcards from vapers were counted as ONE submission. Never again."
Vaping is a proven less harmful alternative to smoking. Public health authorities around the world have made it clear that vaping can be an effective tool to help smokers quit smoking. But only if the right regulatory and societal frameworks are in place.
"We have filed our submission strongly opposing the flavour ban on behalf of the more than one million Canadian adults who have chosen their health over cigarettes," said Ms. Papaioannoy. "Over 20,000 Canadians took the time to write to Health Canada. We expect that each one counts as one submission against the flavour ban."
Rights4Vapers is currently on a 26-stop tour of Quebec and Ontario that began on August 20. Vape Tour 2021 will reach out to the forgotten 1,000,000 Canadian vapers and give them a voice. More and more regulations at both federal and provincial levels are threatening the access, availability, and affordability of vapour products. It's time to save vaping. It's time to save lives.
Flavours are an important component to the vaping experience for adult smokers. Flavours help smokers migrate from traditional cigarettes to vapour products. In 2019, Parliament conducted hearings on amendments to the Tobacco Act (Bill S5). Experts told the federal government that flavoured vapour products are important. It's time that all governments listen.
According to research published by the Consumer Choice Center, there are upwards of 1.5 million adult Canadian vapers in Canada. Approximately 955,000 of those adult consumers currently use flavoured vape products. A full ban on vaping flavours would likely push most of those consumers back to smoking.
An estimated 48,000 Canadians die from smoking every year, according to the Canadian Lung Association. Last year no deaths from vaping were reported.
Rights4Vapers is an organization of vaping advocates dedicated to the advancement of Canadian based research on vaping. Dr. Chris Lalonde is an academic advisor. Rights4Vapers is the voice of Canadian adult vapers, 98 percent of whom are former smokers.
SOURCE Rights 4 Vapers
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