ON WORLD VAPE DAY LET'S CELEBRATE THE LIVES SAVED THANKS TO VAPOUR AND OTHER REDUCED-HARM NICOTINE PRODUCTS

Misinformation, distortions and lies are putting reduced-harm products under attack and risking the health of Canadians who smoke and vape

OTTAWA, ON, May 30, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians who vape are calling on the federal government to shelve the proposed ban on flavoured vapour products that was announced in March by Minister of Health, Mark Holland.

"We are fighting for our lives. 36,000 Canadians have told Minister Holland and Saks that they oppose banning flavoured vapour products. We hear it every day. Flavours are an important reason why people who smoke move to vapour products," said Maria Papaioannoy, spokesperson for Rights4Vapers, a Canadian vapers' rights movement. "Limiting the selection to mint, menthol and tobacco flavours will drive people who vape either back to smoking or to the black market."

Minister Holland plans push through the regulations announced three years ago to ban all flavours of vapour products, except mint, menthol, and tobacco. However, Canadians who vape and their allies have made it clear that this is unacceptable.

If the flavour ban goes through flavours will continue to be available in Canada. They won't be regulated, safe or taxed.

"Vaping has saved my life. I smoked for almost 40 years but stopped when I discovered vaping about 10 years ago. I now vape a variety of fruit and desserts," said Marion Burt, a Canadian who vapes. "My doctors tell me that my lungs are in great shape. If I am not able to buy my preferred flavour of vape, I'll have to take other measures. I won't be forced back to smoking or tobacco flavour!"

Much has changed in Canada in three years, including the flavour ban fiasco in Quebec. In October 2023, the Quebec government banned all flavours in the province without any plans for enforcement. Today, anyone, including minors can buy flavoured vapour products on the black market. The same thing has happened in New York City, where flavoured vapour products have been banned since 2020. A recent study found that the market has been flooded with Chinese-made flavoured vapes.

"My fear is that the ban will drive people like me, Canadians who vape, back to using harmful combustible products." said Kraig Paul (KP) Proulx, consumer, "The Canadian government needs to understand that this is a method of HARM REDUCTION."

Minister Holland seems to be misinformed about the harm reduction potential of vapour products. In a March 20 scrum, he claimed that vapour products have "had very injurious outcomes for our health system" and "that we saw happening in vaping, all the illness, the death, the sickness". Both statements are categorically false.

In the 20 years that vapour products have been on the market, not one Canadian has died from a LEGAL vape. It is quite the reverse. Thousands of lives have been saved thanks to people switching from smoking to vaping.

Please watch our press conference today with Dr. Douglas Elliott at 1pm at www.cpac.ca

SOURCE Rights 4 Vapers

Media inquiries: [email protected] 647-407-7206; Media inquiries: Douglas Elliott [email protected] 416-271-3052