Over 10,000 Canadians Call on Parliament to Protect the Health and Rights of Adult Vapers
A RANGE OF FLAVOURS IS NECESSARY TO HELP SMOKERS QUIT SMOKING AND STAY SMOKE-FREE
TORONTO, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ - Rights4Vapers, Canada's leading vapers' rights organization, is delighted to report that over 10,000 Canadians have signed a House of Commons petition that calls on the government to maintain flavoured vapour products.
"Health Canada and the Government of Canada have a duty to protect the health of ALL Canadians, smokers, vapers and non-smokers," said Maria Papaioannoy, spokesperson for Rights4Vapers. "The new regulations that would limit flavoured vapour products to tobacco, mint and menthol will only drive vapers back to smoking and will not encourage smokers to try vaping, a proven, effective tobacco harm reduction tool."
The petition was started by Calgary vape shop owner Adam Ward and sponsored by MP Tom Kmiec.
Punitive and restrictive vaping regulations will not help reduce smoking rates. In fact, it is likely that smoking will increase. Health Canada even says so in the proposed regulations:
"After the proposal comes into force, it is anticipated that some dual users who currently use flavoured vaping products would not substitute their purchases with tobacco- and mint/menthol-flavoured vaping products. They would choose to purchase more cigarettes, hence offsetting the loss of sales of tobacco- and mint/menthol-flavoured vaping products."
We have seen this scenario play out in two jurisdictions. In Nova Scotia, which currently hold the title of the most prohibitive regulations in Canada, sales of tobacco increased for the first time in a decade after a flavours ban. Similarly in San Francisco, which invoked one of the first flavour bans in North America, is seeing an increase in teen smoking rates according to the Yale School of Public Health.
"Thousands of Canadians have spoken out. Clearly this will become an election issue. Which party will commit to balanced and reasonable vaping regulations that protect the health of smokers and vapers?" said Ms. Papaioannoy.
An estimated 48,000 Canadians die from smoking every year, according to the Canadian Lung Association. Last year no deaths from vaping were reported.
About Rights4Vapers
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
Media inquiries: [email protected]
Share this article