Statement By Canadian Vaping Association on E-liquid Incident in British Colombia

TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2018 /CNW/ - The Canadian Vaping Association is deeply saddened by the death of 14-year-old Kyle Losse of Delta, B.C., who died last week after hitting his head.

As many of our members may have seen, the young boy's stepmother is quoted as saying that Vapes are easy for kids and teenagers to buy, yet her child's vape was purchased by an adult for her son's use. The story has received significant coverage in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and throughout the rest of the country.

As both Fraser Health and the BC Coroner's Service are investigating this tragic incident, The CVA would like to caution its members against making public inferences about the cause of death, until all the facts of the case have come to light.

"The CVA's official policy has always been that electronic cigarettes should only be used by adults and should not be sold to minors under any circumstance. To that end, The CVA has been working over the past months to institute clear and concise rules to govern the Canadian vaping industry, in order to prevent youth from getting their hands on e-cigarettes." Said Shaun Casey, President of the CVA.

Late last year, The CVA instructed its members to ensure that all online orders require a signature and age-verification, meaning that the carrier will be obliged to check the recipient's ID, to ensure that person is above the age of majority.

Audits of online retailers are already underway to ensure compliance with the new policy. Under a deal struck between The CVA and Canada's major credit card processors, companies found to be in violation will have their payment systems cut off and will be blacklisted from using payment systems controlled by the major credit card companies in the future. The CVA will be expanding this program over the course of 2018 to include audits of brick-and-mortar storefronts, as well.

The CVA is also working with the federal government to develop a certification program for vaping retailers, which will provide employees with training in how to check IDs and spot underage customers, similar to the instruction given to those who work in bars and liquor stores.

SOURCE The Canadian Vaping Association

or to arrange an interview contact: Darryl Tempest, Executive Director, The Canadian Vaping Association, [email protected], Phone [phone]