Hamilton, ON, Sept. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) commends the Nova Scotian entrepreneurs who have submitted intent for a constitutional challenge after Nova Scotia passed restrictive vapour product legislation. The new legislation imposes nicotine ceilings and bans flavoured vapour products. Flavoured products are the key for adult adoption and are used by 90% of adult vapers. Eliminating flavours will discourage adult smokers from transitioning and cause many vapers to return to smoking.
“While current and proposed legislation (especially at the federal level) sometimes distinguishes between vaping and smoking, it often fails to do so. Vaping is, according to the best available scientific data, much less dangerous than smoking, because it does not involve combustion or the generation of smoke,” says Dr. Sirota in the Canadian Constitution Foundation’s report, Canadian Vaping Law: Overview and Constitutional Issues. “These regulations are meant to protect non-smokers from vaping as potentially dangerous in itself and, worse, a possible gateway to smoking. However, it risks inflicting serious harm on current smokers, for whom vaping can be an important, and often the most effective, harm-reduction technique,” concluded Dr. Sirota.
“The CVA supports all efforts to ensure reasonable access to vapour products. Smoking is Canada’s leading cause of death, with 45,000 Canadian deaths each year from tobacco related diseases. The data has conclusively shown that restricting vapour products leads to higher smoking rates. By banning flavours Nova Scotia has impeded the right not to be deprived of life, liberty, and the security of the person,” said Darryl Tempest, Executive Director of the CVA.
The CVA cautioned the Government of Nova Scotia that banning flavoured products would be ineffective for youth protection and would cause a spike in smoking rates and unregulated products. The province refused any recommendations for effective policy to balance youth protection with reasonable access for adult smokers. As a result, Nova Scotia’s vapour regulation has been a public health failure and has inflicted serious harm on adult smokers.