Quebec Could Ban Flavoured Vape Products If The Health Minister Has His Way

Quebec's Health Minister wants to ban the sale of flavoured vape products in-province. Christian Dubé announced on April 19 that he'll propose amendments to the Tobacco Control Act that would prohibit the sale and distribution of smoking products with "a flavour or aroma other than tobacco," including electronic cigarettes.

The proposed regulation aims to financially affect companies that profit from the sale of vaping products. It would also limit the capacity of vaping devices to two millilitres, and restrice the maximum volume of refill vape juice to 30 millilitres.

"We made a commitment to better regulate vaping and that is what we are doing," Dubé tweeted. "These are concrete actions to promote healthy lifestyles and improve the health of the population… Prevention is a pillar of our Health Plan," he said.

The proposed ban on flavoured vape products is part of Quebec's broader efforts to reduce access and appeal of flavoured vape products, especially among young people.

While the long-term health effects of vaping are not yet fully understood, research suggests that when flavouring is heated with other ingredients in e-cigarette juice, new chemical compounds can form that are harmful to the human body.

Meanwhile, Health Canada reports that vaping has become a common form of tobacco use among students. In the most recent Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, e-cigarette use among high schoolers doubled in two years. Those who used e-cigarettes within the 30 days prior to the poll indicated frequent vaping, with approximately 40% (165,000 students) stating that they used e-cigarettes daily or almost daily.

The Quebec government is expected to table its proposed ban within 90 days.