Tag: Quebec

Illicit Market Thriving After Flavor Ban: ITCAN

Image: Ahmed
One year after Quebec banned non-tobacco flavored vapes, most vapers are buying such products illegally in the province, according to Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN).
In a survey carried out by Leger, 61 percent of vapers said that they purchased non-tobacco flavored vapor products in the past 12 months. Forty percent of those respondents said that they purchased an illegal flavored vapor product from a vape shop, and 33 percent of those respondents said they purchased flavored vapor products online. Forty-seven percent of those respondents said they knew it was illegal when they purchased a flavored vapor product
“If the government’s objective was to create an untaxed and unregulated vapor market, then well done and mission accomplished,” said ITCAN Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Eric Gagnon in a statement.
ITCAN attributed the problem in part to weak enforcement. “A report from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (MSSS) website reveals that only 150 (38 percent of all vape shops) have been inspected by MSSS,” the company wrote. “Worse yet, very few fines have been issued with reports showing only 28 of those 150 received fines, even though more than 90 percent are uncompliant.”
ITCAN urged the government to train inspectors, issue fines heavy enough to deter illegal players and conduct an “enforcement blitz” to demonstrate the gravity of the situation, among other suggestions.
November 1, 2024
Quebec: Vaping Flavor Ban Goes Into Effect Today

Credit: CL-Medien
Vapers of scared about possibly having to return to combustible cigarettes in Quebec as the Canadian city’s flavor ban for vaping products takes effect today, Oct. 31.
Quebec’s ban includes vaping products with flavors other than tobacco and will prohibit e-liquid sold in bottles with a capacity greater than 30 mL and prefilled devices with a capacity greater than 2 mL.
The flavor ban was announced in a draft published in April. More than 30,000 citizens of Quebec commented on the proposed ban, according to the Quebec Vaping Rights Coalition, but the health ministry reportedly didn’t make any changes to the rules in response.
Quebec is the largest province in Canada to enact a flavor ban. Four other provinces and territories have flavor bans in place, and one has passed a ban but has not set an effective date yet. Three other provinces restrict flavored products to adult-only stores.
The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) has expressed concerns to the Quebec government, arguing that this regulation will not achieve its intended goal of curbing youth experimentation.
According to the CVA, the consequences will include the closure of specialty vape shops within the province, the loss of over 1000 jobs, and a shift in consumer demand towards foreign suppliers and the illicit market.
“It’s high time for provinces like Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI to re-evaluate their stance and stop yielding to the influence of big tobacco companies. These regions must come to the realization that they are inadvertently supporting the very issues they claim to be combating,” said Darryl Tempest, government relations counsel to the CVA.
The available data consistently finds that flavor bans fail to effectively protect youth and lead to increased tobacco sales among both young people and adults.
October 31, 2023
Quebec Flavor Ban Begins at End of October

Quebec’s flavor ban will take effect Oct. 31, according to Vaping360.
The ban will include vaping products with flavors other than tobacco and will prohibit e-liquid sold in bottles with a capacity greater than 30 mL and prefilled devices with a capacity greater than 2 mL.
The flavor ban was announced in a draft published in April. More than 30,000 citizens of Quebec commented on the proposed ban, according to the Quebec Vaping Rights Coalition, but the health ministry reportedly didn’t make any changes to the rules in response.
Quebec is the largest province in Canada to pass a flavor ban. Four other provinces and territories have flavor bans in place, and one has passed a ban but has not set an effective date yet. Three other provinces restrict flavored products to adult-only stores.
August 4, 2023
Vaping Group Blasts Quebec Flavor Ban Proposal

Photo: vmargineanu
A proposal by the government of Quebec to ban nontobacco-flavored nicotine vaping products will have negative consequences for public health if enacted, according to the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA).
In addition to the flavor restrictions, the recently released draft legislation proposes a volume limit of 2 mL on prefilled devices and a limit of 30 mL on refill containers. Additionally, the regulations would restrict nicotine concentrations to 20 mg/mL and prohibit the use of any form, appearance or function that may be attractive to minors, both of which have already been regulated by the federal government.
If the draft rules are implemented, Quebec, with its population of 8.5 million, will become the largest Canadian province to prohibit flavors, according to media reports. Quebec is the country’s second-most populous province. According to the Alliance of Vape Shops in Quebec, there are over 400 independent vape shops in the province, employing over 2,200 people and generating more than $300 million in economic activity. The trade group predicts the shops will all close.

Quebec’s decision to ban flavors is a major win for tobacco companies, out-of-province vendors and contraband sellers.
Darryl Tempest, government relations counsel to the CVA board
In 2021, federal health agency Health Canada proposed a flavor ban that was scheduled to take effect in early 2022, but that plan seems to have been abandoned or postponed indefinitely without explanation. Health Canada’s updated vaping products regulations page makes no mention of the flavor restrictions.
The CVA says Quebec proposed its rules despite warnings by the industry about their negative impacts. Vaping is proven to be significantly less harmful than smoking, according to the CVA, which says there is substantial evidence from jurisdictions that have already implemented flavor bans that the public health outcome is negative, as many vapers will return to smoking and fewer smokers will switch to vaping.
“Quebec’s decision to ban flavors is a major win for tobacco companies, out-of-province vendors and contraband sellers,” said Darryl Tempest, government relations counsel to the CVA board, in a statement. “What Quebec has done is shift demand to tobacco owned products, retailers outside of Quebec and criminals. Quebec’s small businesses and domestic industry will be irreparably harmed in favor of multinational corporations,” said Tempest.
April 21, 2023
Quebec Proposes Ban on Flavored Vape Products

Credit: Ronniechua
Vaping products that contain flavors or aromas other than tobacco could soon be banned in Quebec under new rules proposed by the government Wednesday.
The Quebec government hopes the change to the provincial regulations will make vaping products less attractive to minors.
“We’re not eliminating vaping, but we’re eliminating flavors,” Health Minister Christian Dubé told Radio-Canada in an interview. “There will only be the taste of nicotine and all other flavors will be prohibited.”
The minister responsible for sports, Isabelle Charest, said the changes are about keeping “extremely harmful” products out of the reach of minors, according to CBC.
“They start to vape because they find it fun or attractive to have a vape pen that tastes like strawberries,” she said, adding that sweet-flavored products make up 90 percent of what minors vape, with only the remaining 10 percent choosing tobacco-flavored products.
The draft regulations also include proposals to limit the maximum nicotine concentration in vaping products to 20 milligrams per milliliter, restrict vape tank and capsule capacity to two milliliters, and limit the maximum volume refill capacity of liquid cartridges to 30 milliliters.
Vaping products will be prohibited from resembling toys, food or taking other forms that might be attractive to minors.
The ministry also acknowledges the new rules will likely mean job losses and a drop in sales for companies primarily selling vaping products.
As part of the new regulations, there will be a 45-day public consultation period.
April 21, 2023
Quebec Setting Sights on Potential E-liquid Flavor Ban
Quebec intends to ban the sale of flavored vaping cartridges and e-liquids. The Canadian city also wants to limit nicotine content after a public health report warned of a major increase in youth vaping in the province.
Credit: Aurore Duwez
“With the growing popularity of vaporization products, especially among young people, it becomes imperative to act to prevent a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine because of these products,” Health Minister Christian Dubé said Wednesday in a statement.
In 2015, Quebec banned the sale of flavored tobacco products and saw a reduction in the number of high-schoolers smoking such products within 30 days. Similar action should be taken with regard to vaping, the public health researchers recommended.
December 11, 2020