Draft vaping regulations: Four Years Later, It's Time to Finalize a Federal Ban on Flavoured Vapes Français

, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - After four years of government inaction, antitobacco groups are calling on the new federal government to accelerate the approval of public health measures to protect children from nicotine addiction.
On June 19, 2021, Health Canada released draft regulations that would have stopped tobacco and nicotine companies from adding flavourings and sweeteners to vaping liquids. At the time, Health Canada said the regulation would help address the "rapid increase in youth vaping in Canada" and acknowledged that "desirable flavours [are] believed to have contributed to the rise in youth vaping."
Yet despite repeated promises by the Trudeau government that this important protective measure would be finalized " soon," tobacco companies have continued to receive permission to use flavours that lure young people into nicotine use, a practice they maintain to this day.
"Banning nicotine flavourings in vaping products sold on the open market is a fundamental and necessary measure to protect young people from becoming addicted to tobacco industry products," explained Flory Doucas, Co-Director of the Quebec Coalition of Tobacco Control.
"Without these controls, companies will continue to exploit the curiosity and taste preferences of youth, drawing them into drug use that poses significant risks to their developing brains and overall health. Flavourings also make the products more fun and seemingly more innocuous to use, which diminishes young people's understanding of the inherent product risks."
Despite support for a flavour ban from major health agencies, provincial and territorial governments, as well as repeated calls for such a ban by provincial and federal medical officers of health, including Dr. Theresa Tam from the federal government's own Public Health Agency, these regulations have been repeatedly postponed following meetings with tobacco and nicotine companies.
"Bowing to industry pressure has already harmed hundreds of thousands of Canadian children and will continue to do so until these products are taken off the market," said Cynthia Callard, Executive Director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.
Health Canada's most recent Canadian Student Alcohol and Drug Survey estimated that 27% of Grade 12 students were vaping, half of whom do so every day. "This year's high school graduates were in middle school when these regulations were first proposed. Endless dithering by the federal government has needlessly allowed an entire new school cohort to be victimized by nicotine marketing," added Ms. Callard.
Using data from this government survey, Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada has added a counter to its Blog to display the estimated number of high school students who have started vaping since the Honourable Marjorie Michel became Health minister on May 13, 2025.
Les Hagen, Executive Director of Action on Smoking & Health challenged government inaction: "How many more teenagers need to become addicted to nicotine before the federal government decides to finally step in? Can the Health Minister please inform Canadians of the threshold number of addicted youth required to justify federal restrictions on flavoured vaping products? Will the minister follow the advice of her Chief Medical Health Officer, and the medical officer in every province and territory?"
"Measures to prevent addiction and disease among children contribute to a strong Canadian economy and serve a nation-wide purpose" added Cynthia Callard."We urge Minister Michel to forward the finalized regulation to cabinet for approval without further delay."
SOURCE Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control

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