The Alliance for the Control of Tobacco is applauding tax increases on vaping and tobacco products that came into effect today.

A 20 per cent tax has been imposed on all vaping products while cigarettes have increased by a dollar a pack and 10 cents per gram of fine-cut tobacco.

Chair of ACT’s Board of Directors, Scott Antle says they strongly support the tax increase.

Executive Director Kevin Coady says tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in Newfoundland and Labrador, while a recent Canadian Student Survey shows that vaping among young people in the province is reaching a “crisis level.”

The survey found that 47 per cent of the province’s student in Grades 7 to 12 have tried vaping, with almost 30 per cent of students asked indicating that they had vaped in the last 30 days.