The co-owner of Avalon Vapor is speaking out against the recent tax hike on vaping products.

The 20 per cent increase on vaping products took effect on January 1st as part of the 2020 budget.

Tristan Wall sees vaping products as harm reduction for those attempting to quit smoking and says the declining number of smokers in the province reflects his claim.

He suspects the new legislation is directly connected to a decrease in tobacco tax revenues for the government.

Wall is against the tax increase because he believes vaping products, when used as a smoking cessation tool, can actually improve public health.

He says Avalon Vapor opened as a harm reduction business and he suggests if all smokers in the province switched to vaping products, it would be a positive move for public health.

A petition has been started to repeal the tax.