A representative of the tobacco industry believes proposed new regulations on vaping products introduced by the federal government could have a detrimental impact on those trying to quit smoking.
The new regulations would ban the sale of flavoured vaping products, and place a cap on nicotine concentrations.
Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs with Imperial Tobacco Canada Eric Gagnon says agencies, like Health Canada, agree that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking.
He fears that new regulations will have a negative impact on people who are trying to quit because a lot of adults who vape use the fruit flavours to get away from the cigarette taste.
Gagnon believes the risk is twofold: either people will revert back to smoking cigarettes, or an illegal market may take over.
According to Gagnon, the main reasoning behind the regulations is to protect young people, and while he believes young people should not be vaping, “prohibition doesn’t work.”
He finds it funny that when the federal government legalized marijuana they stated it was to protect youth and that prohibition doesn’t work, yet they are now taking the opposite approach when it comes to vaping products.
Gagnon doesn’t think the regulations will reduce youth vaping.
