The current federal Health Minister says she is working with the provinces and territories on vaping, but hasn’t offered a timeline to bring in a ban.na/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
The federal government made a forceful argument when it announced new restrictions to prevent youth vaping in 2021. Patty Hajdu, the minister of health at the time, said vaping was putting a new generation of Canadians at risk of nicotine addiction and other harms. Yet more than five years later, the regulations to ban flavoured vaping products that appeal to young people still haven’t been enacted.
The federal government should finally bring in the ban, which would eliminate fruit, candy and chocolate flavours that appeal to children, while keeping menthol and tobacco flavours for adults using vapes to try to quit smoking. Ottawa also needs to work with provinces and municipalities on other measures to reduce teen vaping.
An alarming 14 per cent of youth aged 15 to 19 reported having vaped in the past 30 days. Vaping companies initially positioned their products as a way for people to quit smoking, yet the majority of young vapers have never tried a cigarette.
In fact, research shows that young people using vapes (also called e-cigarettes) are about three times more likely than others to start smoking cigarettes. Some adults credit vaping with helping them quit tobacco, but experts say there is more evidence that nicotine inhalers, patches and gum are effective.
While vaping isn’t as dangerous to people’s health as cigarettes, its long-term impacts are still being studied. Most vape liquid contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance linked to altered brain development, which can cause challenges with memory and concentration. Vape liquids contain other chemicals, such as propylene glycol and glycerin.
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New research from the University of Alberta shows that vaping is causing lung and cardiovascular damage in young adults. The team behind the study was shocked to see study participants in their early 20s were out of breath with exercise equivalent to a moderate walk.
Bans on flavours have been shown to lower the rates of youth vaping. A survey from the University of Waterloo shows that in provinces with partial bans on flavours, 3.4 per cent reported vaping less or stopping entirely after the ban was introduced. When a full flavour ban was brought in, 11 per cent vaped less or stopped. B.C., Saskatchewan and Ontario restrict the sale of flavours other than tobacco and menthol to specialty vaping stores, while Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia prohibit sales of flavours other than tobacco.
The current federal Health Minister, Marjorie Michel, says she is working with the provinces and territories on vaping, but hasn’t offered a timeline to bring in a ban. The provinces and territories generally oversee retail sales, but a federal ban could reinforce provincial measures by restricting international shipments on flavoured vape liquid. According to Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, provincial bans are currently being undermined by illegal shipments and online sales from other provinces.
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A national flavour ban would be a positive step, but in order to significantly reduce youth vaping, more enforcement is needed. Health Canada inspections of specialty vaping stores in 2024 and 2025 showed that 43 per cent weren’t complying with existing rules. Many were promoting prohibited flavours, not displaying health warnings or selling products with packaging indicating they exceeded the allowable nicotine concentration.
In Canada, it’s illegal to sell or provide vaping products to anyone under 18, and some provinces have boosted the cutoff to 19 or 21, yet teens have little trouble getting them. A study that sent secret shoppers to Alberta retailers found that 42.5 per cent of vendors were willing to sell to young people, with vape shops less likely than convenience stores to ask for ID.
Secret shopper programs by public health units can be effective, but in the case of repeat offenders, a $500 fine might not be enough of a deterrent. Charges are needed to crack down on repeat offenders.
While Canada has made significant progress in reducing cigarette smoking, the gains are being eroded as young people are needlessly becoming addicted to nicotine through vapes. Some are vaping the nicotine equivalent of 100 cigarettes a day, and are waking up at night to take a hit. Both federal and provincial regulators owe it to the younger generations to do all they can to stop it.