Health Canada confirms ban of advertising for vaping products wherever they can be seen or heard by youth

OTTAWA, ON, July 8, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada remains concerned by the rise in youth vaping and is acting to address it.

Following consultations on proposed changes, today the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, announced final regulations to prevent vaping products from being advertised in ways that the ads can be seen or heard by young people.

These new changes will further restrict the promotion of vaping products, to protect youth from being exposed to advertisements that can induce them to try vaping. It will now be prohibited to advertise vaping products in public spaces if the ads can be seen or heard by youth, whether in brick and mortar stores, online or other media channels.

In addition, the display of vaping products at point-of-sale where youth have access will be prohibited. These changes will also require that any permitted ads displayed where youth are not permitted convey a health warning about vaping product harms. These requirements are applicable only when a province or territory does not already have such requirements in place.

This important work builds on existing measures already taken by the Government of Canada to address the rise of youth vaping. The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act currently prohibits several types of vaping product promotions. However, since its enactment, increased vaping advertising has been observed on television, on social media and other digital platforms, at events, on outdoor signs and at points of sale. The new changes confirmed today will address this. Health Canada is also considering additional regulatory measures that would further restrict the nicotine content of vaping products, further restrict flavours in vaping products, and require the vaping industry to provide information about their vaping products, including sales, ingredients, and research and development activities.

Quote

"We have been working with experts and all Canadians over the last months, with the goal of better protecting a new generation of young Canadians from the harms of vaping products. The changes announced today will address problematic advertising while we will continue to explore additional measures to reduce vaping."

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health

Quick Facts

• The final Vaping Products Promotion Regulations will come into force 30 days after publication in the Gazette, that is, on August 7, 2020, with the exception of the point-of-sale display prohibition, which will come into force 60 days after publication, that is, on September 6, 2020.
• Work is ongoing at Health Canada to consider additional measures that would reduce the nicotine content and further restrict flavours in vaping products.
• The latest evidence in Canada indicates an overall increase in the rate of vaping, driven almost entirely by youth and young adult uptake. (2019 Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey and 2018-19 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey)
• Health Canada has invested more than $12 million over three years in a national vaping public education and prevention campaign. Launched in 2018, the Consider the Consequences of Vaping gives youth and their parents the facts about the harms and risks of vaping so they can make informed choices to protect their health. The campaign has used a variety of tactics to reach youth and parents, including advertising, hands-on learning events in high schools, middle schools and community settings across Canada, and the use of digital influencers and partnerships. A recent evaluation of the advertising campaign found that 26% of teens who reported having seen the ads decided not to try vaping as a result.

Associated Links

• Final Vaping Products Promotions Regulations
• Backgrounder: Final Vaping Products Promotions Regulations
• Backgrounder: Youth Vaping Prevention Public Education
• Backgrounder: Regulations of vaping products in Canada
• What We Heard: Reducing Youth Access and Appeal of Vaping Products: Consultation Summary
• Canada.ca/Vaping-Info
• Tobacco and Vaping Products Act

SOURCE Health Canada