Health Groups call on Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel to ban vape flavours within her first 100 days. Français
As part of these important reforms, they are asking for regulations to ban flavours in vaping products to be finalized within the Health Minister's first 100 days in office. Restricting flavours in vaping products was a commitment made by the Liberal Party in the recent federal election.
"Minister Michel has inherited the youth vaping crisis, and her intervention is urgently needed to clean up the mess her predecessors left behind," said Les Hagen, Executive Director of Action on Smoking & Health. "This will require her to stand up to the tobacco industry and its front groups, and to protect youth from their attempts to undermine health policies."
"The youth vaping crisis has gone on far too long," he added. "The past government's decision to liberalize the sale of vaping products has negatively impacted one-half of Canadian youth without producing any measurable benefit in overall smoking cessation among adults."
Vaping products became legal for sale and promotion in Canada in May 2018, and were exempted from the marketing restrictions that have been proven to help protect young people from starting to use tobacco products. These measures include large graphic health warnings, plain and standardized products and packaging, bans on flavourings and sweeteners, and controls on accessibility including a ban on interprovincial sales.
"Over the past seven years, parents, teachers and health professionals have struggled to protect kids from the predatory commercial activities which followed," said Flory Doucas, co-director of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control."They have waited for meaningful federal government action while hundreds of thousands of children were being recruited to nicotine addiction by an industry sugar-coating a harmful drug with exotic flavours and playful devices."
Health Canada's 2023 Canadian Substance Use Survey found that over one million Canadian teenagers aged 15-19 (48%) had tried vaping products, 681,000 (31%) had used them in the past month and that 400,600 (17%) were vaping on a daily basis.
"We cannot afford for this government to sit on its hands or take the same laissez-faire approach to the tobacco and nicotine industry as its predecessor," said Cynthia Callard, Executive Director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. "The need for stronger regulations has been recognized by government for years, as the cost of its inaction continues to climb."
Health Canada proposed several measures to address the youth vaping crisis in the spring of 2019. Only one of these measures has been approved (limiting nicotine concentration), despite ongoing appeals by health organizations and federal and provincial Medical Officers of Health. Four years after draft regulations to restrict flavourings were published, they have still not been finalized despite Ministerial promises to do so.
"The legalization of vaping products has not produced a net public health benefit in Canada," said Ms. Callard. "Since 2018 there has been no increase in quit attempts or in successful quitting among smokers, and the number of former smokers has actually dropped. Smoking rates are going down at a slower rate than in years prior to the legalization of nicotine vaping products."
Opening the vaping market allowed corporate interests to halt the reduction in nicotine addiction. The widespread use of nicotine products among young people means there are as many or more nicotine users in Canada as there were before these products were legalized. Only a minority of Canadian vapers (28%) are former smokers.
"The previous government's preference for a poorly regulated vaping market has facilitated the tobacco industry pivoting to other harmful products and launching a new epidemic of nicotine addiction," said Mr. Hagen.
Health Canada's Canadian Substance Use Survey found that one in every three young Canadians who had tried vaping even once were using these products on a daily basis. Independent studies of nicotine use among youth report that young vapers find themselves more addicted than do young cigarette smokers. Many studies report that youth who use vaping products are much more likely to start using tobacco products.
In addition to being highly addictive, vaping products present significant risks for cardiovascular disease, lung injury and exposure to toxins, especially given some of the additives used to flavour liquids.
"We are not calling for a ban on vaping products," said Flory Doucas. "We are calling for the use of proven regulatory controls to prevent industry from enticing young people to experiment with and become addicted to nicotine."
"At the current rate of initiation, the nicotine industry is set to recruit more than 15,000 school-aged children to vaping during Minister Michel's first 100 days in office. She is the Canadian with the greatest power and responsibility to bring that number down before the start of the school year this September."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edmonton Journal
4 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Conservatives aiming to amend Criminal Code so immigration status won't be a factor in sentencing
Article content The Crown sought a 90-day jail sentence. Ontario Court judge Paul O'Marra wrote that a criminal record would likely prevent the offender from sponsoring his wife to also become a permanent resident, as well as delay the offender's eligibility for Canadian citizenship and jeopardize his ability to become a licensed engineer. Article content O'Marra concluded that 'a custodial sentence would be unduly harsh' and instead handed down a conditional discharge with 12 months of probation, which included three months of house arrest. In establishing the basis for his reasoning, he wrote: 'The Pham decision stands for the principle that collateral consequences, while not determinative, can justify a lower sentence within the legal range to avoid disproportionate hardship,' Article content In an Alberta case cited by Rempel Garner, a man in Canada on a visitor's permit was accused of groping an 18-year-old woman in a nightclub twice. The judge ruled that 'in consideration of the devastating collateral immigration consequences to recording a conviction, I conclude that the appropriate sentence for Mr. Singh is a conditional discharge with a probation order of maximum duration, 3 years.' Article content Article content Rempel Garner insists that when 'it comes to sentencing non-citizens, Canada has essentially adopted a system of two-tier justice where judges can and have given lighter sentences to individuals who are non-citizens.' Article content The Conservatives are proposing a bill that would prohibit immigration discounts in sentencing. Great news! Courts have been more lenient on non-citizens since 2013, at times going light on sex offenders to help them remain in Canada. That can change if Parliament wills it. — Jamie Sarkonak (@sarkonakj) August 13, 2025 Article content Article content Rempel Garner said the Conservatives intend to introduce legislation to amend the Criminal Code. 'Our bill will add a section after Section 718.202 … which will expressly outline that any potential impact of a sentence on the immigration status of a convicted non-citizen offender, or … their family members, should not be taken into consideration by a judge when issuing a sentence.' Article content Acknowledging that the vast majority of immigrants and temporary residents in Canada abide by the law, she said 'removing non-citizens convicted of serious crimes is a no-brainer. Conservatives will always fight to protect Canadians, the value of our citizenship and the safety of every person who lives here. Becoming a Canadian is a privilege, not a right.'
Vancouver Sun
4 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Conservatives aiming to amend Criminal Code so immigration status won't be a factor in sentencing
When Parliament resumes this fall, a Conservative MP says her party will introduce legislation to end consideration of immigration status when a judge is sentencing a convicted criminal who is not a citizen. Michelle Rempel Garner, MP for Calgary Nose Hill and shadow minister for Immigration, said the practice has essentially resulted in a two-tier justice system that allows non-citizens to get lighter sentences than Canadians convicted of the same crime. 'This offends all principles of fairness that should be foundational to our justice system,' Rempel Garner said at a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday. She pointed to a 2013 Supreme Court of Canada decision that she says has permitted judges to consider immigration status at the sentencing stage of a case. In that case, R. v. Pham , the accused was a non‑citizen, convicted of two drug‑related offences. The trial judge imposed a sentence of two years' imprisonment. However, the Supreme Court noted that under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, a non‑citizen sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least two years loses the right to appeal a removal order against him or her. In reducing Pham's sentence, the Supreme Court ruled that 'collateral immigration consequences' are relevant factors that a sentencing judge may take into account in determining an appropriate sentence, but added that those consequences should not influence whether or not deportation occurs. Rempel Garner cited a few recent cases that relied on the Pham ruling in handing down a sentence. In the first example, a permanent resident was convicted of trying to buy sex from a police officer posing as a 15-year-old in an online sting operation. The Crown sought a 90-day jail sentence. Ontario Court judge Paul O'Marra wrote that a criminal record would likely prevent the offender from sponsoring his wife to also become a permanent resident, as well as delay the offender's eligibility for Canadian citizenship and jeopardize his ability to become a licensed engineer. O'Marra concluded that 'a custodial sentence would be unduly harsh' and instead handed down a conditional discharge with 12 months of probation, which included three months of house arrest. In establishing the basis for his reasoning, he wrote: 'The Pham decision stands for the principle that collateral consequences, while not determinative, can justify a lower sentence within the legal range to avoid disproportionate hardship,' In an Alberta case cited by Rempel Garner, a man in Canada on a visitor's permit was accused of groping an 18-year-old woman in a nightclub twice. The judge ruled that 'in consideration of the devastating collateral immigration consequences to recording a conviction, I conclude that the appropriate sentence for Mr. Singh is a conditional discharge with a probation order of maximum duration, 3 years.' Rempel Garner insists that when 'it comes to sentencing non-citizens, Canada has essentially adopted a system of two-tier justice where judges can and have given lighter sentences to individuals who are non-citizens.' The Conservatives are proposing a bill that would prohibit immigration discounts in sentencing. Great news! Courts have been more lenient on non-citizens since 2013, at times going light on sex offenders to help them remain in Canada. That can change if Parliament wills it. Rempel Garner said the Conservatives intend to introduce legislation to amend the Criminal Code. 'Our bill will add a section after Section 718.202 … which will expressly outline that any potential impact of a sentence on the immigration status of a convicted non-citizen offender, or … their family members, should not be taken into consideration by a judge when issuing a sentence.' Acknowledging that the vast majority of immigrants and temporary residents in Canada abide by the law, she said 'removing non-citizens convicted of serious crimes is a no-brainer. Conservatives will always fight to protect Canadians, the value of our citizenship and the safety of every person who lives here. Becoming a Canadian is a privilege, not a right.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Global News
5 hours ago
- Global News
Rustad calls for BC Ferries to scrap Chinese vessel contract
The leader of B.C.'s official Opposition is calling for the province to cancel BC Ferries' multi-billion-dollar contract with a Chinese shipyard. The ferry company has faced criticism from all sides since announcing this spring it would purchase its next four vessels from China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) after a lengthy open bid process. No Canadian shipyards bid on the project, and the ferry company says the Chinese bid came in at about $1.2 billion cheaper than European competitors. BC Conservative Leader John Rustad said Tuesday that in the wake of China's latest tariffs on Canada, the deal should be scrapped. China announced a 75.8 per cent tariff on Canadian canola products this week, expected to deliver a $5 billion hit to the industry. 1:57 Union demands ferries be built in Canada Rustad said the Chinese move follows similar aggressive trade actions targeting Canadian seafood and wood pulp. Story continues below advertisement 'I think we should break this contract. I think that we need to send a message. We want to be able to have a good trade relationship with China. We want be able make sure that we have the ability to do things, but you don't reward a country that is quite frankly attacking other sectors of our economy,' Rustad said. 'I think there probably would be a penalty and quite frankly I think the board of BC Ferries should be fired for incompetence for actually putting us in this position in the first place.' Rustad further accused the NDP government of 'incompetence' for failing to work with local shipbuilders years ago to ensure they had the capacity to handle upcoming BC Ferries orders, and said if they were already fully committed to other projects the ferry company should have gone with 'some of our allies' like Germany or Poland. B.C. Premier Davide Eby has previously said that he would not override the deal, telling reporters it would cost billions to overturn and delay the procurement of badly-needed vessels. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In a statement, NDP Saanich South MLA Lana Popham said acquiring the new vessels was urgent. 'People need the new ships, quickly, so they can get where they need to go and aren't left sitting at the terminal parking lot. We are working to ensure future ships for BC Ferries are built here in Canada. Story continues below advertisement BC Ferries has said that cost was a key driver in its new ferry procurement process, and that any additional cost of more expensive vessels would be passed on to passengers. 1:24 'We shouldn't be giving federal tax dollars to subsidize jobs overseas:' Poilievre calls for loan to BC Ferries to be cancelled BC Ferries currently charges $95 for a car and driver plus $15 per passenger one-way on its major southern routes, and has warned that it could be forced to further hike fares by 30 per cent by 2028. Earlier this month, CEO Nicolas Jimenez told the House of Common Transport Committee that while two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified for the process, neither submitted a bid. BC Ferries received six compliant proposals, all from foreign shipyards, and chose the bid with the best overall value, including delivery timeline, technical performance, lifecycle cost, and service-level commitments, he testified. 'This was a choice between a foreign bid or no new ferries,' he told MPs. Story continues below advertisement Domestic shipyards, however, have argued that the bid process essentially excluded them by focusing on cost alone and that they were unable to compete due to pricier local labour. UBC Sauder School of Business economics professor Werner Antweiler said that while there have been many calls for BC Ferries to drop the contract, it would only make sense if there was a realistic alternative. He noted that local shipbuilder Seaspan is already fully booked with contracts for the military and Coast Guard, and that waiting is likely not an option for BC Ferries. 'If you want to receive ships that are affordable and available soon, there seems to be very little other options than going ahead with the contract that has been signed with China CMI,' he said. 2:12 Push for government to support domestic ship building industry 'So I'm not quite sure when people say well, we should build them domestically, what exactly they are proposing who is going to build and when.' Story continues below advertisement He added that cancelling the deal would do little harm to China's larger economy, while risking further increasing trade tensions. BC Ferries is technically an independent company with its own board and executives, though its sole shareholder is the BC government. Antweiler added that given its arms-length status, it would be improper for the provincial government to step in and override decision making. 'It means like really renationalizing BC Ferries and bringing it back under provincial control and making it a Crown corporation,' he said. 'If that is what is being proposed then Mr. Rustad should be clear about if that is where he wants to go.' 1:48 Federal transportation minister calls out province on BC Ferries' contract with China Rustad is not alone in his criticism of the deal. Story continues below advertisement Trades in the province and the union representing BC Ferries workers have both spoken out against it. B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth said he was 'disappointed' more Canadian shipyards weren't involved, while federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was 'dismayed' at the choice and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Canadian tax dollars should not be subsidizing jobs overseas. MPs have launched a probe at the federal transportation committee of a $1 billion loan to BC Ferries from Canada Infrastructure Bank. BC Ferries is not the first Canadian ferry service to receive a ferry from CMI Weihai. Marine Atlantic Ferries, a federal Crown corporation that services Newfoundland, recently took a delivery of a new vessel from the same shipyard.
