Addictions Minister Announces Imminent National Ban on Flavored Vapes

The federal government is set to implement a national ban on most vaping flavors, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks confirmed, over three years after Ottawa first pledged to introduce the regulations.

“We’ve been committed from the start to restrict flavors, and we haven’t deviated from that,” Saks said last week. “The ban will be in place soon. I don’t foresee much longer delays,” she said, though she didn’t provide a specific timeline.

Saks’ assurance comes after anti-tobacco health groups held a press conference in Ottawa earlier this month, urging her to act swiftly or step down. The groups accused her of succumbing to pressure from the vaping industry, as the regulations were initially expected to be finalized this past spring.

In June 2021, Health Canada cited a “rapid increase in youth vaping” as a primary reason for restricting flavors to mint, menthol, and tobacco. Research shows that young people are more likely to start vaping using fruity and sweet flavors, a trend believed to drive rising youth vaping rates.

Three years later, Canada now ranks among the countries with the highest teen vaping rates, with nearly half of young adults having tried it, according to Statistics Canada. Most new users—86 percent—had never smoked cigarettes before, the latest Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey reveals.

Saks acknowledged the growing concern. “We know that young people are being introduced to vaping first,” she said.

During the time Ottawa has spent consulting on the regulations, six provinces and territories—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec—have implemented their own flavor bans. Saks attributed the federal delay to learning from Quebec’s experience, which banned flavors a year ago.

“We’ve seen, particularly in Quebec, that banning flavors has led to an illicit market,” Saks explained. “As we move forward, we want to ensure the regulations are effective and enforceable without driving the flavored vape market underground.”

Saks insisted there has been no intentional delay. “We’re not slow-walking this. It’s about learning the lessons right now and applying them.”

Meanwhile, the vaping industry has been vocal against the impending ban. Sam Tam, president of the Canadian Vaping Association, stated in a press conference that adult smokers depend on flavored vapes as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. “A blanket flavor ban will do nothing to protect Canadians, especially our youth,” he argued.

Health Minister Mark Holland has already moved swiftly to ban fruity-flavored nicotine pouches, but Saks explained that regulating vaping products is more complex due to their longer presence on the market. “Nicotine pouches are a newer product that Minister Holland could tackle before they became widespread. Vaping products, however, have been around for much longer, and the marketplace has evolved,” she said.

“I’m fully committed to this,” Saks emphasized. “We aim to implement the regulations as quickly as possible.”