The Canadian Vaping Association extends its congratulations to the new and returning federal Cabinet

Beamsville, ON, Oct. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) would like to congratulate the returning and newly appointed Cabinet members of the federal government. The CVA extends its best wishes, as Cabinet prepares to take on the responsibilities and challenges ahead.

The government has pledged that under this administration health and addiction policy decisions will be science based. The CVA is hopeful that with this renewed commitment, the science and research on vaping will be reviewed and flavoured vaping will remain among the quit tools available to adult smokers.

As stated by Health Canada and corroborated by health agencies around the world, vaping is significantly less harmful than combustible tobacco. Smokers that completely switch to vaping reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals. Vaping presents an unprecedented opportunity for smokers to reduce the harms caused by combustible tobacco.

In 2018, Canada demonstrated an understanding of the harm reduction potential for vaping and created a legal pathway to balance harm reduction with the protection of youth and non-smokers. Early vape regulation was inline with Canada's Drugs and substances strategy, which through harm reduction, seeks to support measures that reduce the harmful health, social and economic effects of substance use on individuals, their families and communities. Harm reduction is stated to be one of the four pillars of the strategy which recognises that harm reduction programs work to reduce risks and improve health.

While early vaping regulation positioned Canada as a world leader in tobacco control and harm reduction, the recent proposal to ban flavours makes it evident that Canada has lost its way. Within the proposal to ban flavours, Health Canada acknowledges the many negative unintended consequences that include increased smoking, a strengthened black market, small business closures and lost jobs.

"We are eager to discuss vaping's benefit to public health with Health Minister Jean Yves Duclos and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett. It is through consultation with industry that regulators can best enact effective regulation that protects youth while allowing reasonable access to adult smokers," said Darryl Tempest, Executive Director of the CVA.