NEW POLL SHOWS QUEBEC RESIDENTS SEE YOUTH NICOTINE VAPING AS A LOW PRIORITY FOR THE PROVINCE'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Quebecers who vape are calling on the Legault Government to focus on the health care issues that concern Quebecers and not target flavoured vapour products in this next parliamentary session.

"Quebecers agree that the Legault government must focus on the real problems in the province's health care system. The irony is that if provincial regulators accepted vaping as a harm reduction tool, there would be benefits to public health," said Valerie Gallant, spokesperson for the Coalition des droits des vapoteurs du Québec. "We have visited towns and cities across Ontario and Quebec to educate, empower and engage. The results are unanimous: save our flavours." 

In a new poll commissioned by CDVQ and Rights4Vapers, when asked to prioritize ten different issues affecting the province's health care system, one in three (33%) Quebec residents ranked accessing health care services as their highest priority, compared to 1% who ranked nicotine vaping use among minors as their highest priority. One in three (34%) ranked nicotine vaping use among minors as their lowest priority.

"Flavours are a critical for adults who vape. They disassociate vaping from smoking. We want everyone to understand that flavours are essential to making vaping a successful tobacco harm reduction tool," said Ms. Gallant

Despite ongoing threats of flavour bans, nicotine limits and increased taxes as well as a persistent misinformation campaign, Canadian adults who vape are undeterred in their fight to ensure that vapour products remain available, accessible, and affordable from coast-to-coast.

"Our research has found that Quebecers see vaping as a notably less harmful alternative to smoking. The problem is that we have governments and other publicly funded organizations who continue to put up roadblocks and share inaccurate information on the harm reduction capacity of vaping," said Maria Papaioannoy, spokesperson for Rights4Vapers one of Canada's vapers rights organizations.

The opinions and attitudes of Quebec residents towards vaping are supported by recent academic and scientific studies that shows vaping is a less harmful alternative to smoking. Public health authorities around the world have made it clear that vaping can be an effective tool to help smokers quit smoking. But only if the right regulatory and societal frameworks are in place.

Vapour products are the best hope for hundreds of thousands of Canadians who smoke and are looking for an alternative to cigarettes. In 2021, Public Health England released its latest review of vapour studies. It found that "the best thing that a smoker can do is to stop smoking completely and the evidence shows that vaping is one of the most effective quit aids available, helping around 50,000 smokers quit a year."

According to research published by the Consumer Choice Center, there are upwards of 1.5 million adult Canadian vapers in Canada.

The poll was conducted online by Delphi Polling & Consulting between September 7 and 13, by way of a demographically representative sample of 1,201 Quebec residents 19+. The survey was available in English and French and used interlocking quotas with targets set out in the most recent Census around age, gender, region of province, and language. A margin of error is not applicable for online polls, however, a comparable margin of error would be +/-3%, 19 times out of 20.

SOURCE Rights 4 Vapers