The Nova Scotia government has announced it will be banning the sale of flavoured vaping juices across the province.
Following the results of a survey on youth vaping conducted by Smoke Free NS, the government announced the ban will take effect April 1, 2020.
The survey showed that up to 50 per cent of youth said they would stop vaping if flavoured juices were not available.
Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey says adults will still be able to purchase vaping juices after April 1, but flavours will be limited to “bland and tobacco” to deter youth from vaping.
“We see research that, as people start with e-cigarettes and vaping, they actually have a higher probability of transitioning to traditional tobacco products, so this is not just about reducing vaping access but also as a means to stem potential transfers into traditional tobacco usage.”
The minister says the ban will help the province mitigate rising youth smoking numbers which are being seen across the country.
“We are taking action independently of specific reported incidences because we do know, broadly, the health concerns and we want to get ahead of this situation, rather than try to battle it years down the road.”
The announcement makes the province the first jurisdiction to announce a full flavour ban with a solidified date.
Delorey says work is underway to bring more changes to the regulation of e-cigarettes in the future.
Meantime, The Lung Association of Nova Scotia says this is a very good day.
Director of Health Initiatives, Mohammed Al-Hamdani says they expect the flavour ban to have a strong impact on youth vaping in Nova Scotia.
“Smoke Free Nova Scotia conducted a recent survey that found that about 96% of youth who vape in the province prefer flavoured products and about half of youth and young adults who vape in the province said that they would stop vaping if flavours were to be removed.”
He says studies show that the ban will have a major impact on underage vapers.
“When about 96% of underaged Nova Scotians who vape tell you that flavoured products are important to them, it must be a cause of concern and especially when you know that a substantial portion of them would quit vaping if you were to remove the flavours, it certainly tells us that it’s the right thing to do.”
He says the ban is a good first step and goes a bit further than the policies in PEI and BC.
With additional files from Cody McEachern.
