Health Canada proposes stricter vape advertising rules

Earlier, Health Canada announced that it was proposing stricter vape advertising rules and launching new public education campaigns for underage audiences. The Minister of Health, His Excellency Ginette Petipas Taylor, announced the search for new measures to address the problems of Canadian youth.

Taylor said in a whispering room that sounds similar to the remarks of US government officials, "I am deeply concerned about recent reports on the rise of young people. This includes stories from schools across Canada, as well as emerging data showing Young Canadians are taking drugs at an alarming rate."

Taylor continued: "I heard news from parents, educators and the healthcare community that they shared my views on young people. We can't allow these products to threaten our hard-won results in tobacco control. The regulatory measures and our public awareness activities will convey the message that if you don't smoke, don't use vapes."

The current Tobacco and Atomization Products Act prohibits advertising to young people in Canada. To strengthen this measure, Health Canada issued a notice of intent to outline the governing body's plans for new advertising rules.

The Intent Notice opens a 45-day comment window that will end on March 22, 2019. Comments received during this period will be considered when drafting new proposed regulations. We encourage health partners, the public and members of the industry to provide feedback on advice to protect adolescents and non-smokers from product-related hazards and risks."

The proposed rules will limit the placement of advertisements to reduce the visibility of young people with vapes, E-liquid and other related products. They also need to post health warnings on allowed ads and limit the display of vape products at the point of sale.

Heath Canada will also issue an additional document in March to solicit opinions on “measures to address and reverse recent trends in youth.” Some of these additional measures may include examining the taste of E-liquid, the concentration of nicotine E-liquid and the role of product design in attracting smoking products to young and non-smokers.

To sum up, the rules for advertising must be: The recommended target is smokers, because vapes are a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, rather than recommending those who do not smoke to use vapes.

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