Vaping restrictions start in B.C., target youth

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — New regulations restricting the content, flavour, packaging, advertising and sale of vapour products in B.C. came into effect Monday, several months later than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The regulations immediately prohibit all retailers from selling both non-nicotine or nicotine-cannabis blended vapour products, and include a social media awareness campaign aimed at youth.

“What we’re not allowing and we won’t be allowing is the sale to young people, or anyone else, of non-nicotine vaping products,” Health Minister Adrain Dix said.

“We regulate nicotine and tobacco — the tobacco side and the marijuana side — separately, so what we won’t be allowing is, in places where vaping products are mixed together, a mixing of nicotine products and marijuana products.”

Changes to the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Regulation also ban the advertising of vapour products in places where youth can access, hear or see advertisements, such as bus shelters or community parks.

They further restrict the sale of flavoured vapour products to adult-only shops.

As well, the ministries of health and education will establish a provincial youth advisory council next month to reduce vaping among that age group.

.@adriandix: “This was necessary public health step to protect youth from vaping and to take action against the distribution of falvoured vaping products.”

— Lasia Kretzel (@lkretzel1130) July 20, 2020

“Schools are the perfect place to talk with young people about the negative effects vaping can have on their health and development, so they have the knowledge they need to make decisions about the use of nicotine and tobacco,” Education Minister Rob Fleming says in a release.

“Providing young people in B.C. information about the risks of vaping, while restricting the advertising and flavours used to make it attractive, is an important step in stemming the use of this addictive and dangerous product,” adds Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

“This approach mirrors the effective measures we used to reduce youth smoking, and continuing to work with youth on this action plan can ensure we protect a new generation from nicotine.”

The province first announced its vaping action plan in November and were to be implemented in the spring.

“We heard from young people across the province that vaping companies are targeting them with a product that poses real and serious health and addiction risks,” Dix says.

“That’s why we are bringing in regulations to keep vapour products away from developing lungs and to prevent nicotine addiction. We know youth are eager to get involved in this action, and I’ve seen promising work through early youth engagement to help influence their peers and stop this dangerous trend of addiction.”

.@adriandix says this is a balance if limiting vaping access for youth while still allowing adult smokers to vape or use the products as a method to stop smoking. #bcpoli

— Lasia Kretzel (@rhymeswpretzel) July 20, 2020

The new E-Substances Regulation, under the Public Health Act, restricts the amount of nicotine in vapour pods and liquid to 20mg/ml, and requires retailers to sell only those vapour products that are plainly packaged and have labels with health warnings.

Retailers planning to sell vape products will need to comply with the regulation immediately.

Existing vapour-product retailers have until Sept. 15 to follow the regulations.

Other non-regulatory action under the province’s vaping plan includes a youth-led anti-vaping social media campaign to de-normalize vaping.

“Use and addiction of vape products among youth has skyrocketed. Flavours provide the attraction, while high nicotine content hooks them. This is why the government’s actions are so vital, as they will protect the health of our young people,” says Jeff Sommers, with the Heart and Stroke BC and Yukon.

RELATED: B.C. moves to tax and restrict vaping products to protect youth

Youth throughout B.C. were engaged through regional youth advisory tables, to provide guidance for the “evaporate” campaign.

Launched in February, the campaign has garnered more than 27 million digital impressions, according to the province.

The BC Lung Association created and distributed a youth vaping prevention toolkit to all K-12 schools in British Columbia this year. The toolkit provides information for educators, parents and youth to use when having discussions and making choices about vaping.

The province is also providing support to vapers who want help to quit through the quit-smoking service, QuitNow., which has been updated to include new information resources for youth and provides coaching by phone or text.

In January, the province implemented an increased sales tax on vaping products.

The province’s plan focuses on stopping youth vaping, while ensuring vaping can still be used as a harm reduction tool by adults.