Governments dragging feet on e-cigarettes

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on October 31, 2017.

With a new study showing a “strong and robust” linkage between e-cigarette use and subsequent tobacco use, it’s a reminder on how Canada, Alberta and Medicine Hat are behind on properly bringing the sale and use of e-cigarettes in line with existing tobacco legislation.

For those who haven’t been paying attention, e-cigarettes — or what’s called vaping — are devices are battery-powered vapourizers, which give people a kick of nicotine and simulates the feeling of smoking.

Not all vaping includes ingesting nicotine. Much of their appeal are the various flavours available (cotton candy, strawberry and more) that draw people into using them — and also means it can circumvent restrictive laws surrounding nicotine.

E-cigarettes are promoted as a way to help people quit smoking, and there’s definitely anecdotal evidence from those who vape that it’s helped them. That’s wonderful.

But beyond the anecdotes are actual scientific studies, many outlining the risks and data when it comes to youth and vaping.

The most recent study was published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), looking at more than 44,000 Grade 9 to 12 students in Ontario and Alberta and finding a “strong and robust” linkage between so-called vaping and subsequent tobacco use.

“We found that youth that had used e-cigarettes were significantly more likely to start smoking a year later,” lead researcher David Hammond, a professor in the school of public health at the University of Waterloo, told The Canadian Press. “They’re more likely to try smoking and they’re more likely to become daily smokers.”

A big question remains: Is it causation or correlation? It’s quite possible that the kids who try vaping are also the sort who would be trying cigarettes anyways.

Regardless, the study’s results emphasize the need for all levels of government in Canada to buckle down and properly regulate e-cigarettes.

On the way federally is Bill S-5, approved by the Canadian Senate in June and now back before the House of Commons. This bill will create new regulations governing e-cigarettes, including outlawing the sale of vaping products to minors and prohibit marketing the flavoured e-cigarettes that appeal to youth. It also will restrict advertising these products.

But it’s not perfect. The Canadian Cancer Society has pointed out that advertising regulation for e-cigarettes remains less strict than other tobacco products.

As well, there’s still the hurdle of the internet, with youth often able to purchase e-cigarettes online.

Then there’s the provincial level of regulation.

Provincially, Alberta and Saskatchewan remain the only provinces to have yet to act in banning e-cigarette sales to minors.

And while the e-cigarette issue has been on the radar for multiple years, Medicine Hat has yet to step up and make bylaw changes that would bring it in line with what’s expected for tobacco.

We’ve seen the progress made in reducing smoking over the past decades. We know these sort of regulations and restrictions help, especially when it comes to preventing a new generation of smokers.

All this hard work shouldn’t be undone by foot dragging on e-cigarettes.