(Ottawa) — Heart & Stroke is pleased to see progress to tighten regulations for e-cigarettes. Today Health Minister Patty Hajdu announced new marketing regulations to limit exposure to marketing and advertising for e-cigarettes.
“We applaud Health Canada for taking action by strengthening the rules around how e-cigarettes can be advertised and promoted to young people. Youth vaping has become an epidemic, putting their health at risk, and this crisis needs to be addressed immediately,” said Yves Savoie, CEO, Heart & Stroke.
In Canada one-fifth of grades 7 – 12 students vape. Industry has been targeting youth through aggressive marketing, enticing fruit and candy flavours and attractive product design. Many products used by youth have high concentrations of nicotine – as much as an entire package of cigarettes.
“This announcement is a good first step but to fully protect youth we also need swift action to comprehensively ban flavours, restrict sales, limit nicotine content and mandate strong graphic health warnings on products themselves,” added Savoie.
Vaping is less harmful than smoking but it is definitely not without harm. Long-term vaping is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease and nicotine is damaging to developing brains.
For more information
Stephanie Lawrence
Sr. Manager, Communications
Heart & Stroke
stephanie.lawrence@heartandstroke.ca
613-290-4236
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don’t want you to miss it. That’s why Heart & Stroke leads the fight against heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so people in Canada don’t miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery through research, health promotion and public policy.