Government Response to the Rising Youth Vaping Rate

Today, the Minister of Health, The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, announced a notice of intent to further restrict vaping advertisement and promotion in response to the youth vaping rate. 

The proposed new restrictions include:

• Ban on advertising at retail where youth is allowed access, though advertising would be allowed in adult-only specialty vape shops. (This would respond in part to the Ontario government’s weakening of advertising restrictions to allow advertising in convenience stores and gas stations).  Health Canada is also considering visible product displays in retail stores where youth have access
• Ban on billboards and other outdoor advertising
• Restrictions on out-of-home indoor locations where youth have access (eg shopping malls and public transit vehicles)
• Ban on advertising in youth-oriented publications, including electronic publications such as websites.  There will be restrictions for youth to be able to access websites. (For tobacco, there had previously been a ban on advertising in print media unless there was at least 85% adult readership.  Now there is ban on tobacco advertising in all print media.) It appears that there would be a ban on advertising on social media platforms
• Ban on TV and radio advertising during or within 30 minutes before or after all children’s and youth-oriented programs
• Potentially, require a health warning on permitted advertisements

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