For those distracted by wildfires, day-camp schedules, beach days or other seasonal events, this post provides a summary of notable tobacco-control developments since the summer kick-off on July 1st.
Health Canada
A plan without timelines: In mid-July, Health Canada published its Forward Regulatory Plan, forecasting 3 regulatory changes: (1) updates to the Tobacco Reporting Regulations; (2) restrictions on flavourings, and (3) rules for age-gating e-sales of tobacco and vaping products. As discussed here earlier, no timeframe is given for either flavour restrictions or age-gating - nor are these identified in this year's departmental workplan.
Young people unimpressed by vape-to-quit messages: Health Canada paid for on-line focus group tests with young people to assess their reaction to potential advertisements which encouraged smokers to switch to vaping products. (The advertisement is not in use at this time).
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Provincial actions
Of Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial governments, 6 have adopted legislation or regulations to ban the sale of any e-cigarette liquid other than tobacco flavour: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec. (See updated fact sheets on E-cigarette flavour bans and provincial regulations on vaping products).
Tightening promotional rules. The Saskatchewan government launched a public consultation on proposed changes to its Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act. In addition to raising the minimum age from 18 to 19, the government would strengthen restrictions on advertising with new legal definitions for advertising and promotion.
Litigation talks poised to drag on. At the end of July, representatives for Imperial Tobacco Canada indicated that they would be seeking a further extension for their protection from lawsuits. A hearing is scheduled for September 27. If allowed, this would extend litigation protection to all tobacco companies past the 54 month mark.
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Selected publications on tobacco and vaping - Summer 2023
This study used survey results from 90 schools in the Canadian longitudinal school study (COMPASS) to assess whether school-based prevention and cessation programs had an impact on the vaping behaviour of children who were already using e-cigarettes one year later. They didn't.
These researchers systematically reviewed 30 studies on the impact of regulations on youth vaping. They found "insufficient evidence to recommend age restrictions (n=16), restrictions on location of use (n=1), and mixed/combined regulations (n=3). Flavor bans (n=4), sales licenses (n=2), and taxation (n=2) were generally shown to be associated with decreased rates of youth vaping. Warning labels (n=2) were associated with a decreased desire to initiate vaping."
This on-line study provided young people with different pictures of vaping liquid packaging and asked them about their interest in trying such products and their views on the health harms of using them. Young people were less likely to say they wanted to try liquids that were displayed in plain packaging.
This paper compared earlier predictions of smoking patterns in Canada derived from the SIMSMOKE model with the actual changes in behaviour. "Smoking prevalence in Canada, especially among younger adults, declined more rapidly once NVPs became readily available. The emergence of NVPs into the Canadian marketplace has not slowed the decline in smoking."
(NB: a similar study was undertaken by the same author under contract with Health Canada, but has not yet been released).
These Vancouver-based researchers reviewed 28 research articles which looked at the impact of e-cigarettes on bladder cancer and other genitourinary conditions. While identifying the need for more research, they concluded "E-cig use was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, increased exposure to carcinogenic compounds, mixed evidence on CKD, increased risk of reproductive disorders and burns to the GU system."
These researchers interviewed 25 young British Columbians and assessed their approaches to e-cigarette use against a theoretical framework. They found that young peoples' decisions to vape are based on multiple and intersecting factors, and that the school environment encourages vaping in many different ways.
This analysis of certain heavy metals in vaping liquids purchased in Canada in 2017-18 found measurable amounts of Nickel in JUUL products.
This article reports on the results of a survey of smoking cessation among Nunavimmiut (Inuit community at Ungava bay)
This study reviewed 20 years of qualitative research on adolescent smoking cessation, identifying both environmental factors and individual attributes which influence behaviour.
This Canadian research team looked at studies of European smoking outcomes to assess both MPOWER and other interventions on population-level smoking. Tobacco interventions that are not identified in the MPOWER framework (like levels of expenditure) and other public policies (like gender equality) were also found to have a positive impact on smoking reduction.
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Resources
