When parliamentarians return to Ottawa mid-month, they will be greeted with graphic reminders of the need for regulatory action to end the sale of flavoured vaping liquids.
Heart & Stroke has commissioned the placement of small billboards on the perimeter of the parliamentary precinct and sandwiching the Prime Ministers Office.
The campaign is simple and graphic. Each of the three executions of the campaign features flavourings in the context of the damage they can do to the cardio-vascular system. "Berry Blast can increase the risk of heart disease", "Mango Crush can increase the risk of stroke", "Cool Mint can damage blood vessels."
The posters also appear in transit stops near Health Canada's headquarters. The campaign is also being delivered to decision-makers through news-services popular with political staff, like the Hill Times.
This is not the first advertising campaign by health organizations calling for federal action on flavours, but it is the most extensive to date.
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Through other communications, Heart & Stroke provides the public with advice and the health system with policy recommendations. These resources include:
- Plain-language description of the problem: "Vaping: What you need to know"
- Position statement: Protecting youth from the vaping crisis.
They are calling on governments to implement comprehensive measures to protect youth, including the following recommendations:
- eliminate flavours, which appeal to young people, including mint/menthol,
- mandate plain and standardized packaging for all vaping products,
- add graphic and impactful health warnings to educate consumers on the risks of vaping,
- prohibit sales to those under 21 years of age.
This year, Heart & Stroke commissioned a public opinion poll of almost 4,000 Canadians which demonstrated very high levels of public support for such policies: 84% supported restrictions on flavourings, 84% supported plain packaging for vape products, 86% supported raising the minimum age for sale to 21.
