Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, said she and representatives from a number of anti-smoking organizations met this week with a senior staff member for Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks.
“We left the meeting with the firm belief that we are not going to see a ban on vaping flavours this year,” she said. “We are greatly disappointed.”
Callard said the official gave a range of logistical reasons for why the restrictions weren’t going ahead — including the limited time left to enact them as the Liberal government stares down a potential spring election.
Smoking saves money for the healthcare system in the long run. When all costs are included the research supports the idea that people who smoke tend to die more quickly and inexpensively than those who don’t. There are obviously some very good reasons to be opposed to tobacco use but that isn’t one of them.
The health disadvantages of vaping on the other hand are small enough that (so far) they don’t make any detectable difference to healthcare costs. It’s probably not good for you but it’s nothing like smoking. So long as substantial numbers of people are smoking, the way to save lives is to encourage them to switch to nicotine vapes as a first step. It is by far the most effective tool to help people quit.