Canada to impose regulations on vaping products

Health Canada welcomed the decision as it believes would regulate the usage of nicotine among young people and also allow adult smokers to use it for quitting of as a less potentially harmful alternative to tobacco.

The department, in a statement said it is also in the process of renewing the federal tobacco control strategy for a year to finally come up with a long term plan. The strategy was introduced in 2001 and last renewed four years ago.

Health Minister Jane Philpott will host a national forum early next year to discuss the future of tobacco control.

Philpott in a recent interview said Canadians will be happy to learn that the federal government is proceeding with regulatory standards for e-cigarettes and vaping.

"It is a challenging area because, for one thing, we are lacking adequate evidence to completely understand the risks and benefits of e-cigarettes," she said. "We acknowledge that one of the things that needs to be done is to increase the evidence."

Philpott , however, believes there are both good and vice associated with the vaping products.

She explains, "We've seen recent reports that young people are increasingly using vaping products, particularly some of the flavoured vaping products, that's often an entry into nicotine use in teenagers and we have to balance off those risks and benefits.”

According to Health Canada federal work should continue on the proposed ban on menthol cigarettes, as well as a commitment to familiarize plain and standardized packaging requirements on all tobacco products.

Rob Cunningham, a senior policy adviser at the Canadian Cancer Society informs several provinces and municipalities have already brought forward measures on vaping, but federal legislation is a mandate.

"It's clearly something that needs regulation," he said. "We don't want kids to be using these cigarettes."

Cunningham also stressed on the fact that revised tobacco legislation should address not only e-cigarettes, but subjects such as new industry marketing tactics, water-pipe smoking and regulation of marijuana.

"There's a whole bunch of new issues that have suddenly made the tobacco issue more complicated, and that's why the new strategy has to be done right," Cunningham said

The government says an estimated 87,000 Canadians, including many young people, will become daily smokers this year - placing them and others at risk of developing a variety of diseases and illnesses.

Canada was the first country to introduce graphic warning labels to inform people of the risks of smoking, and the government bills itself as a pioneer in the restriction of tobacco advertising and flavouring to reduce the appeal of products.

(Reporting by Debarati Mukherjee)