Canada's Teen Vaping Rates Among Highest Globally

New national data from Health Canada’s Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey shows that the number of Canadian teenagers regularly using e-cigarettes ranks among the highest in the world. Experts attribute this growing crisis to a lack of action from the federal government and the widespread availability of flavoured vapes.

The survey, which polled 61,096 teenagers in grades 7 to 12 from nine provinces between September 2021 and June 2022, found that 29% of Canadian students had tried an e-cigarette. While this number is slightly down from 34% in 2018-19, it is higher among older age groups, with 41% of students in grades 10 to 12 having ever vaped.

Regular and Daily Vaping Rates Remain High

Regular use of e-cigarettes continues to be widespread in Canada, with 17% of students having used an e-cigarette in the past month, down slightly from 20% in 2018-19. However, the rates are higher in grades 10 to 12, with over 24% being monthly users.

Daily vaping rates stand at 8% across all students surveyed and close to 12% among those in grades 10 to 12. David Hammond, a public health professor at the University of Waterloo and a leading Canadian youth vaping researcher, notes that these are some of the highest rates ever reported globally.

“We’ve essentially plateaued at historically high levels of daily vaping … this is maybe the best indication out there that we’re in for a long haul of regular youth vaping — we’ve crossed the threshold of this being a fad,” Hammond said.

Past-30-day use of e-cigarettes in canada

Also Read:
Summary of results for the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2016-17

Fruit Flavours Preferred by Majority of Student Vapers

The survey revealed that 63% of students in grades 7 to 12 who vaped in the past month had used a fruit flavour most often. Hammond emphasizes the significant role flavours play in youth vaping, appealing to kids and influencing their decision to start vaping in the first place.

In contrast, youth cigarette smoking rates have continued to drop significantly in Canada, with just 14% of Canadian high school students reporting ever having had a cigarette, down from 19% in 2018-19, and only 1% smoking daily.

Health Canada’s Inaction and Provincial Regulations

The federal government raised concerns in June 2021 over a “rapid increase in youth vaping in Canada” and proposed changes to the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act to regulate the sale of “desirable flavours” driving the rising use among teens. However, two years later, Canada still has some of the highest rates of youth vaping in the world, and little action has been taken to regulate flavours at a national level.

Health Canada stated that they are aware of and concerned about the high rate of youth vaping in Canada but are still reviewing feedback from their public consultations on flavoured vapes, which ended in September 2021.

In the absence of national regulations, several territories and provinces have taken action, with Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I., and Quebec now banning the sale of most e-cigarette flavours to curb youth vaping.

Experts Call for Immediate Federal Action

Experts and health advocates argue that Health Canada seems to have shelved the proposal to restrict e-cigarette flavours and left it up to the industry and provinces to take action.

Cynthia Callard, the executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, states that provincial restrictions will only be effective with federal action. “It’s deeply disturbing that Health Canada is effectively sitting on its hands while this problem continues at such a high level,” she said.

Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society, echoes the sentiment, calling for immediate government action to ban flavoured e-cigarettes, which contribute to the high rates of youth vaping.

As Canada grapples with a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine, the pressure mounts on the federal government to take decisive action and address the growing youth vaping crisis.

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Matthew Ma

Marketing at Ecigator

With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.