Five years after Canada first pledged to crack down on flavoured vaping products, the federal government still cannot say when – or even if – national restrictions will happen.
The delay is becoming increasingly awkward for Ottawa. Not only has the Liberal government repeatedly promised action since 2021, but emerging Canadian evidence is also starting to undermine one of the vaping industry’s biggest arguments against flavour bans: that restricting flavours could push people back to smoking.
Instead, new provincial data suggests youth vaping falls when flavours are restricted – without triggering a rise in cigarette smoking.
Federal promises stuck in limbo
Canada announced plans in 2021 to limit vape flavours nationwide to mint, menthol and tobacco, arguing that sweet and fruity flavours were fuelling youth uptake. But despite draft regulations reportedly being ready for two years, the policy remains stuck in limbo.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel refused to commit to a timeline in comments to CBC News, saying only she was “willing to move in that direction” and hoped action would come “as soon as possible”.
Behind the scenes, public records show vaping and nicotine companies have been lobbying heavily against the proposals, including meetings seeking assurances that Ottawa would not move forward with a ban.
The standoff comes as Canada faces some of the highest youth vaping rates in the world. Nearly one in three Canadians under 25 reported vaping in the past month, while around 10 per cent of high school students now vape daily.
At the same time, vaping continues to play a major role in smoking cessation. One in five Canadians who quit smoking in 2024 reportedly used vaping to do it.
That tension – youth uptake versus harm reduction for adult smokers – has made flavour bans one of the most contentious issues in global tobacco policy.
The flavours dilemma
Many tobacco harm reduction supporters have long defended flavours as important for helping adults move away from cigarettes. But some researchers are arguing the actual flavour itself may matter less for quitting than previously assumed while playing a far bigger role in youth uptake.
That debate is becoming increasingly important internationally as governments from the UK to Australia and the EU weigh tighter restrictions on flavours, disposables and nicotine products.
Canada’s delay also highlights another recurring problem in vape regulation, which is fragmented rules.
Several Canadian provinces – including Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island – already have flavour restrictions in place. But researchers say patchwork rules are difficult to enforce when consumers can simply buy products online from neighbouring provinces without bans.
“A national ban would be much more effective,” Chaiton said.
Black market fears remain central
The vaping industry insists flavour bans could fuel illicit markets and reduce access to lower-risk alternatives for smokers.
The Canadian Vaping Association warned restrictions could lead to “the proliferation of unregulated products, reduced consumer safety, loss of tax revenue and increased pressure on enforcement agencies.”
That argument has become increasingly common globally as governments tighten vaping rules. Critics of prohibition-style policies often point to Australia’s prescription-only model and growing black market as a warning of what can happen when legal access becomes too restrictive.
Who are flavours really for?
Canada’s situation now leaves policymakers caught between two competing realities – strong evidence that flavours appeal heavily to youth, and equally strong evidence that vaping remains significantly less harmful than smoking for adults.
