JUUL Canada is to stop selling most of its flavoured pods as Health Canada draws up tighter vaping regulations.
The company will stop supplying all but mint and tobacco once current stocks are cleared.
Michael Nederhoff, general manager of JUUL Labs in Canada said that the flavours could be reintroduced ‘under the guidance and regulation of Health Canada.’
Vaping was legalised in 2018. However, critics argue that the regulations do not protect public health.
The proposed regulations include a ban on ads in public spaces, convenience stores and online. In-store displays would be restricted to speciality age-restricted vape shops.
Thierry Bélair, a spokesperson for Health Minister Patty Hajdu, said:
“We recently proposed new rules to prohibit the promotion of vaping products anywhere they can be seen or heard by youth, and are in the process of examining additional flavour restrictions using the best available evidence because we share the concerns that many Canadians — particularly parents — have about vaping.”
While a tightening of federal regulations is on the horizon, the provinces have already begun to bring in regulations to curb youth vaping and combat the much-disputed gateway to combustible tobacco.
A ban on vape advertising in public places in Ontario has been in effect since January 1.
British Columbia introduced a 13 percent tax increase on vape products the same day.
Now, Nova Scotia is to follow America’s lead by cracking down heavily on flavoured e-liquids.
On April 1, the province will become the first in the country to introduce an outright ban on flavours.
Source: CBC
