According to foreign reports, despite opposition from public health experts, a regulation banning electronic cigarette liquid with nicotine concentration more than 20 mg / ml in Canada will take effect tomorrow (July 8).
Until a few years ago, Canada was on the right track in reducing tobacco hazards and fully supported the use of e-cigarettes as a tool for smoking cessation / reduction. Sadly, all this changed when a paper published in BMJ concluded that there was an increase in e-cigarette use and subsequent smoking among teenagers in Canada.
Clive Bates, a public health consultant and former director of the action on smoking and health (ash), pointed out at the time that the number of BMJ papers was wrong. Sure enough, almost a year later, the journal published a correction. Unfortunately, however, the damage has already been done, and the data from this study have aroused considerable vigilance, leading to policy changes.
In December 2020, Health Canada proposed a nicotine limit of 20 mg / ml for all e-cigarette products.
According to BMJ’s research, Health Canada has determined that the availability of e-cigarettes with high nicotine concentration in the Canadian market since 2018 is one of the key factors leading to the increase of e-cigarettes among teenagers.
From July 23, the cap will be extended to all retailers.
The new restrictions will take effect tomorrow (July 8) and will be extended to all retailers on July 23.
The measure also includes a regulation banning Canadian manufacturers from exporting products with nicotine concentrations in excess of 66 mg / ml.
Ecigintelligence quoted federal health minister Patty Hajdu as saying the nicotine cap is part of the government’s efforts to prevent teenagers from smoking e-cigarettes. The action was taken because nicotine was known to have a special effect on brain development, memory and attention in young people.
What is the effect of nicotine restriction?
However, data from Europe show that some experienced smokers who have switched to e-cigarettes are struggling with low doses after the EU tobacco product directive (TPD) sets the nicotine cap. For this reason, many former smokers start smoking again or resort to buying their favorite products on the black market.
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