New national data reveals that Canadian teenagers have some of the highest rates of e-cigarette use globally, sparking concerns among experts and calling for immediate action from the federal government. According to the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey conducted by Health Canada, 29% of Canadian students have tried an e-cigarette. Although there has been a slight decrease from 34% in 2018-19, the numbers remain high among older age groups, with 41% of students in grades 10 to 12 having experimented with vaping.
The survey also highlights the prevalence of regular e-cigarette use, with 17% of students having used an e-cigarette in the past month. While this number has decreased slightly from 20% in 2018-19, it is significantly higher among grades 10 to 12 students, where over 24% report monthly use. Experts attribute the crisis to the widespread availability of flavored vapes and the lack of federal government action.
While Canada has made progress in reducing youth cigarette smoking rates, with only 14% of high school students reporting ever having smoked a cigarette, the increase in overall nicotine use, which includes e-cigarettes, is a pressing concern. Health advocates and experts are urging the federal government to ban flavored e-cigarettes, which are believed to be a major contributing factor to the high youth vaping rates.
In response to the survey data, several provinces have already taken steps to curb youth vaping by banning the sale of most e-cigarette flavors(NS,NB,PEI and NWT have implemented provincial or territorial bans on the sale of flavoured vape products). However, without national regulations, the effectiveness of these measures remains limited. Health Canada has yet to enforce any regulations on flavors, prompting criticism from experts who believe the federal government needs to take immediate and decisive action.
The latest data underscores the urgency of addressing the youth vaping crisis in Canada and highlights the need for comprehensive federal regulations to combat the growing problem.
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