The Government of Quebec has become the sixth authority in Canada to ban the sale of vaping products containing a flavour other than tobacco. This measure aims to make electronic cigarettes less attractive to young people. Although electronic cigarettes were initially marketed to help people quit smoking, they are now designed to appeal to consumers, particularly young people. Flavours, aesthetics, influencers … many strategies are being used to encourage vaping.

As this phenomenon is relatively new, here are some key points to familiarize yourself with this issue.

What is vaping?  Vaping involves inhaling and exhaling an aerosol generated by a vaping product such as an electronic cigarette (also called a vape or “e-cigarette”). 

An electronic cigarette has three components:

1. The cartridge (or “reservoir” or “pod”)

2. The liquid solution (also called “e-liquid” or “e-juice”)

3. The heating element and battery

The heating element heats the liquid in the cartridge, creating an aerosol (“vapour”) that the user inhales. The liquid may or may not contain nicotine or THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.

What exactly does a vape contain?  The name “vape” is confusing. You might think that, when you vape, you are inhaling water vapour that has flavour and a certain amount of nicotine. However, the liquid contained in the cartridges (“pods”) does not usually contain water, but rather several other products such as: 

• Propylene glycol (a common additive in foods that is also used to make products such as paint solvent)
• Vegetable glycerin
• Flavours (now illegal in Quebec)
• Nicotine, although some liquids are nicotine-free
• Heavy metals such as nickel, lead and tin
• Potential by-products, such as cannabis (cannabis vaping products are illegal in Quebec).

In products found on the black market, the nicotine concentration may exceed the nicotine concentration authorized in legal products in Canada and may also contain other unauthorized substances of concern. In Quebec, selling a vaping product with a nicotine concentration that exceeds 20 mg/ml is prohibited.

What are the consequences? 

• Nicotine consumption can cause brain development problems in teens and nicotine consumption during pregnancy could harm fetal development.
• Nicotine consumption is addictive.
• Teens who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes, and many e-cigarette users also smoke traditional cigarettes.
• The use of vaping products can cause coughing, dryness of the airways and shortness of breath. Vaping can also exacerbate asthma symptoms.
• Since it is a relatively new phenomenon, the long-term health effects of vaping are still unknown.

Some interesting statistics 

• One in three secondary 4 and 5 students say they have vaped in the last 30 days.
• Vaping quadruples the risk of smoking cigarettes.
• Ninety percent of young people vape with cartridges containing nicotine, which is known, among other things, for its addictive effects.

Some possible solutions 

For workers 

• Keep your information up to date. As vaping is a recent phenomenon, new information is often published.
• When you see young people vaping, ask them what they think about their use of vaping products. Without being judgmental, try to educate them by providing them with objective facts that will make them think and question their choice.
• You can help young people stop using vaping products by suggesting that they:

• Team up with a volunteer friend who is also trying to stop vaping
• Write a list of reasons why they want to stop vaping.
• Reward their successes and be patient with themselves (remember that the fight against addiction takes time).

• Parents can play an important role in children’s decision-making. Workers should strongly consider involving them in their teens’ efforts to quit vaping.
• Educating parents about the risks and consequences of vaping will allow them to better communicate with their children. Here are some communication tips you can share with parents:

• Avoid judging your child.
• Focus on the facts.
• Avoid scaring them.
• Meet with your child’s doctor if they are more likely to listen to a health professional.
• Talk to other parents.

• Encourage parents who smoke or vape to include their teenager in their smoking cessation journey, such as clearly telling their teenager that they disapprove of vaping and that quitting is difficult.
• Various tools have been developed for parents to guide them in the discussions they can have with their children, including Smoking and vaping – how to discourage your children. 

Other training and tools are also available (in French only) from the Conseil québécois sur le tabac et la santé: https://cqts.qc.ca/. 

Tobacco-Free Quebec also offers tools to strengthen interventions:

• Website: https://www.tobaccofreequebec.ca/iquitnowhttps://www.quebecsanstabac.ca/jarrete 
• Helpline: 1-866-527-7383

Some additional resources 

EPAV média (@epavmedia) • Instagram photos and videos (in French only) 

I QUIT NOW – Register for the challenge (https://quebecsanstabac.ca/iquitnow/registration/step1) 

Quash is a judgment-free app to help you quit smoking or vaping (https://www.quashapp.com) 

First Nations IT’S TIME Toolkit 

If you need more resources or if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the FNQLHSSC health sector or Bangaly Diane, Public Health Advisor, at bangaly.diane@cssspnql.com. 

Sources

Drop the Illusion – Vaping MESSES your game. 

Vapotage de nicotine et de cannabis : identifier et comprendre les risques pour la santé | INSPQ (in French only) 

E-Cigarettes and Youth Toolkit for Partners 

Vers un Québec sans tabac (in French only)