Quebec’s ban on sale of flavoured vapes is now in effect. Here is what you need to know

Quebec’s changes to its anti-tobacco law come into effect on Tuesday as the province aims to crack down on vaping.

The province has officially banned the sale of flavoured vapes, with Health Minister Christian Dubé saying the revamped rules are designed to better protect young people.

Inspections will be carried out in the coming days to see if the latest restrictions are being enforced.

Here is what is you need to know.

Ban on flavours and vapes in ‘form of a toy’

The crux of the changes comes down to prohibiting the sale of vape products in flavours other than tobacco as of Oct. 31. Vapes that have no flavour or aroma are still permitted, however.

It’s also forbidden to sell any vapes in the “form of a toy, a piece of jewelry, a food, an animal or a real or fictional person, or any other form, appearance or function that might be attractive to minors.”

By tightening the rules, the Quebec government is hoping to “limit the attraction” of vaping and smoking to teens. Last spring, Dubé said banning flavoured vapes is “excessively important” to the government, and follows a similar move to ban flavoured cigarettes a few years ago.

The government cited data showing the number of high school students who reported having vaped in the month prior had quadrupled to 21 per cent in 2019 from four per cent in 2013.

The province also reported that over 90 per cent of the vapes used by minors are sweetened or flavoured.

1:42 Almost half of Canada’s young adults have tried vaping: StatCan

Limiting nicotine concentration and refills

Aside from banning flavoured vapes, Quebec is also putting caps on size and refills.

Stores can no longer sell vaping products with a nicotine concentration exceeding 20 milligrams per millilitre and vaping liquid tanks and capsules must be capped at 2 mm.

Refill containers and bottles must be limited to 30 mm or less.

More information on packaging

By tightening its anti-tobacco law, Quebec is also requiring more information on the packaging of vaping products.

The concentration of nicotine and the volume of the liquid must be visible on the packaging of products.

There must also be a statement to show the vape’s flavour is tobacco or that it does not have a flavour or aroma.

Other provinces have similar bans

Quebec isn’t the only province to forbid the sale of flavoured vapes. Dubé first outlined the new restrictions more than six months ago before the official notice was given in August.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation says similar bans are in force in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

— with files from Global’s Dan Spector and The Canadian Press