Canada: Multiple Policies Tighten E-Cigarette Regulation, Casting Doubt on Industry Prospects

Introduction: It is reported that the Canadian e-cigarette industry is facing external doubts. The uncertainty of federal health department regulations and restrictions from other authorities have put the increasingly popular e-cigarette industry on a rocky path.
According to Chinese e-cigarette news: E-cigarettes are becoming more popular, but the uncertainty of federal health department regulations and restrictions from other authorities have raised doubts about the Canadian e-cigarette industry.
Phillip Gorham, a tobacco analyst at Morningstar, stated that if regulatory authorities decide to impose regulations on e-cigarettes similar to those for cigarette products, sales and growth of the Canadian e-cigarette industry will be suppressed, leading to a bleak outlook. The regulations he mentioned include raising prices, legislating restrictions on advertising, store displays, and regulations concerning sellers.
Gorham said that the growth of e-cigarettes is mainly due to novelty; if they are not visible on store shelves, it will be difficult to attract new sales. He stated: "E-cigarettes need marketing to grow; without marketing, businesses cannot attract consumer interest."
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently called on member states to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and to prohibit indoor vaping until more evidence shows the dangers of vaping, stating that the increase in vaping users reflects a dilemma for public health.
Douglas Bettcher, Director of the WHO Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention Department, said: "E-cigarettes have both advantages and disadvantages; they are a double-edged sword. The tobacco industry benefits greatly because after creating this harmful product, they present e-cigarettes as a solution."
The Canadian E-Cigarette Trade Association pointed out that their members have monthly sales ranging from CAD 10,000 to CAD 20,000.
Although e-cigarette devices do not contain tobacco, they can be used to heat nicotine liquid, producing vapor for inhalation. Smokers prefer e-cigarettes because they resemble cigarettes but do not contain thousands of chemicals, tar, or odors like traditional cigarettes.
The federal health department stated that e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine or do not have health warnings on their packaging can be legally sold in Canada. However, any product containing nicotine or with health warnings on the packaging must comply with the Food and Drug Regulations, and manufacturers must apply to the health department for approval to launch new products on the market.
So far, the health department has not approved any e-cigarettes for sale under the Food and Drug Regulations.
Supporters of vaping have expressed doubts about the health department's stance, stating that nicotine-containing e-liquid is regulated under the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations implemented in 2001. Some argue that if e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes, they could save lives, but this view is contested, as e-cigarettes may reduce the amount of traditional cigarette smoking but can still be addictive.
The Chief Medical Officers of Toronto and Edmonton have called on local governments to ban vaping in places where smoking is prohibited, and the Nova Scotia Minister of Health has vowed to propose relevant legislation in 2014.
York Region in Ontario and Red Deer in Alberta have already banned vaping in public places.