Canadian Vaping Association Praises Law Enforcement for Stopping Vape Sales to Youth

Today, March 30, according to foreign media reports, the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) praised the police departments in Saanich and Calgary for their recent investigations into businesses and individuals selling nicotine vaping products to minors. 

Gemini Convenience Store in Calgary was fined $10,000 for selling vaping products to minors and for failing to verify the age of customers under 25, in violation of the Tobacco, Smoking and Vaping Reduction Act.

In addition, Saanich police cracked down on an operation targeting teenagers that arranged sales of nicotine and cannabis products at middle and high schools through the social media platform Snapchat. Products worth more than $100,000 were seized, but no charges have been filed. Saanich police are working with federal agencies to determine whether any laws were broken.

The CVA hopes charges will be brought under the federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) and the Cannabis Act.

“Canada has put in place strong regulations to prevent youth access to vapor products and to protect young people from the appeal of vaping. These regulations have proven effective at reducing youth experimentation, but no regulation can stop individuals who are willing to break the law.”

Darryl Tempest, Government Relations Counsel for the Canadian Vaping Association, said: “We want to see more enforcement resources, and we are pleased that local police departments are taking action to protect young people.”

At present, the penalties for sales to minors are too lenient to serve as an effective deterrent. While first-time violations may warrant some leniency, repeated sales of products to minors should result in heavier fines and stricter penalties.

For those willing to break the law, small fines simply become a cost of doing business, and the consequences are seen as minor. Local authorities should consider revoking the business licenses and specialist vape shop designations of repeat offenders and those committing serious violations.

Although some health organizations are calling for stricter vaping regulation, regulation does not prevent crime. Investigations have found that young people most often obtain vaping products through social channels. The solution to preventing illegal youth access to vaping products is not more regulation, but more enforcement and more resources dedicated to enforcement work.