Health Canada Reverses Its Stance and Recommends E-cigarettes to Smokers

Recently, the Canadian government's official website updated its e-cigarette science popularization section, stating that there is evidence that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit smoking, and completely switching to e-cigarettes can effectively reduce health risks for smokers. This marks a significant shift from their previous negative stance that only emphasized the harms of e-cigarettes.

Image: The e-cigarette science popularization section on the Canadian government's official website

The Canadian Ministry of Health was previously criticized by the public health community for exaggerating the harms of e-cigarettes. "The Ministry of Health always presents the harms of e-cigarettes without mentioning that 4.5 million smokers have the opportunity to reduce harm by switching to e-cigarettes. This misleads the public and abandons the lives of millions of smokers," wrote Darryl Tempest, president of the Canadian E-Cigarette Association, in an open letter in February 2020.

However, in recent years, the Canadian Ministry of Health has gradually changed its attitude. In 2022, the Canadian government's official website cited several research reports from the UK and the US, recognizing the harm reduction effects of e-cigarettes. In this update, the Canadian Ministry of Health referenced the latest report from the international authoritative medical evidence organization Cochrane, clearly stating that e-cigarettes can be used to quit smoking, and that their effectiveness is "better than the nicotine replacement therapies we previously recommended." It is understood that Cochrane has published five reports over seven years, confirming the significant effectiveness of e-cigarettes in helping smokers quit.

The Canadian government's official website elaborated on the various benefits of smokers switching to e-cigarettes: "Current evidence shows that smokers who completely switch to e-cigarettes can immediately reduce the intake of harmful substances, and overall health can also improve. There is currently no evidence that quitting smoking with e-cigarettes has any adverse effects, and long-term use of e-cigarettes may even save money." Furthermore, the Canadian Ministry of Health specifically reminded smokers not to use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes simultaneously, as "smoking cigarettes will harm health, and only a complete switch to e-cigarettes will have a harm reduction effect."

Foreign media reported today that this means Canada will recognize e-cigarettes just like the UK, Sweden, and other countries. On April 11, the UK government launched the world's first "switch to e-cigarettes before quitting" program, helping 1 million British smokers quit by providing them with e-cigarettes. A report from Sweden in 2023 indicated that due to the promotion of e-cigarettes and other harm reduction products, Sweden is about to become the first "smoke-free" country in Europe and even the world.

"In recent years, Canada's tobacco control efforts have made significant progress, and the government's recommendation of e-cigarettes has played a key role," said David Sweanor, a Canadian tobacco harm reduction expert. "If other countries can do the same, the global public health environment will greatly improve."

"While quitting all nicotine products is best, prioritizing quitting cigarettes can significantly reduce your health risks. Researchers have determined that completely switching to e-cigarettes is less harmful than continuing to smoke cigarettes, and if previous quitting methods have not worked for you, e-cigarettes can help you quit," stated the Canadian government's official website in its advice to smokers.