More than 80 per cent of vape stores across the country failed Health Canada inspections last year, including some stores in the Red Deer area, according to details released earlier this month.
The enforcement report showed six vaping stores in Red Deer, three in Sylvan Lake, and one in Blackfalds, either sold products with prohibited flavour names that are more descriptive and attractive to children, or had prohibited testimonials or endorsements, or broke both rules.
A Red Deer County convenience store was found to have similar infractions of the federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act.
“These aren’t difficult rules that they’re breaking. It reflects an attitude towards the law. They were not accidentally breaking these rules,” said Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.
“They would have known, and all received letters from government warning them, and explaining and providing details.”
Between July and December 2019, inspectors visited convenience stores on 2,083 occasions and vaping stores 1,080 times across Canada. About 100 stores were visited twice.
Inspections showed:
- One or more illegal activities were observed in 84 per cent of vaping stores and in 13 per cent of convenience stores.
- Illegal promotions were found in 60 per cent of the vaping stores and four per cent of the convenience stores.
- Prohibited flavour names, for example banana split instead of banana, were found in 59 per cent of vaping stores and four per cent of convenience stores.
- Non-child resistant packages were found in one per cent of the vaping stores.
Callard said Health Canada data did not reveal how many stores were compliant, but with so many stores inspected, she said it’s safe to say that vaping retailers were more likely not following the rules.
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“My concern is if they’re breaking one section of the law, they’re far more likely to be breaking another, such as allowing minors into their stores,” said Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking & Health.
“These are not small numbers. It calls into question the entire industry.”
Meanwhile, there’s a youth vaping epidemic, he said.
“We have 400,000 school-aged youth in Canada who have used vaping products in the last 30 days. It’s shocking, those numbers,” said Hagen, adding that 50,000 of those children were in Alberta.
Earlier this month, the province introduced new legislation that bans anyone under 18 years of age from using e-cigarettes. It does not restrict flavours for e-cigarettes, but the bill proposes cabinet be allowed to make such restrictions once the law is passed and proclaimed.
There would also be restrictions on displaying and promoting vaping products, but specialty vape stores would be exempt.
The legislation is awaiting third reading in the legislature.
Hagen said the province plans to start inspecting vape stores and has pledged to hire inspectors once the legislation is passed.
“Right now in Alberta, we have more rat inspectors than tobacco inspectors. We have zero tobacco inspectors and we have a whole team of rat inspectors that are keeping Alberta rat free. Apparently it’s working, too.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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