Student group wants flavoured vapes banned; businesses say they're being targeted

A student advocacy group to prevent youth nicotine addiction says it wants the Alberta and federal governments to place a ban on all fruity and sweet vape juices.

"Flavours such as menthol or fruity flavours can also attract youth to be more likely to be wanting to partake in smoking or start these addictions because they're more accessible," said Lisa Wei, a member of Stop Addicting Adolescents to Vaping and E-Cigarettes (SAAVE).

"It's concerning that Alberta has not yet taken the response to ban all of these additional flavours."

Wei says the group wants governments to ban all flavours, except tobacco, prohibit single-use vapes and remove vapes from shelves and place them behind pharmacy counters.

The group of University of Calgary students also surveyed every MLA in the province between Sept. 23 and Oct. 7, each being contacted three times by the group.

Forty per cent did not respond but two UCP MLAs agreed vapes should be sold behind a pharmacy counter.

Overall, 92 per cent of those who did respond were either not in favour of any of the proposals or did not state a position.

"We have learned a lot of lessons regarding the communication barriers but I believe it's important to maintain this optimism to move forward in the future to create more opportunities," Wei said.

"Single-use vaping devices have been shown to be able to attract more youth."

The federal minister of addictions office told CTV News on Monday it expects new legislation to come in "about a month" but added there are still several kinks to work out.

Any ban, however, would impact local business, including vape shops such as Bobilicious Vapes in Silverado.

Gregory Langston and Nancy Yip both say a ban of flavoured vapes will cause significant harm to thousands of small-business owners nationwide.

"I think you would probably see a lot of the small-business portion of the industry start to disappear," Langston said.

"Certainly feel targeted in considering all of the different vices that are available to the everyday public."

Langston says vaping has actually helped cigarette smokers make healthier lifestyle choices.

"Helping smokers quit cigarettes, it really makes you question a lot of things," Langston said.

"And why so much effort is being put toward this particular industry."

Yip says vapes behind pharmacy counters and restricting flavours will possibly force users to an illegal market.

"We personally guaranteed our house on this," she said.

"So, I'm sure a lot of other shops have as well. We're all probably scrambling if there's only a month. That's not a lot of time to prepare."

Alberta's ministry of health says its Tobacco, Smoking and Vaping Reduction Act (TSVRA) initially consulted Albertans on policy.

"We heard from former smokers that the availability of flavoured vaping products assisted them in quitting. However, we also heard that these flavours may attract youth to use vaping products," said spokesperson Jessi Rampton.

The province says it took a balanced approach but is unclear on when the federal government's plan to ban fruity and sweet vaping flavours will take effect.