Health Canada's letter to vaping product manufacturers and importers

December 19, 2019

Dear Madam, Sir,

I am writing to express that Health Canada is very concerned with the mounting evidence suggesting a marked increase in youth uptake of vaping and with the emergence of cases of vaping-associated lung illness in the United States and more recently in Canada. Vaping may lead to nicotine addiction and other related harms. Youth are especially susceptible to the negative effects of nicotine, as it is known to alter brain development and to affect memory and concentration.

To protect youth, Health Canada has increased its compliance and enforcement of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA). Since the coming into force of the TVPA in 2018, Health Canada has taken action against companies that are not observing the requirements, in particular those in relation to promotions targeted at youth. Health Canada will continue to vigorously enforce all applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, be it online or otherwise.

Health Canada will publish inspection results online, including the names of businesses that were found to be non-compliant at the time of inspection with the requirements of the TVPA and/or CCPSA.

Protecting Canada’s youth is a collective responsibility. It is Health Canada’s expectation that manufacturers play a strong and visible role in this. Manufacturers, importers and sellers of vaping products are prohibited from manufacturing, importing or selling vaping products that are a danger to human health or safety.  To help prevent further inducements to Canadian youth to use vaping products, Health Canada is calling on manufacturers and importers of vaping products (devices and liquids) to re-examine their marketing practices in Canada and to take immediate action to remove any vaping product promotions that could be seen by young persons, including online content.

I look forward to receiving your immediate acknowledgement of this letter.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact the undersigned at krista.locke@canada.ca.

Sincerely,

Krista Locke
Director General, Consumer Products and Controlled Substances Directorate
Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch