Last week, Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, and Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, released a joint statement at the conclusion of National Non-Smoking Week.

It was disappointing to see, yet again, the perspective of the Canadian vapers notably absent from the statement despite multiple public health studies which show that vapour products are an effective tool to help smokers quit. 

Public Health England was at the vanguard with its groundbreaking study that concluded that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking. Health Canada even says on its own website that “some evidence suggests that using e-cigarettes is linked to improved rates of success.”

In response to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Rights4Vapers has issued the following statement: 

We are valuable partners in your mission

Your National Non-Smoking Week statement communicates that the Government of Canada has partnered with the “Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Association, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada to launch a multi-million social marketing campaign to encourage smoking cessation.” 

Where is the money to help communicate the real story of vaping? Why are Canadian vapers not included as partners? Your social media campaign fails to mention any reference to vaping and the safer alternative it provides to adult Canadian smokers looking to quit. Yet, nicotine replacement therapies, developed and marketed by pharmaceutical giants, are placed centre stage. 

We’d like to draw your attention to the fact that encouraging smokers to vape can help the government achieve its smoking cessation objective of reducing smoking incidence to less than five percent by 2025.

We believe strongly that vaping should be included in any conversation about quitting smoking and we are extending an offer to work with you on this worthwhile initiative.