Since October 31, the sale of e-cigarettes containing a flavor other than tobacco has been banned in Quebec. However, many convenience stores and specialty stores are breaking the law by selling a wide range of “flavor enhancers” that mix easily with “neutral” e-liquids.
Posted at 5:00 am.
Since they are food, these flavored additives are offered to vapers completely legally. And the flavors of desserts, confectionery or soft drinks that were already banned before October 31st are in abundance: s'mores, crème brûlée, chocolate fondant, carrot cake, hazelnut cookies, fusée popsicles, cola, etc. There All you have to do is incorporate these tasty ingredients into the base – nicotine or not – and the spirit of the new regulation goes up in smoke.
“Customers even ask me if they can add maple syrup to their liquid,” worries Robert Belleville, owner of Vapo Délice in Trois-Rivières. The merchant, who opened his business in 2014, fears a public health crisis due to the overselling of perfumes in the industry since – paradoxically – the tightening of the law.
According to the Institut de la Tourisme du Québec, about one in three fourth or fifth secondary school students regularly smoke e-cigarettes. And nine in 10 young people say flavors are an important incentive, according to a 2021 survey by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Mr. Belleville decided to stick with liquids without flavors and tobacco smells. The mission of his vape shop, he says, has always been to help his customers quit smoking, not to encourage young adults to use it recreationally.
“It is certain that I will lose customers who go elsewhere to buy shots [liquides aromatisés], but it has become dangerous. I won't go there. What exactly is in these flavors? Is there diacetyl, which is carcinogenic when inhaled? We do not know. »
Flory Doucas, spokesman for the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control (CQCT), describes the widespread introduction of perfume concentrates as “dismaying” and “disappointing.”
We have always seen the industry adapt to regulations, both for conventional tobacco products and e-cigarette products. But to see so many retailers violating the spirit of the law to such an extent surprises us.
Flory Doucas, spokesman for the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control
In her opinion, this is evidence that manufacturers and retailers are “at the heart of the problem of e-cigarette use among young people” and that they “put profit first.” [plutôt que] the health of the population.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
As of October 31, 2023, the sale of vaping products that have a flavor other than tobacco is banned in Quebec.
“It is clear that we will not see a reduction [de la consommation] given the business practices we are currently observing,” regrets Ms. Doucas. The CQCT fought bitterly to abolish fragrances in e-cigarette products.
A generalized strategy
“Flavor enhancers” are part of a strategy that many vape shops have pursued in recent years in anticipation of stricter laws; These are registered in the commercial register as “convenience stores” or “general stores”. This appeal not only allows retailers to diversify their offerings, but also to make their shelves visible from the street and open their doors to under 18s.
In return, the shops have to hide the e-cigarettes.
Under the guise of food, perfume bottles are often displayed alongside chips, sweets or juices in front of children and young people.
This is the case, for example, in a “convenience store” specializing in e-cigarettes on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Montreal, where, in addition to chocolate bars and sugary drinks, there is also a large selection of flavor concentrates.
When asked what dosage should be maintained between the nicotine liquid and three randomly selected “amplifiers,” the saleswoman hesitates to step forward. “With the drop shots you put half in, with the other two it’s the whole bottle,” she finally says at the time of purchase.
The employees of the companies visited by La Presse were well aware of the gray area in the law and were initially cautious. Then the tongues loosen.
When we ask questions about the blends in an e-cigarette shop in Lanaudière, the salesperson remains slightly silent. “I'm not allowed to say too much, but you can read between the lines,” he says and then leads us on with half-hearted words.
A third seller, at a “vapoterie” in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve where boosters and treats are on display, is more direct. “You can put half the bottle in [d’arôme] in your nicotine neutral, but if you want to add more afterwards, go for it! »
At the customer's discretion
“Flavor enhancers are not products designed for vaping,” argues David Lévesque, spokesman for the Alliance of Vaping Shops of Quebec and co-founder of distributor Digital Smoke Supplies.
“All stores knew full well that after regulation they would lose a large part of their income and decided to diversify. That means selling chips, chocolate and exotic things. For example, if you look at an IGA that offers a whole range of flavored waters, many retailers have thought of selling their flavors using their expertise. What the customer does with it afterwards is up to him. »
Given the industry's practices, “the government has made a mistake,” believes Robert Belleville of Vapo Délice. “Instead of solving a problem, they created one. “It's the same as before, except there is less control over product quality,” he laments.
“It is very worrying,” reacts Antoine de la Durantaye, press spokesman in the office of Health Minister Christian Dubé. In his opinion, “the law is clear” and covers flavorings intended for vaping, regardless of where they are sold. “We must all care about the health of our young people. We do it for you. »
The company adds that it will ensure that “the ministry’s inspectors analyze the situations raised.”
Candy and smoke
IMAGE FROM VAPE SOCIÉTÉ FACEBOOK PAGE
The five branches of the Vape Société distribute free “exotic snacks” on Wednesdays.
Candy and e-cigarettes have never gone so well together. In the Montreal area, Eurovap has expanded its vaping range to include snacks and sugary drinks. The VapeTown and Munchiz stores – snacks in English – also coexist at the same address. In Quebec, the defunct Cabane à boucane is now called Shack à Snack, offering sweets and products for smokers under one roof. Also near the capital, the five Vape Société branches distribute free “exotic sweets” on Wednesdays. Residents of Gaspé can now find Snack Élite on the shelves alongside Vap Élite. Across Quebec, Le Vape Shop has expanded its inventory to include food. In February 2023, the Association of Vaping Industry Representatives said in a press release that it does not support “business models that combine exotic candy stores with the sale of e-cigarette products,” a situation it described at the time as “marginal.”