Youth smoking survey points to need for flavoured tobacco ban

A new survey finds that nine per cent of teens reported using a flavoured tobacco product in the 30 days before the survey was taken. The Canadian Cancer Society says these findings suggest a ban on flavoured tobacco products is needed. Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives

TORONTO — The Canadian Cancer Society says a new national survey points to the need to ban flavoured tobacco products.

The survey says that nine per cent of teens reported using a flavoured tobacco product in the 30 days before the survey was taken.

That equates to half of the high school students who used tobacco products in the month before the survey was taken, or 137,000 students.

Federal legislation bans flavours — except menthol — from being added to cigarettes and cigarillos that weigh less than 1.4 grams.

But the cancer society says manufacturers get around that by making cigarillos that weigh more than 1.4 grams.

As well, water pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff are made in flavours such as chocolate, mint, cherry and strawberry — in other words, flavours that are appealing to young people.

“The society is very concerned that fruit- and candy-flavoured tobacco make it easier for youth to become addicted to tobacco. New legislation is needed as soon as possible to ban all flavoured tobacco products,” says Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst.

There are currently no provincial laws banning flavoured tobacco. Alberta adopted legislation in December 2013 that would ban flavoured tobacco, including menthol, but it has not yet been proclaimed into law. Ontario and Manitoba have announced they will bring forward legislation and several others — including Quebec and Nova Scotia — have said they are considering the issue.

The data were drawn from the 2012/13 Youth Smoking Survey conducted by the Propel Centre for Population Health Impact at the University of Waterloo. The survey is conducted every two years.