Vaping use among Quebec youth twice that of adults: INSPQ

The use of vaping products among teenagers and young adults in Quebec remains “particularly high” as teenagers are twice as likely as adults to vape, according to Institut nationale de la santé publique du Québec (INSPQ).

In a study published on Feb. 3, the public health research institute said flavoured vaping products were largely responsible for the high level of use.

The Quebec government banned on the sale of vaping liquids with flavours like fruit, mint and menthol, except tobacco flavour, starting Oct. 31, 2023, in order to dissuade vaping use among youth.

A survey by INSPQ showed that vaping use among teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 decreased from 20 percent in 2022 to 13 per cent in 2024 – yet almost twice as likely as adults.

Among adults vaping use was relatively the same – 5.8 per cent in 2024 compared to 6.7 per cent in 2023 — after the ban. However, nearly half of survey respondents said they still consumed flavoured products.

Another study showed that 80 per cent of vapers had used flavoured products in the previous month.

Researchers believed that stores specializing in sale of vaping products were the likely source of flavoured products as they had been growing in popularity several months before the ban.

However, data from convenience stores and gas station showed that following the ban, the sale of vaping products fell by half — going from $4.6 million in October 2023 to $2.3 million in November 2023.

The sales levels plateaued around that level throughout the first six months of 2024, where the monthly sales remained at $2.5 million on average.

Tobacco-flavoured vapes accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the sales since the ban took effect, almost going up by seven times compared to previous year when fruit and mint flavoured vapes made up for over 80 per cent of the sales.

Disposable vaping products remained popular compared to reusable devices, raising concern among researchers.

“The widespread popularity of disposable vaping devices raises several concerns. Their attractive packaging and generally lower price compared to pod devices increase their appeal and affordability for young people,” the study said.

Vuse remained the popular brand far ahead of competitors like Juul, although all brands saw a decline in sales following the government prohibition.

The study also found that vapers were unlikely to switch to cigarettes when flavoured vaping products were no longer available, as shown by cigarette sales data.