HESA Committee Report

Mr. Bill Casey
Standing Committee on Health
Sixth Floor, 131 Queen Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Casey:

I am pleased to respond on behalf of the Government of Canada to the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Health with respect to vaping, tabled in the House of Commons on June 15, 2016.

The Government recognizes that vaping products could bring public health harms, if their use leads to nicotine addiction and tobacco use, particularly among youth. Vaping products could also bring public health benefits, if they help smokers quit or switch to a likely less-harmful source of nicotine.

To respond to the challenge of vaping products, the Government will introduce legislation in the fall of 2016 that will include measures to protect youth from inducement to nicotine addiction and tobacco use while allowing adult smokers to legally access vaping products for smoking cessation or as a likely less-harmful alternative to tobacco; and protect Canadians from dangers to health and safety.

As Committee Chair, I thank you for highlighting the importance of this issue by tabling these recommendations. I look forward to advancing vaping products legislation with your support.

Yours sincerely,

Hon. Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Health