shops and licensed cannabis retailers while retail stores will only
be allowed to sell tobacco, mint and menthol;
High nicotine products (concentrations of more than 20mg/ml)
will also be restricted to vape shops.
Displays that are visible outside of the shop will be prohibited.
The amendments will take effect on July 1.
A spokesperson for Dash Vapes, Canada’s largest independent
vape retailer, said:
“This is a solid approach that will drastically reduce youth access
while still allowing adults to access these products.
“It is certainly great news for specialty vape stores.”
The new measures put further pressure on beleaguered JUUL,
whose pod system was, for many, the entry point for vaping. Its
50ml pods will have to be pulled from hundreds of convenience
store shelves.
The Dash Vapes spokesperson said: “It’s much easier to enforce
100 vape shops to ensure that they’re not selling to minors than
it is 10,000 gas stations/convenience stores who are the most
egregious offenders.”
JUUL may be hoping to claw back some credibility now that
former Canadian health minister Rona Ambrose is on the board
of directors.
In 2015, Ambrose helped draft regulations that prohibited the
marketing of flavoured e-liquid that appealed to teens.
JUUL CEO K.C. Crosthwaite said that the appointment would help
the company “work to earn the trust of our shareholders.”
But it may be too little, too late, in Ontario at least.
”
This is a solid approach that will
drastically reduce youth access
while still allowing adults
to access these products.
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