With the e-cigarette industry under intense scrutiny following a rash of respiratory illnesses and deaths linked to vaping, the manager of a local shop says misinformation is hurting small businesses offering an alternative to smoking.
VapouRevolution's Mike Williams, who manages 11 store locations across the NWT, B.C., Alberta and the Yukon, says the industry is being unfairly tied to the spike of illnesses, which he blames on the use of black market THC oils SA国际影视传媒� not regulated, federally approved e-juices sold in his stores.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 almost like guilt by association,SA国际影视传媒� Williams told Yellowknifer in a recent phone interview.
Vaping has been linked to hundreds of reported respiratory illnesses and at least seven deaths in the United States. The legal and commercial response to the string of incidents has been swift: a handful of states are proposing bans or increased regulations on flavoured and unflavoured e-cigarettes alike while U.S.-based retailers like Walmart are scaling back vape products sold online.
But health officials south of the border and in Canada are still scrambling to definitively decode whatSA国际影视传媒檚 causing the illnesses.
Williams says people are getting sick because theySA国际影视传媒檙e buying illegally sold THC oil cartridges containing vitamin E acetate, a solution that canSA国际影视传媒檛 be safely vaporized.
E-juice SA国际影视传媒� a mixture containing varying levels of nicotine 鈦燬A国际影视传媒� used in e-cigarettes sold in town at places like VapouRevolution and Reddi-Mart are tested and regulated by Health Canada, he added.
But because THC oils are being vaped, all legal vaporizers and vape products are being lumped into the same category amid the outbreak, he argued.
Following reports of SA国际影视传媒渟evere pulmonary illnesses and deathsSA国际影视传媒� linked to vaping, the territory says itSA国际影视传媒檚 been working closely with Health Canada and other federal counterparts.
SA国际影视传媒淟ung illnesses and deaths in the United States are being associated with the use of vaping products and health officials here in Canada are actively monitoring the situation as it unfolds,SA国际影视传媒� NWT Health and Social Services spokesperson Damien Healy wrote in an email.
Vaping is not without risk and its long term effects are still unknown, he added.
SA国际影视传媒淣on-smokers, people who are pregnant and young people shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 vape,SA国际影视传媒� stated Healy, stressing that buying unregulated vaping products outside the legal market could create SA国际影视传媒渁dditional risk.SA国际影视传媒�
Vaping among youth in the country, added Healy, is on the rise SA国际影视传媒� a trend thatSA国际影视传媒檚 concerning due to a lack of long term data, the possibility of it leading to tobacco use and the SA国际影视传媒渉ealth risks linked to chemicals found in vape products.SA国际影视传媒�
Concerns about young people vaping arenSA国际影视传媒檛 new. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e fuelled calls for tougher advertising and sale regulations well before the recent outbreak of illnesses and deaths.
Williams said the products are meant for adults, and that VapouRevolution, as prescribed by law, doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 condone underage vaping.
Misleading headlines, he said, are hurting small-scale vape shops SA国际影视传媒� heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen a dip in sales thatSA国际影视传媒檚 being SA国际影视传媒渇elt across CanadaSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� while doing a disservice to ex-smokers who have seen positive health results after making the switch to vaping.
People will go back to smoking amid health concerns tied to vaping, said Williams.
A former two-pack-a-day smoker, Williams said his life changed for the better when he traded in his cigarettes for e-cigarettes. His story, Williams said, is one thatSA国际影视传媒檚 shared by thousands of people who dropped their smoking habits after picking up a vaping device.
