**** FINANCE/TREASURY BOARD Media Release
Stronger Regulations to Protect Youth from Harms of Vaping
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Nova Scotia is taking action to protect youth and decrease youth vaping by strengthening regulations on the sale of vaping products. That is why Nova Scotia will be the first province in Atlantic Canada to introduce a tax on vaping products and among the first in the country to require sales permits.
“We need to do everything we can to make sure vaping products do not appeal to younger Nova Scotians, particularly in light of concerning health consequences,” says Karen Casey, Minister of Finance and Treasury Board. “We have been concerned about growing vaping rates among our youth and we are responding to keep our youth safe. We continue to be a leader in this area.”
The regulatory process to introduce sales permits was delayed due to COVID-19. Not all permits will be in place July 1, as expected. The province will use this time to continue to inform and educate retailers and wholesalers and is targeting Aug. 1 for permits to be in place.
The Vaping Products Tax will begin Sept.15. The changes were first announced as part of Budget 2020-21.
The province has also banned the sale of flavoured vape products and passed legislation to assume regulatory authority over the nicotine content of tobacco, e-cigarettes and other products, protecting youth from potentially hazardous nicotine levels.
Quotes:
“Vaping can cause direct harms, as well as lead youth to start smoking cigarettes. Pricing is an important part of our efforts to reduce vaping rates, as we know youth are particularly sensitive to the cost of these products. Nova Scotia has taken a comprehensive approach to address vaping, which includes controls on marketing and nicotine content, a ban on flavoured products and enforcement of sales to minors. Our goal is to prevent more Nova Scotians from taking up vaping. We also encourage Nova Scotians who currently vape or smoke to use proven cessation supports.”
– Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health
Quick Facts:
— retailers and wholesalers/manufacturers will be required to obtain a permit from Service Nova Scotia Internal Services by Aug. 1
— the permit fee is $124.60 for a three-year period for retailers and $124.60 annually for wholesalers/manufacturers
— vaping substances, with the exception of cannabis vaping substances already taxed under the Coordinated Cannabis Taxation Agreement, and tobacco products taxed under the Revenue Act, will be taxed at the rate of $0.50 per millilitre for liquids, $0.50 per gram for solids
— vaping devices will be taxed at a rate of 20 per cent of their suggested retail selling price
— Nova Scotians can get help quitting smoking and vaping by contacting Tobacco Free Nova Scotia at http://tobaccofree.novascotia.ca, calling 811 or speaking with their primary care provider or pharmacist
Additional Resources:
Businesses can find more information, bulletins and forms at: http://beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/vaping-products-tax-program
Information about the risks of vaping: http://novascotia.ca/vaping
Government of Canada: http://canada.ca/vaping
World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/e-cigarettes-how-risky-are-they
