Friends,

The Vapour Trail has been in business for over 5 years dedicated to ensuring that "you" (our adult clientele) have access to regulated, premium harm reduction vape products.  At the same time we have taken very seriously our responsibility to protect youth by not allowing them access to our stores. Last week the Government of Nova Scotia announced a ban on liquid flavours effective April 1, 2020.  This rash decision will have very negative consequences for the thousands of smokers and reformed smokers in desperate need of an effective harm reduction option. This policy, which will be ineffective in addressing youth uptake, has not taken into account the tens of thousands of Nova Scotians that rely on regulated vapour products to quit smoking and improve their health.  

So what can you do?  We desperately need the government to hear from you.  We need the thousands of adult Nova Scotians to tell the government that liquid flavours is your pathway to quit smoking.  Your voice matters, together we can stand up for the rights of every Nova Scotian who is at risk of returning to combustible tobacco.  

 To make your voice heard please take one or more of the following actions.  The more actions we take the better:

1. Contact the NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH MINISTER’S OFFICE TODAY: 

               

Randy Delorey’s constituency office number is: 902-870-5899 and email is: office@antigonishmla.ca

And/or call the Department of Health and Wellness Office: 902-424-5818 or email the Minister of Health at: Health.Minister@novascotia.ca

 

Messages:

• I am calling/emailing today to express my concerns around the government’s announcement that they will impose a ban on vaping flavours
• (Customers should speak to your personal experience) As a smoker for ___ years I was able to quit because vaping flavours provided an alternative that worked for me.  This ban will force me to the black market or back to cigarettes.
• (Employees should speak to their customer knowledge) This decision will drive many of our customers back to using combustible tobacco.
• If the governments wants to target youth vaping there are other more effective steps they could have taken – Get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine level products and gets them addicted. Close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults. 
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!

 

1. Contact the caucus offices and party leaders:

 

Liberal Party of NS

Phone: (902) 429-1993

Email: office@liberal.ns.ca

Leader Stephen McNeil:  PREMIER@novascotia.ca

 

PC Caucus Office:

Phone: 902-424-2731

               Email: pcmlas@gov.ns.ca

                Leader Tim Houston: pictoueastamanda@gmail.com 

 

NDP Caucus Office:

               Phone: 902-423-9217

               Email: feedback@nsndp.ca

                Leader Gary Burrill: garyburrillmla@gmail.com

 

                Messages:

• I am calling/emailing today to express my concerns around the government’s announcement that they will impose a ban on vaping flavours
• (Customers should speak to your personal experience) As a smoker for ___ years I was able to quit because vaping flavours provided an alternative that worked for me.  This ban will force me to the black market or back to cigarettes.
• (Employees should speak to their customer knowledge) This decision will drive many of our customers back to using combustible tobacco.
• If the governments wants to target youth vaping there are other more effective steps they could have taken – Get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine level products and gets them addicted. Close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults.
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!
• Please protect my right as an adult to vape safely.  

 

1. CONTACT YOUR MLA.  Call or email their constituency office to let them know how you feel about the action they are taking against adults in this province who vape. 

Find your MLA constituency office phone number and email address by using this link:  https://nslegislature.ca/members/profiles/contact

 

                Messages:

• I am calling/emailing today to express my concerns around the government’s announcement that they will impose a ban on vaping flavours
• (Customers should speak to your personal experience) As a smoker for ___ years I was able to quit smoking because vaping flavours provided an alternative that worked for me.  This ban will force me to the black market or back to cigarettes.
• (Employees should speak to their customer knowledge) This decision will drive many of our customers back to using combustible tobacco.
• If the governments wants to target youth vaping there are better steps that can be taken – Get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine level products and gets them addicted. Close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults.
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!
• Please protect my right as an adult to vape safely.  

 

4)      Social Media engagement. 

• Please add your comments to any media stories on CBC, the Chronicle Herald, The Cape Breton Post and/or your local newspaper website in the comments sections.  You can also post comments to media stories as they are posted on Facebook and twitter.  
• Create your own posts on Facebook and Twitter on this issue using the following two hashtags: #NSPOLI, #IVAPEIVOTE. 

Messages:

• (Customers should speak to your personal experience). As a smoker for ___ years I was able to quit because vaping flavours provided an alternative that worked for me.  This ban will force me to the black market or back to cigarettes.   I’m an adult, why is the government making a decision that targets adults?  There are other ways to keep these products away from youth.
• (Employees should speak to their customer knowledge) I know (hundreds/thousands) of former smokers who quit with the help of vaping flavours.  The government ban will drive many of our customers back to using combustible tobacco.  Why is the government doing this to our customers?  They are adults. There are other ways to keep these products away from youth.
• If the governments wants to target youth vaping there are better ways to do that.   Get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine products and gets them addicted. Close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults.
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!

 

1. Post your comments on the Lung Association of Nova Scotia Facebook page and the Cancer Society Nova Scotia.  These two stakeholders advocated for this policy.  They need to hear about your experience with flavours as a pathway to quit smoking. 

Lung Association of Nova Scotia:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LungNS/

Twitter: twitter.com/NSlung 

 

 

Cancer Society Nova Scotia

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/CancerSocietyNS/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cancersocietyNS

Messages: 

• I thought you wanted me to quit smoking. 
• Taking away my access to adult flavours will do nothing to help smokers quit and will send many of us back to smoking.
• If you want to target youth vaping there are better ways to do that.  Ask the government to get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Ask the government to limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine level products that gets them addicted.  Ask the government to close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.   
• Young people aren’t vaping for the flavours, they are vaping for the nicotine hit. There are over 8000 flavour profiles worldwide. Other places don’t have a youth problem. Any flavours that appear to be attractive to youth are already banned by the federal government.  The issue for youth is the easy access through convenience stores and gas stations and the “buzz” they are getting from high nicotine level devices owned by big tobacco companies.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults.
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!  I don’t think this is what you want. 

 

1. Call into your local radio shows when they have a guest disusing the ban or during their open hours.  Or write a letter to the editor in your local paper.  Voice your opinion.

Messages:

• (Customers should speak to your personal experience). As a smoker for ___ years I was able to quit because vaping flavours provided an alternative that worked for me for me.  This ban will force me to the black market or back to cigarettes.   I’m an adult, why are you advocating for bans that targets adults?  There are other ways to keep these products away from youth.
• (Employees should speak to their customer knowledge) I know (hundreds/thousands) of former smokers who quit with the help of vaping flavours.  The government ban will drive many of our customers back to using combustible tobacco.  Why are you advocating for this?  Our customers are adults. There are other ways to keep these products away from youth.
• If the governments wants to target youth vaping there are better ways to do that.   Get these products out of convenient stores and gas stations – that is where the youth are getting them.  Limit nicotine levels to 20mil/mg, this would take away the “buzz” that attracts kids to vaping the high nicotine level products that gets them addicted. Close our borders so that unapproved and untested products are not available to youth or adults.   
• Young people aren’t vaping for the flavours, they are vaping for the nicotine hit. There are over 8000 flavour profiles worldwide. Other places don’t have a youth problem. Any flavours that appear to be attractive to youth are already banned by the Federal government.  This issue for youth is the easy access through convenience stores and gas stations and the “buzz” they are getting from high nicotine level devices owned by big tobacco companies.  Let’s take some steps to address the youth vaping problem, not punish responsible adults.
• All this ban is going to do is drive youth and adults to the black market.  Someone is going to get hurt!

 

Please always remember to be respectful and courteous in your messaging.  We are all in agreement that youth uptake is a problem and there are actions to take but banning flavours targets adults and will send them back to smoking nicotine.