CKNW: Consequences of banning flavours April 22 2019
“[It] would ban flavoured juice products which [are] highly attractive to kids — with kid-friendly flavouring like bubblegum and cotton candy, and so forth,” Stone said.
Stone said it’s mostly large tobacco companies that profit off sales of vape products. But the owner of a Vancouver-based vape shop disagrees.
Stacey White is the co-owner of Thunderbird Vapes. She said the bill will hurt her small business if it goes through, thanks to the fact that almost all the juice products sold at her store are “flavoured,” even the ones that have a slight glycerin flavour rather than a sweet candy taste.
“All of the liquids that we sell, except for, I’m guessing, less than two per cent, would be banned,” White said.
She said a ban on flavoured products will also mean many adults will find it harder to quit smoking cigarettes.
“People get really excited when they find out they actually enjoy this more than they did their cigarettes. That they can leave their cigarettes behind and be happy about it and not feel like they’re depriving themselves.”
Stone said he understands that small business owners might have concerns about that policy or others, but his priority, he said, is public health, and especially that of kids.