The tobacco giant in Canada Imperial Tobacco is leading a secret campaign opposing the upcoming ban on flavors in vaping products in Quebec, which are particularly popular with minors.
It’s difficult to know who is behind the “Bye flavors” campaign, deployed in Quebec for several weeks. Both the posters that can be found in convenience stores and gas stations and the Byesaveurs website. This avoids mentioning who is at the origin.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Posters from the “Bye flavors” campaign have appeared in Quebec in recent weeks.
However, it is indeed the tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco which launched this campaign, we were able to confirm The Press. The company says it wants to ensure that “adult consumers who have chosen to vape are well informed of the new regulations and that they have the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction to their MP if they wish”. said Éric Gagnon, vice-president of legal and external affairs at Imperial Tobacco, by email.
On its website, the “Bye flavors” campaign presents a countdown in days and hours before the new Quebec regulations come into force, on October 31. The posters installed in many convenience stores also present a numerical count.
The website also offers a series of questions and answers. To the question “Is vaping bad for your health?” ”, the answer is in particular that “vaping products are less harmful than cigarettes” and that they can “help smokers quit smoking”.
Ban supported by Public Health
The ban on flavors in vaping products follows “the recommendations of the special intervention group on vaping composed of representatives of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Public Health, clinicians, “other government departments and agencies, public health directors and non-governmental organizations”, reminded The Press Antoine de la Durantaye, press officer in the office of the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé.
Vaping has also been on a “tremendous” rise among young Quebecers for 10 years, revealed the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec in October 2022.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Display of vaping products with different flavors
Nearly one in five adolescents now vapes, even though the sale of these products is prohibited to minors. And among these young people aged 15 to 17, 33% do it every day.
At Imperial Tobacco, we say we are concerned about the issues of vaping among minors. “However, this new regulation will do nothing to reduce vaping among young people since the black market will fill the void in terms of flavors,” believes Mr. Gagnon. This market will not be regulated or controlled. »
Not an advertising campaign, says Imperial Tobacco
According to Consumer Protection Act, it is prohibited for a merchant “to omit his identity and his status as a merchant in an advertising message, i.e. a message intended to promote a good, a service or an organization in Quebec,” indicated Charles Tanguay, relations with the media of the Consumer Protection Office. He was speaking generally, not commenting specifically on this Imperial Tobacco campaign.
Asked why the company did not identify itself in the “Bye Flavors” campaign, Imperial Tobacco responded that the posters displayed prominently near convenience store cash registers do not amount to an “advertising campaign”.
We therefore did not believe it necessary or important to display our identity in this information campaign, since this was not related to the message to be delivered.
Éric Gagnon, vice-president of legal and external affairs at Imperial Tobacco
Note that Imperial Tobacco markets Vuse vaping products, which offer a wide range of flavors, ranging from coffee-coconut to strawberry-kiwi.
Imperial Tobacco has also been registered as a lobbyist in Quebec since December 2022. Its approach aims in particular to “inform the Quebec government of the most recent available data related to vaping”.
In the office of the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, we have not commented on this particular campaign. “We are committed to taking action to better regulate vaping in Quebec,” however, specified Mr. de la Durantaye. “We aim to reduce the harmful and worrying effects of vaping in the population, and particularly among young people. »
Under the protection of the law
The spokesperson and co-director of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, Flory Doucas, describes Imperial Tobacco’s tactics to get its message across as “sneaky and veiled”.
She emphasizes that Imperial Tobacco placed itself under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (LACC) in 2019 after losing – with two other tobacco giants – a collective action bringing together nearly 100,000 Quebecers. The three companies were ordered to pay nearly $15 billion in damages.
This shocks Flory Doucas. These Quebecers received nothing.
It’s unimaginable [qu’Imperial Tobacco] do this when they say they don’t have the money to reimburse the Quebec victims.
Flory Doucas, from the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control
Under the CCAA, a trustee is responsible for monitoring Imperial Tobacco, which can continue its usual activities, such as organizing campaigns. The trustee of Imperial Tobacco – the company FTI Consulting – never responded to requests for The Press.
“ We act in accordance with all our obligations under the [LACC] and all court decisions, and this campaign is no exception,” Mr. Gagnon assured by email.
“In the current context where the government can take a critical look at how money is spent by tobacco companies, [cette campagne] is a symptom of the government’s lack of diligence in the process surrounding the CCAA, believes Mme Doucas. And because this process is completely inappropriate for resolving public health issues. »