The Government of Saskatchewan Announces The Vapour Products Tax
Lung Sask applauds the Government of Saskatchewan for introducing the Vapour Products Tax (VPT) with a rate of 20 percent on the retail price of all vapour liquids, products and devices. Lung Sask has advocated for many years for this tax as research shows this is an important measure to help prevent youth and young adults from starting, and to help support those who already use, to quit.
Vaping is a top public health concern as statistics youth who vape are four times more likely to start smoking.
Studies have demonstrated that vaping product sales are responsive to price changes and retail price increases have shown an associated drop in sales. This evidence suggests that taxes on vaping products are expected to have a similar impact as tobacco taxes on consumption, particularly among youth.
Vaping product starter packs are available for as low as $10 making them affordable to youth. In Canada young people spend an average of about $13 per week to support vaping use on average of 6 days/week, 34 times/day. Companies have engaged in a price war, strategically vying for new and young consumers.
The government also announced All vendors of vapour products will be required to become licensed by August 31, 2021 with a VPT vendor’s licence. This will allow the province to know how much product is being sold in Saskatchewan, and who is selling these products.
Today we celebrate this big win for lung health in Saskatchewan!
Barrington-Trimis, Jessica L., et al. "E-Cigarette use and Subsequent Smoking Frequency among Adolescents." Pediatrics, vol. 142, no. 6, 2018, pp. e20180486.
Huang, J., Tauras, J., & Chaloupka, F.J. (2014). The impact of price and tobacco control policies on the demand for electronic nicotine delivery systems. Tobacco Control. 23: iii41-iii47. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051515.
Barrington-Trimis, Jessica L., et al. "E-Cigarette use and Subsequent Smoking Frequency among Adolescents." Pediatrics, vol. 142, no. 6, 2018, pp. e20180486.
Soneji, Samir S., et al. "Quantifying Population-Level Health Benefits and Harms of e-Cigarette use in the United States." PloS One, vol. 13, no. 3, 2018, pp. e0193328.
Barrington-Trimis, Jessica L., et al. "E-Cigarette use and Subsequent Smoking Frequency among Adolescents." Pediatrics, vol. 142, no. 6, 2018, pp. e20180486.
Soneji, Samir S., et al. "Quantifying Population-Level Health Benefits and Harms of e-Cigarette use in the United States." PloS One, vol. 13, no. 3, 2018, pp. e0193328.
Barrington-Trimis, Jessica L., et al. "E-Cigarette use and Subsequent Smoking Frequency among Adolescents." Pediatrics, vol. 142, no. 6, 2018, pp. e20180486.
