While most Canadians agree with the federal regulations that have been in place since 2018, support is not as strong this year.
Vancouver, BC [April 22, 2022] – The proportion of Canadians who have used an electronic cigarette or e-cigarette has increased in the past two years, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 17% of Canadians say they have vaped in the past 12 months, up seven points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in September 2020.
Vaping remains more popular among Canadians aged 18-to-34 (26%) than among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (18%) and aged 55 and over (7%).
On a regional basis, British Columbia is at the top of the list when it comes to vaping (21%), followed by Atlantic Canada (18%), Quebec (also 18%), Ontario (16%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (15%) and Alberta (12%).
Current regulations related to vaping were implemented in May 2018, after Bill S-5—an overhaul of the Tobacco Act—was approved by the House of Commons and the Senate.
Across the country, more than four-in-five Canadians (82%, -4) agree with prohibiting the sale of vaping products to minors.
Almost two thirds of Canadians are also in favour of two other current measures: restricting any reference to e-cigarettes as healthier than standard tobacco products (65%, -12) and restricting the use of testimonials and “lifestyle” advertising for vaping products (64%, -11).
A majority of Canadians (58%, -11) agree with banning certain flavours of vaping products, such as cannabis and “confectionery.”
“The rise in vaping across Canada is accompanied by a drop in support for some of the measures introduced by the federal government in 2018,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “There are double-digit drops in the level of agreement with advertising and flavouring guidelines.”
More than four-in-five Canadians (82%, -4) think vaping products that contain nicotine should display a warning, similar to the one used for tobacco products, while just over seven-in-ten (71%, -8) would ban the use of e-cigarettes in public places where smoking is currently prohibited.
Half of Canadians (50%, -6) would not consider dating a person who vapes—including 52% of men, 59% of Canadians aged 55 and over and 55% of Ontarians.
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from April 16 to April 18, 2022, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca