Tobacco and cannabis vaping among youth: What are the risks? (Le vapotage de tabac et de cannabis chez les jeunes : quels sont les risques?)

A fact sheet by Nicholas Chadi, created in collaboration with the EdCan Network, July 9, 2020

First introduced as a less harmful alternative to cigarette smoking, vaping has now become increasingly popular among youth for a variety of reasons including low perceptions of risk, youth-friendly flavours and designs, easy access, low cost, and aggressive youth-directed marketing.

Results from the 2018-2019 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey found that 34% of students in grades 7-12 had tried a vaping product. – and this percentage is likely even higher today. […]

Although only some students who try vaping will develop an addiction, many will move on to using vaping devices on a regular basis. The long-term effects of frequent vaping remain largely unknown, however vaping is far from harmless – especially for youth, who are more vulnerable to experiencing the negative health impacts vaping can have.

Access the English and French versions of the Fact Sheet explaining the 5 main risks associated with youth vaping.