World Vape Day - A Day of Mixed Emotions
Every May 30th, across the globe. Those who use flavoured nicotine vapes as a means to quit smoking and remain smoke-free. Face more & more hurdles to accessing these life-saving products.
As we reach another year, we celebrate May 30th as World Vape Day. This year marks the 15th anniversary of this remarkable movement. Average adult consumers from across the globe who have used flavoured nicotine vapes to escape the deadly harms of cigarette smoking. Informed adults who have read the evidence and made a conscious choice to improve their own lives.
Yet, every year, more and more restrictions are placed on these vastly less risky nicotine alternatives. Everything from outright prohibition, flavour restrictions, or outrageous taxation. It seems the world is hell-bent on having us return to smoking. As very often, that’s what happens in a prohibition-focused world. Adults are forced to obtain these harm reduction products from an ever-increasing black market or are forced back to smoking.
Mixed Emotions on this day:
On June 4, 2014, after 36 years of smoking and numerous quit attempts with approved methods. I tried a nicotine vaping product, and it took me 3 weeks to fully switch over. It was switching to a flavoured nicotine vape product that helped me switch over fully. That was almost 12 years ago. Back in 2014, obtaining vaping supplies was a ton more cost-effective and a lot easier. I am so glad I switched back then. But my heart goes out to the millions of Canadian adults who are still smoking. People who believe the myths and fear-mongering stories put out by various NGOs and so-called public health authorities about vaping products.
In Canada, it really depends on the province or territory you live in. Ever since the “Tobacco and Vaping Products Act” was enacted in Canada in 2018, access has not improved; if anything, it’s gotten far worse. Regulation by regulation, it has become vastly less helpful. Many provinces have enacted flavour restrictions, leaving only tobacco or menthol-flavoured vapes on the market. Then, there is also the outrageous taxation placed on nicotine vapes. A 224% price increase on the price due to the tax for vaping products with nicotine. Thanks, primarily to the Government of Canada, which allowed provinces that wished to, to double the tax. So far, many Canadian provinces have enacted this “double tax.”
And all I can think of is how many adults have remained trapped in cigarette smoking due to these restrictions. How many adults who may have switched to these vastly less risky, harm reduction products would have otherwise switched if they had told the truth and been allowed to make a conscious choice? Every year, almost 46,000 Canadian families say their last good-bye to loved ones. Saying goodbye to loved ones who could not quit smoking. By allowing cigarettes to remain dominant in the market, and denying people the right to access safer nicotine (smoke-free) (tobacco-free) alternatives. When did we lose the focus on helping people quit smoking? Why are we denying adults access to safer nicotine alternatives? Is maintaining smoking, or rather the taxes generated by smoking, more important than people’s lives? The goal post seems to have switched again. No longer content with helping people quit smoking. Now the focus has switched to pushing for a “nicotine-free” world. This is one of the reasons why I have mixed emotions on this day. On a day that is filled with “celebration,” for those millions across the globe who have managed to quit smoking, thanks to innovative nicotine products (vaping). One can’t help but feel helpless and doubtful. Across the globe, more and more countries are enforcing restrictive regulations or outright prohibitions on these INP [Innovative nicotine products]. Products that do not contain tobacco, just nicotine delivered in vastly safer ways. Products that do not involve combustion. Products that help adults quit smoking or remain smoke-free, cigarette-free, are being denied on a global scale.
Just this past week, on May 20, 2026, the Canadian Minister of Health issued this statement.
“Our government is committed to helping people quit smoking and vaping, and keeping tobacco and vaping products out of the hands of youth. .....”
The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health
Image creator: Robert Innes
Again, one has to ask, why has the goal post shifted towards a “nicotine-free” society? What happened to focusing on the product that still kills nearly 46,000 Canadians a year? (cigarette smoking). While most consumer volunteer advocates like myself agree that no youth should start smoking or vaping. It is imperative to ensure that pragmatic regulations focus on age enforcement and education to help steer youth away from nicotine products. While still allowing adults to access these products. By allowing adults to make an informed choice, informing them of the relative risk of vaping compared to continued smoking. But, for myself and the nearly 2 million Canadian adults who switched from smoking deadly cigarettes and use innovative nicotine products (vapes) to remain smoke-free and cigarette-free. I take objection to this statement. There is no justification for forcing people who vape as a means to remain smoke-free to be vape-free as well. It’s like saying “You quit the wrong way!” Or you are not capable of making an informed choice. Despite Health Canada’s own website stating that Health Canada advises that while vaping is not harmless, it is significantly less harmful than smoking. If you are an adult who already smokes and has not succeeded with authorized cessation aids, switching completely to vaping reduces your exposure to toxic chemicals. Link For millions like myself, vaping is what helped us quit smoking; it’s what keeps us away from cigarettes. It’s what helps us avoid a relapse. Flavours play a key role in avoiding relapse.
The Canadian government’s restricted policies on vaping products have not helped adults quit smoking. Restricting Canadian regulated vaping products through various draconian policies (flavour bans) and high taxation. Has made cigarettes more obtainable, more affordable, and more acceptable. Most people now wrongly believe that vaping is equally as dangerous as continued smoking. Messages like this from the Canadian Health Minister, Majorie Michel, are not helping. Messages like that tell the public that vaping is just as bad as smoking. Instead of helping vulnerable people who smoke cigarettes by encouraging them to switch to vaping, if they cannot quit smoking. The Minister of Health is now insisting that unless you stop all nicotine use, you have not made the right choice. Unless you are completely nicotine-free, you are still viewed as an “undesirable” by society. This type of statement deeply saddens me.
In Canada, we are constantly facing threats of flavour bans. With various government-funded NGOs perpetually pushing for a nationwide flavour ban. This is adding undue and unwarranted stress on the millions of Canadian adults who consciously made an informed choice and decided to improve their own health by switching to vaping to obtain a smoke-free lifestyle. I, along with thousands of others, are showcased by the success stories at THR Global.
THR Global Success Stories: If you have used vaping or other THR products to quit smoking, share your story.
We have seen countless health benefits from switching to vapes. Not only has our own health improved, but the health and overall well-being of family members of loved ones who made the switch have also seen the benefits.
Which further adds to my mixed emotions on this day, which is meant as a “celebration” day. Why on earth would the Health Minister of Canada not want to see fewer adults smoking? Considering that not only does the health and well-being of the person who used to smoke improve by switching to vaping, but their families and those around them improve too.
Things that Help Me to Focus on Hope:
If I had one hope for today, it would be that society and those in the academic world would finally acknowledge that nicotine vapes are just a tool to help those who struggle to quit smoking. To acknowledge that nicotine alone is not linked to smoking-related diseases, that it is the inhalation of cigarette smoke that causes all those harms. Yes, some academics have advocated for fair and pragmatic regulations with regard to innovative nicotine products. Focusing on the primary goal post - helping adults quit smoking. Understanding that INP (Innovative Nicotine Products) are helping people quit smoking and that they are reducing smoking rates on a global scale.
Another thing that gives me hope is that vaping has been around for 20 years. Based on the ongoing evidence, it remains the most productive and successful way to quit smoking. It is still viewed by people who have made the switch. As a lifeline. That angel of innovation that helped them to finally say goodbye to decades of smoking for life. A product that has helped them remain smoke-free.
I also view this day with great pride. It’s about how a community of everyday adults are helping each other quit smoking. Not through coercion or punishment. But through one-on-one conversations, telling each other how their lives and overall health have improved by switching to vaping. Through honest conversations done with compassion and empathy, and without stigmatising people. By showcasing the mounting evidence that vaping has helped millions of adults across the globe quit smoking. Those who have switched to vaping also see vast health improvements.
Moments of Empowerment:
I also love how this THR (tobacco harm reduction) community empowers each other, every single day. Today is a day we get #Louder on X (Twitter). A day we advocate for each other. A day we set out to educate the public. A day we offer hope to those who struggle to quit smoking by offering viable, pragmatic choices. A day we speak up against the vast misinformation put out by various health organisations, including the WHO, and counter the myths. Just a few days ago, a prominent THR consumer volunteer advocate in Australia had his X (Twitter) account suspended. This unique, caring human being who speaks up for pragmatic solutions in Australia. Australia is one of the most hostile places in the world when it comes to its de facto ban on vapes and extremely high taxation on cigarettes. Who often blogs about the consequences of Australia’s hostile view of all things, nicotine. This beautiful, well-articulated writer and blogger, who often writes long X posts, which are designed to inform and counter myths about vaping and other innovative nicotine products. Has wrongfully had his account on X suspended.
It was not long after he had written a blog post about a flawed study. We, as a community, wonder if this suspension has something to do with that. Or a community note put on an X post.
. His posts have never violated any of the X rules, such as spam or harassment. His X posts are just informative, evidence-based and polite. So, not only is today a day of celebration. It is a day to speak up for injustices that need correcting. I know this person, got quite emotional when he heard back about how the community was behind him. How this THR community had his back!♥ How this THR community is advocating to have his X account restored. And we will keep it up until he has had this wrongful suspension undone. We will keep being #Louder until his X account is restored. This is one of many things I love about this community. This community of caring adults from across the globe.
Until next time. In the words of Skip Murray. #BeKind. To remind all those who advocate for causes that compassion goes a long way. This blog is dedicated to Marion Burt (one of the most outspoken Canadian volunteer consumer advocates I know), Alan Gore, and countless other volunteer advocates across the globe. Thank you for all you do ♥
Disclaimer:
* I am not affiliated with any vaping industry or tobacco industry, past or present. I receive no financial compensation or perks for the weekly PDF article summaries I compile or for this blog. I simply collect articles for THR supporters and adult consumers. I’m just a volunteer, THR-enthusiastic supporter and consumer who believes people have the right to be informed about articles or policies related to THR within various global regions. I’m a human being who believes in personal choices that benefit one’s health and life. I am a volunteer supporter of harm reduction approaches. I speak up for other causes too, that relate to human rights and dignity.