Even though the use of electronic cigarettes has grown “exponentially” over the last few years, the Sudbury and District Health Unit advises people against using them.
Francine Brunet-Fechner, a public health nurse with the health unit, said not enough is known about the effect the devices might have on the body.
“At this point in time, presently, if a client came to us in the clinic, it is not something that we would encourage them to use,” she said.
“We would support that they use the known, safe products like nicotine replacement therapies and the supportive counselling to help them in their progress.”
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are cylindrical devices made out of stainless steel or plastic that mimic real cigarettes in terms of its appearance and use.
However, unlike conventional cigarettes, they don't contain tobacco. Users instead inhale vapour. Depending on what the user wants, they can purchase cartridges for the device that contain nicotine or various flavours.
Those who use e-cigarettes refer to themselves as “vapers.”
“The problem is there are no controls on the product, so we don't really know what's in them, and we don't know if they're safe,” Brunet-Fechner said.
“It may say there's no nicotine in (e-cigarette cartridges), but in some products that have been tested there have been high levels of nicotine found within them.”
She said she's also concerned that because the devices, in some cases, look like real cigarettes, it is “normalizing” cigarette use. Candy-flavoured e-cigarette cartridges may also be attractive to youth, Brunet-Fechner said.
As well, there also isn't enough known about the impact the vapour from e-cigarettes might have on others, so she advises workplaces and other public venues against allowing the devices.
In an email statement, Health Canada said because the safety, quality and efficacy of these products remains uncertain, it continues to advise Canadians not to use e-cigarettes, as they may pose health risks.
It also said e-cigarettes containing nicotine or that have health claims fall within the scope of the Food and Drugs Act, and require a market authorization by Health Canada prior to being imported, advertised or sold.
To date, Health Canada has not authorized stores to sell e-cigarette cartridges containing nicotine.
“No electronic cigarettes with nicotine or health claims have been authorized by Health Canada,” the statement from the health agency said.
However, e-cigarette products that do not fall within the Food and Drugs Act may be sold in the country.
“If there is no nicotine in them, and if they do not make any health claims, then they can be legally sold in Canada,” Brunet-Fechner explained.
The Canadian Lung Association put out a statement in January warning against the devices. However, a spokesperson for the organization appeared to have changed that stance during an April interview with the Globe and Mail.
“I think we owe it to the five million Canadians who are addicted to tobacco products,” said Jennifer Miller, vice-president of health promotion with the Lung Association. “If there’s a product out there that may have some merit to bring down those numbers, we have to look at it.”
When Northern Life asked about e-cigarette use on its Facebook page, several people said they or loved ones have successfully used the device to either quit smoking or reduce how much tobacco they use.
“My husband has successfully quit for a year now using them,” Cherie Cranley-Van De Kraats said. “In the past 10 years, he used everything on the market to quit. None of them worked.”
Tina Rowe, who is a cab driver, said she uses e-cigarettes when she's driving. “This product works great in combination with the patch,” she said.
After putting up the Facebook post, Northern Life was also contacted by several members of e-cigarette advocacy groups.
Bancroft, Ont. resident Melody Chard-Schonski is a member of Canadians Advocating for Vapers' Rights, a group comprised of both those who use e-cigarettes and manufacturers of the devices.
When she first tried using an e-cigarette about four years ago, she'd been smoking for 40 years, and had tried everything from nicotine replacement patches to acupuncture to quit.
Chard-Schonski said she hasn't used tobacco since, something she thinks is remarkable given that she used to smoke a pack-and-a-half to two packs of cigarettes per day.
The 55-year-old said she started out with a “medium” level of nicotine in her e-cigarette cartridges, but has since graduated to a lower level of nicotine.
Chard-Schonski said her health has improved dramatically, and she's shed her smokers' cough.
She said she doesn't agree with Health Canada and other health authorities discouraging people from using the product, as she thinks it has the ability to save people's lives.
“It's criminal to me that they're doing what they're doing,” she said.
As for claims that there hasn't been enough research done on e-cigarettes, Chard-Schonski said there have been plenty of studies, but Health Canada is choosing to ignore them.
Matthew Stanko, communications director with Canadians Advocating Vapers' Rights, contends e-cigarette cartridges containing nicotine are not illegal in the country.
He said Health Canada only has an “advisory” out against the product, and besides, nicotine itself can be legally sold in Canada.
“If it were illegal, Health Canada would have the immediate means to immediately shut down online electronic cigarettes stores,” he said.
