Canadian Province Of Newfoundland & Labrador Joins Quebec In Ban On Cannabis Vaping

TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2019) The Canadian province of Newfoundland & Labrador banned the sale of cannabis vaping products due to concerns over public health, Minister of Health and Communities Services John Haggie said in a statement.

The province joins Quebec which effectively banned the products last month. The latest move comes just before new marijuana-based derivatives are slated to hit the market later in December.

"There is a significant issue with vaping in our province. Given the health concerns already identified about cannabis vape products, not allowing the introduction of these products is a prudent measure to protect the health of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians," Haggie said on Wednesday.

Last month, Quebec's monopoly cannabis retailer announced that it would halt the sale of vaping products on January 1. The ban came after Quebec's health director issued a public health warning, Societe quebecoise du cannabis (SQDC) spokesman Fabrice Giguere said in a statement quoted by Marijuana business Daily on November 21.

Health Canada reported that there are eleven confirmed or probable cases of severe lung illness related to vaping. There are no confirmed or probable cases of severe lung illness in Newfoundland and Labrador, the statement said.

Last month, a teenager from Ontario, Canada was put on life support after he developed lung disease as a result of prolonged e-cigarette use, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported.

While the teen's infection marked one of the first high-profile cases of vaping-related illnesses in Canada, the issue is raising major concerns in the United States, where the number of deaths caused by vaping-related respiratory illnesses has climbed to 42, and nearly 2,200 cases of lung injuries have been reported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a notice last month.