Government of New Brunswick

Vaping is not without risk, and the potential long-term effects of vaping remain unknown. Non-smokers, people who are pregnant and young people should not vape.

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling an aerosol produced by a vaping product, such as an electronic cigarette. Vaping doesn’t require burning like cigarette smoking. The device heats a liquid into a vapour, which then turns into aerosol. This vapour is often flavoured and can contain nicotine.

Even though vaping is less harmful than smoking, there are still consequences for you to consider. Vaping can expose you to chemicals that could harm your health.

Vaping devices are usually battery-powered. They may come with removable parts. Vaping products have many names, including:

  • mods
  • vapes
  • sub-ohms
  • vape pens
  • e-hookahs
  • tank systems
  • electronic cigarettes / e-cigarettes
  • electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)

They may also be known by various brand names. To learn more on the mechanics of vaping watch the following video:

Potential illnesses associated with vaping

The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health is actively monitoring the “vape lung” epidemic currently happening in the US  and what that could mean for New Brunswickers, in particular our youth.

Given the US outbreak and potential severity of risks, we continue to work with Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada who are in close contact with the US to better understand the investigation and root causes of the illnesses.

What New Brunswick is Doing:

  • Communicating with physicians reminding them to report any cases of severe or atypical respiratory illnesses to Public Health.
  • Participating on a national work group assisting with the work which is needed to further support Canadian action in monitoring for cases here in Canada.
  • Investigating possible cases. Confirmed or probable cases will be determined based on the national case definition, which was adapted for the Canadian context from the criteria set out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The long-term effects of vaping are still unknown. For the most up-to-date information of the situation in Canada, please see: Information Update - Health Canada warns of potential risk of pulmonary illness associated with vaping products

What you should do

If you are concerned about the health risks related to vaping, consider not using vaping products. If you use vaping products, avoid any products from illegal or unregulated sources including any products that contain THC. Products obtained from the illegal market are not subject to any controls or oversight with respect to safety or quality.

Do not modify vaping products or add any substances to these products that are not intended by the manufacturer.

Youth and adults currently vaping nicotine should NOT switch to smoking tobacco products. Anyone living in New Brunswick can call Smoke-Free NB at 1-866-366-3667 for free one-on-one advice.

If you use vaping products, or have used vaping products in the past, monitor yourself for symptoms of pulmonary illness (e.g., cough, shortness of breath, chest pain) and promptly seek medical attention if you have concerns about your health. Be sure to indicate to your health care professional that you currently vape, or have in the past, and what you were vaping.

Report any adverse reactions or incidents related to vaping products to Health Canada.

Youth and Vaping

The use of e-cigarettes (vaping) has become an increasing concern. According to 2017 national survey data, 16.7% of New Brunswick youth aged 15-19 reported trying e-cigarettes.

  • Vaping can increase your exposure to harmful chemicals.
  • Vaping can lead to nicotine addiction.
  • Young people are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of nicotine, especially addiction. Exposure to nicotine during adolescence can result in decreased impulse control as well as cognitive and behavioral problems.
  • Emerging evidence shows that youth who had used e-cigarettes were twice as likely to try smoking and almost twice as likely to be daily smokers by the following year.

Learn more on how to talk to your youth about the health risk of vaping

Cannabis vaping

Cannabis can be consumed in different ways, including by vaporizing and vaping (breathing in dried cannabis or liquid cannabis vapors through a vaporizer or vaping device). Illegal cannabis, including cannabis vaping products that are sold on the illegal market, are not quality-controlled and may be contaminated.