Waterloo dad calls for vaping ban after son got hooked at age 14

A Waterloo father is calling for change after he says his son got hooked on vaping at age 14.

Amir Zeidan says that when his son first started vaping three years ago, the product was still new.

Zeidan says it seemed safe, but since then, he says his son has become addicted. He also has a cough that keeps him up at night.

Zeidan doesn't know if vaping caused his son's cough, but he says he's been following research that has emerged about the health risks associated with vaping. Now, he wonders why the products weren't more closely watched when they first came on the market.

"How come nobody noticed this from the beginning?" Zeidan said.

Higher nicotine levels 

Kids have been experimenting with vapes for the last decade, but University of Waterloo professor David Hammond says it's only in the last two years that brands have ramped up the level of nicotine in their products.

"It seems as if that's caused the shift towards much more regular vaping, to the extent that the nicotine market has increased among kids for the first time in decades," said Hammond, who researches vaping. 

In the United States, there have been nearly 50 deaths from a respiratory illness tied to vaping as well as over 2,000 hospitalizations.

In Canada, there were more than a dozen cases of vaping-associated lung illness reported to the Public Health Agency as of Dec. 10. 

Vaping is still considered safer than smoking combustible cigarettes, Hammond said, but he added, "You are vaping chemicals from a manufactured product and under no circumstances is that a good thing."

How much is happening

Across Canada, about a quarter of young people between the ages of 15 and 19 have tried vaping, according to national data from Statistics Canada.

Locally, tracking the problem is murkier.

In 2019, tobacco enforcement officers from the region received nine complaints about vendors selling vape products to youth under 19, and seven charges were laid.

Six of those were at a single specialty vape shop in Waterloo, and people who identified themselves as employees of the establishment say those responsible have since been let go. 

Schools don't track vaping suspensions 

Neither the Waterloo District Catholic School Board nor the Waterloo Region District School Board tracks vaping suspensions.

Both boards do submit a form to the region that tracks when students are caught vaping or smoking on school property. Between October 2018 and October 2019, there were two such form submissions. In October of this year, the form moved online, and since then, there have been 15.

CBC spoke to teenagers outside Cameron Heights Collegiate in Kitchener, who said their peers are savvy enough to leave school property before vaping.

"Down over to the bus stop is where people normally do it," said Jaden Frankenfield, age 18.

"They don't do it here, because we're near school property," echoed Arvin Akbari, 16, who said he doesn't vape. "Right there is the smoke pit, it's empty right now but soon it's gonna be a bunch of kids."

Marshall Ristic, 16, said he abstains from vaping because of concern about the health risks, but that many of his friends still vape.  

"They started out thinking it was a good alternative to cigarettes, and now, they just kind of are addicted to that instead," he said.

Frankenfield says she's watched with unease as more information is revealed about the health risks of vaping.

Both the WCDSB and the WRDSB say they have brought in education materials to teach students about the risks of vaping and discourage them from trying it.

Capping nicotine, banning flavours

Beginning in the New Year, the province says it will no longer allow convenience stores and gas stations to advertise vaping products.

According to Health Minister Christine Elliott, the idea is to prevent young people from being exposed to and influenced by advertisements.

Hammond says that's a good start but that regulators should also consider whether vape products should be sold in these stores at all.

He also suggests that capping nicotine levels and banning fruity, candy-like flavours could discourage new users from getting hooked.

Amir Zeidan agrees, and says Canada could follow the lead of countries such as India and ban vape products altogether.