Between 2017 and 2022, smoking rates in Canada fell by over four percentage points while vaping increased by three, according to Statistics Canada. About one million Canadians changed how they use nicotine during these four years. Daily smoking among teenagers has dropped to less than one percent. This is a significant milestone. It is likely that smoking rates have fallen even more since 2022. Smokers now outnumber vapers by less than two to one, and this difference is getting smaller.
Much of this change is due to the private sector offering safer nicotine products. Over a thousand small vape shops and many e-juice producers have responded to public demand. They provide nicotine in forms that do not involve burning tobacco. This shift has contributed to one of the biggest health improvements in recent years in Canada.
Major tobacco companies have also entered this market. They offer vaping devices, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. Some early vape brands had problems, but newer products like VUSE, STLTH, and VEEV are available in many gas stations and convenience stores. Heat-not-burn products like IQOS have been very successful internationally. In some European cities, IQOS accounts for about one-third of the nicotine market. In Japan, its arrival matched a 50 percent drop in cigarette sales over eight years.
The decrease in smoking is expected to lower tobacco-related deaths by thousands each year. Health experts say switching to vaping and heated products helps reduce harm, although vaping is not completely risk-free. This shift highlights how consumer choice for safer options can improve public health. It also raises questions about regulations and health messages. As more Canadians move away from smoking, finding the right balance in policy will be important.
