Status of Ecif legislation in Canada? I need to quit nicotine cold turkey or I lose my job

[Newff]

So I found out today that ecigs were banned on the oilsands worksite that I work at. Apparently the main safety guy done some research and said that they are illegal or banned in Canada so now there are no longer any ecigs allowed on site. There are also 3 camps here on site that hold about 2000 people. A lot of those people are starting to use ecigs and now they are not allowed.

I need to somehow get the real facts of what is legal or illegal here in Canada when it comes to Ecigs so I can maybe change their mind. Thanks for any info.

 

[Newff]

In Canada, as of March 2009, the import, sale, and advertising of electronic cigarettes containing nicotine are banned in Canada, while non-nicotine e-cigs are legal and may be sold and advertised. Health Canada advised Canadian consumers not to purchase or use any electronic smoking products, cited prohibition of electronic smoking products containing nicotine in the Food and Drugs Act; no market authorization has been granted for any electronic smoking product.<sup>[



What does the above bolded mean? Doesn't that mean that mean that it is prohibited to not only sell or import but even to use?</sup>

 

[ChellyNelly]

It's not illegal to import it, own it, use it, buy it, or anything else. Health Canada issued an advisory saying they haven't approved it and that's basically it.

 

[TotalTiffy]

It means that nicotine e-cigs are not allowed. E-cigarettes themselves are ok as long as none of their components contain nicotine.

 

[ChellyNelly]

Well, I should say that's IT. It's a ban from Health Canada but they have nothing to do with lawmaking is what I'm saying. Therefore it's not illegal. The police will not arrest you for having your e-cig or for vaping. They won't fine you either. Things can get turned away at the border if they contain nicotine but honestly, that happens seldomly.

 

[VapesAlot]

how would people know if your using nic or not? what i mean is if someone is using no nic its ok but if someone is using nic liquid in an unmarked bottle nobody can tell the diffrence. you can buy e-cigs at drug stores with no nic so i guess they must be legal

 

[Bigwave]

Ecigs aren't banned in Canada, just NIC liquids I believe. Tell your bosses that Ecigs can be bought at the local 7-11, they just don't have Nic in them.

How would anyone know what's in your PV liquid?

 

[Nikkita6]

HC issued a ban on the "import" and "advertised sale" of ecig products containing nicotine, but that's it. It is not illegal to own or use an e-cigarette.

Why don't you just go back to the main safety guy and explain the difference ... clarifying the point that e-cigs are not illegal. This really sucks in any event, and it sounds like mr. safety is over reacting and taking his job a little too seriously.

 

[VapesAlot]

are you allowed to smoke on site? i didnt think the safety guy can do something like that without banning both

 

[Newff]

Hey Justin..this is Lindsay lol

We are allowed to smoke in the designated smoking areas here that are fenced in. There are some areas of site that there is no smoking at all allowed though. The problem is the safety guy now thinks that ecigs have been banned or are illegal to even use. Also the safety guy is not someone I am just able to go and talk to about it but I have people I work with that will help relay the message if I show him the official documents showing that it is not illegal to use an ecig.

Hopefully I'm able to get through to them somehow..if not I have a choice to either quit cold turkey or go back to regular cigarettes and theres no way I am going back to smoking.

 

[Newff]

So it seems some of you guys are saying that e-liquid that contains nicotine is "banned". That is only to import or sale though right? There is nothing in writing stating that I cannot carry and use an ecig and e-liquid that contains nicotine?

 

[smokum]

I think you'll have better luck asking THEM to provide the document they are basing and making the decision on, rather than finding one that says they are not because it doesn't exist. At least that way you can retort their decision as unjust.

The 2009 HC document only states an advisory to consumers about the lack of testing/approval makes them unknown regarding their safety, and that because the devices are not 'approved' for marketing they cannot be sold by a business or imported since there is not acceptable (to them) 'approved' market classification.

There is NO ban in place, and it is not illegal for personal use.

Remember though..... if it boils down to they just don't want it, then they are within their rights to make that rule (wrong or not) only because it is their property and workplace.

 

[FisherPal]

Man, good luck, Newff! That really, REALLY sucks. It's a tough enough job up there without the extra stress of whether or not you can enjoy a good vape!

 

[kanadiankat]

You would do well to begin with the question:

Are nicotine patches and nicorettes forbidden to be used on site?

If not (and NOT it should be) - electronic cigarettes are similar to inhalers. they contain the exact same nicotine, though it is possible to use them without nicotine. the rest is just a battery and small atomizer - not terribly different from a small electronic flashlight.

As for a ban - there is no ban - never was.

Advertising and selling ecigs in Canada is not approved by health canada.

If you're not advertising or selling them - then there is no law or provision in place to prevent you from using them.

Also - health canada has not updated their site - but they have approved an ecig for sale in canada - it's available at drug stores and gas stations (Smoke NV).

Good luck.

 

[Anaconda]

I'm with Smokum. Ask them to prove that they are illegal. They are making an assumption that they are illegal. Some safety guy was probably talking about these new fangled e-cigs, that lots of workers are using, and some uneducate idiot said, "aren't they illegal? I saw it on the news a while back."

Now the Safety guy has got his panties in a bunch and bob's ur uncle.

Lord Tundrin' teach dat man a lesson, Newf... LOL

 

[Mr.Whitecloud]

I would ask your bosses what their ruling is not the safety guy.....if bosses say no it is there right....if its just the safety guy sounds like he may just have a burr in his .... or overly gung-ho about his or her job,I am glad my bosses don't mind they actually encourage it,6 on my shift use them and we don't need smoke breaks,productivity is up as well as our moral.I hope it works out for ya cheers

 

[Newff]

Thanks guys..I'll see what happens. As for the safety guy he is just not some safety officer working for a small contractor. He is the Safety Lead for the whole site and when goes to his big meetings and makes a decision he makes a decision it's policy and there is nothing my boss can do about it. Once it's policy and I get caught with an ecig then I'm fired.

I'm going to wait and see if an official email is sent out and what kind of info is provided with that email such as what his information source is that leads him to believe these are banned. I will then try my best to make them aware that they are not correct.

 

[Newff]

Yeah I'm assuming he just Googled it and found some innacurate info or misinterpreted the info he saw.

 

[Dusty_D]

Thanks guys..I'll see what happens.

I'm going to wait and see if an official email is sent out and what kind of info is provided with that email such as what his information source is that leads him to believe these are banned.

I will then try my best to make them aware that they are not correct.

Hurry up and wait is the worst possible thing you can do. You want to nip this in the bud, BEFORE the protocol is laid out in writing. Once they make it official, it will be that much harder to change that protocol.

There is no ban. There never was.

Take the fight to them and clarify it for them. Complaining about it later will not change anything.

My 2 cents.

 

[Switched]

One also has to remember where Newff is working - the oil sands. They have very strict rules wrt where folks can smoke. Albeit an electronic cigarette produces no smoke, it is still a possible source of ignition if things go wonky. That may be what they are looking at, and hence why the restricted smoking areas, where smoking is controlled.

If I am not mistaken the oil sands are 6 weeks on 6 weeks off correct? Vape while your down and patch up while you are up there. Not the best solution for the time being, but you get to keep your job, and that should be incentive enough to quit smoking IMHO.