Canadian governments hitting tobacco and vaping products with new tax increases
Ever since tobacco was introduced to Europeans in the mid-16th century, governments the world over have been taxing it, and puritans and physicians have been trying to outlaw it.
The delivery systems for nicotine have changed over the centuries, from snuff and pipes to cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco and, more recently, the modern e-cigarette, or vape.
Smoking has been declining for decades now, and vaping may now be accelerating the trend.
The number of cigarette smokers in Canada has dropped significantly since 1965: from about 50% to 15% of the population by 2017, according to the University of Waterloo.
While that decline is partly attributable to health concerns and anti-smoking campaigns that have led Canadians to kick the habit for good, or stopped them from taking it up in the first place, it may also be partly due to displacement, as more smokers switch to vaping.
Nelson Bennett – Business in Vancouver – 2021-05-25.