Vaping has become an “epidemic” according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Health Canada has identified many risks associated with vaping. The alarming increase in e-cigarette and vape use among youth in Alberta has united us. Stop Addicting Adolescents to Vaping and E-Cigarettes (SAAVE) is a group of high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, medical experts and health researchers who are concerned about youth vaping in Alberta.
We are a group of Calgary university students, high school students and doctors who are calling on the Alberta provincial government and the federal government for stricter regulation of vaping and e-cigarettes. SAAVE was co-founded by Seong Eon Ha, Elliott Reichardt, Asha Hollis, and Juliet Guichon in early 2019. SAAVE reinvigorated its advocacy efforts in 2024, concerned by the emergence of nicotine pouches.
In February 2024, SAAVE held a media event attended by multiple news outlets including City News, CTV News, and Global News Calgary. SAAVE members, physicians, and dentists advocated for stricter restrictions on vape and nicotine pouch sales. Specifically, SAAVE called for a ban on enticing flavours that attract youth, a ban on single-use vaping devices that make vapes affordable for youth and harm the environment, and a ban on selling nicotine pouches in convenience stores. Nicotine pouches are not currently licensed cessation devices. Additionally, a SAAVE member conducted a radio interview of QR77 with Rob Breakenridge to spread more awareness of the urgency of SAAVE’s mission.
Below are a few links to SAAVE’s media coverage from February:
[QR77] Afternoons With Rob Breakenridge
Over the next few months following our media event we continued responding to questions and comments about our cause across various mediums including news pages, social media, and more. We also focused our efforts on advancing our cause through our social media campaign where we regularly post updates on the fight against youth vaping. The link to our Instagram page can be found below. We strongly encourage supporters to follow us on Instagram to stay informed about SAAVE events and updates.
Instagram handle: @saave.campaign
This year we also recruited over 20 new members to our cause from multiple different faculties and years of study across the University of Calgary.
In August 2024, the federal government of Canada announced new legislation on nicotine pouches including strict advertising restrictions, prohibition of certain flavours and limiting sales to behind the counter at pharmacies. More information can be found at this link:
This was great news, but our work was not done!
In September 2024, we began our most notable initiative to date. We began meticulously designed and executed a plan to contact every Albertan Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and poll them regarding their position on three legislative changes:
- Ban all vape and nicotine pouch flavours except tobacco
- Prohibit single-use vaping devices
- Restrict vaping device sales to behind pharmacy counters
SAAVE members systematically addressed each of the 86 Alberta MLAs, using a standardized script to ensure consistency. SAAVE members each communicated with between two to six MLAs. To maintain uniformity, each student followed a prescribed script when communicating with the MLA, or a staff member, or when leaving messages. The script outlined the three questions and informed MLAs that their responses, including non-responses, would be documented.
We began contacting MLAs on September 23rd, 2024 and we asked that MLAs reply by October 7th, 2024. SAAVE members meticulously recorded all interactions and responses in a centralized spreadsheet. We aimed to create a comprehensive overview of each MLA’s responses to our proposal to ban flavors, to prohibit single use devices and to place vaping devices behind pharmacy counters.
Of the 86 current MLAs in Alberta only 2 MLAs, both of whom are UCP MLAs, were in favour of putting vapes behind pharmacy counters and NO MLAs were in favour of any of the other proposed changes. 3 MLAs were explicitly opposed to the suggested changes. Shockingly, 35 Albertan MLAs, which is just over 40%, would not respond to this pressing issue afflicting youth health after 3 separate attempts to reach them via telephone and/or email. 45 MLAs which is over 51% of Albertan MLAs replied but would not state a position meaning they did not directly answer the question of whether or not they would support the proposed changes. This includes the Honourable Adrianna LaGrange, Minister of Health, who did not explicitly state her position regarding the proposed changes. In summary, 40% of MLAs did not respond despite three attempts to contact them and 51% of MLAs did not state a position. These two categories alone: did not respond or state a position, represent the vast majority of MLAs, 92%. Only 2 MLAs, which is only 2% of Albertan MLAs, were in favour of ANY of the proposed changes.
You can find a spreadsheet detailing each MLAs response on our website:
Alberta MLA Positions on Vaping
In October 2024, we presented the results of our MLA poll to the media. Below is a link to SAAVE’s media coverage in October:
[Calgary Herald] U of C health students want province to implement stronger restrictions on vaping
In November 2024, several SAAVE members collectively wrote an Opinion Article for the Calgary Herald detailing the prevalence and harms of vaping, alongside the importance of implementing the legislative changes SAAVE is advocating for. We encourage everyone to give it a read at the following link:
[Calgary Herald] Opinion: Youth opposed to vaping remind government they are voters
We would like to sincerely thank all of our members and supporters for their dedication to SAAVE’s mission in 2024.
SAAVE 