Vape stores are an essential service and should remain open during Covid19
UPDATE:Vape shops are an essential service and can remain open in Ontario under Section 55 of the List of essential workplaces: “Businesses that provide products and/or services that support the health sector or that provide health services, including mental health and addictions and counselling supports”. – Source: https://www.ontario.ca/page/list-essential-workplaces
In Canada, millions of smokers are using vaping as a way to reduce or quit smoking, and many have succeeded in switching completely from smoking to vaping, which has a very significant health benefit.
If stores that sell tobacco products are allowed to remain open but specialty adult-only vape shops are forced to closed, people who need nicotine will not have the option of vaping and may relapse to smoking cigarettes, which are far more dangerous. Canada Post is no longer delivering mail -order vaping supplies as these require a signature (Source- Canadian Vaping Association). Convenience stores and gas stations only sell vaping products with high nicotine concentrations, not the low concentrations needed by people who are trying to wean themselves off cigarettes.
In Europe, vape shops remain open in Italy, in France and in Greece (Dr. Farsolinas, personal communication).
Martin Dockrell (Tobacco Control Programme Lead for Public Health England) tweeted:
“I note that France and Italy exempted vape shops from their shut down. Very sensible.
It would be very unfortunate to protect tobacco supplies and block the supplies of the most popular and effective ways to quit.”
There are ill-informed rumours that vaping may make Covid19 infections worse. There is NO scientific evidence to support this statement. We do know that patients with serious lung conditions suffer more severely from Covid19 infections and we also know that lung disease gets better when people switch from smoking to vaping.
Propylene glycol, which makes up about 50% of most e-liquids, actually has some ability to kill viruses and had been studied as a way to control the spread of viral infections. It is therefore possible that vaping with propylene glycol might even have some beneficial effects. (Smoking, vaping and the coronavirus epidemic: rumors vs. evidence. Dr. Farsalinos) However, no research has been done on the relationship between vaping and Covid19, so this is just speculation.
If smokers are allowed access to tobacco products, then vape stores should remain open to allow smokers and ex-smokers access to a less harmful alternative.