ABSTRACT
The tobacco, and now vaping, industries are skilled at creating falsification campaigns that leave policymakers and the public confused and distracted. As Nova Scotia saw youth vaping rates rise, a non-profit conducted a youth and young adult survey to discover why, what, and how often youth and young adults vape. They discovered that almost 96% of youth prefer flavours, and 48% believed they would quit if flavours were removed. This research was pivotal in capturing the voices of youth, gathering stakeholders, and countering industry opposition. On April 1, 2020, the Nova Scotian government implemented Canada's first ban on flavoured vaping products. This was followed by a nicotine cap of 20 mg/ml and a revamped taxation structure. The survey allowed non-profits to band together and align messages. It also provided government with information to take actions that reduce the prevalence and potential harms of vaping among youth. This commentary describes the advocacy process and opposition faced when advocating for vaping control measures. This approach can serve as a guide for assisting other jurisdictions in advocating for policy changes.
RéSUMé: Les industries du tabac, et maintenant du vapotage, sont habiles à créer des campagnes de falsification qui embrouillent les responsables des politiques et le public et qui distraient leur attention. Avec la hausse des taux de vapotage chez les jeunes en Nouvelle-Écosse, un organisme sans but lucratif a mené une enquête auprès des jeunes et des jeunes adultes pour découvrir pourquoi ils vapotent, à quelle fréquence et avec quels produits. L'enquête a révélé que près de 96 % des jeunes préféraient les arômes, et que 48 % croyaient qu'ils cesseraient de vapoter si ces arômes étaient retirés. Cette étude a été déterminante pour capter les voix des jeunes, réunir les acteurs et contrer l'opposition de l'industrie. Le 1er avril 2020, le gouvernement néo-écossais a mis en Åuvre la toute première interdiction des produits de vapotage aromatisés au Canada. Il a ensuite limité la nicotine à 20 mg/ml et repensé la structure fiscale. L'enquête a permis aux organismes sans but lucratif de se regrouper et d'harmoniser leurs messages. Elle a aussi procuré au gouvernement les informations nécessaires pour prendre des mesures qui réduisent la prévalence et les préjudices potentiels du vapotage chez les jeunes. Notre commentaire décrit le processus de plaidoyer et l'opposition rencontrée lorsque l'on défend des mesures de contrôle du vapotage. Cette approche peut servir de guide pour aider d'autres administrations à préconiser des changements de politiques.
Subject(s)
Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems , Tobacco Products , Vaping , Adolescent , Flavoring Agents , Humans , Nova Scotia/epidemiology , Tobacco Use , Vaping/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
Alcohol marketing is linked to heavy consumption. Researchers have begun to examine how the alcohol industry has adapted its marketing practices during the 2020 Global COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, Nova Scotia's culture of heavy drinking has been identified as a cause for concern by community, health care and government. This case study examines how one alcohol company coopted the facilities, staff, logos and fundraising efforts of a local health charity to market the sale and home delivery of a 6% alcohol by volume product via social media. This case study details the marketing practices of the alcohol brand, suggests why the marketing practices are problematic and concludes with recommendations for health promotion practice as well as suggestions for future research.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Alcohol Drinking , Humans , Marketing , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Healthcare organizations engage in continuous quality improvement to improve performance and value-for-performance, but the pathway to change is often rooted in challenging the way things are "normally" done. In an effort to propel system-wide change to support healthy eating, Nova Scotia Health developed and implemented a healthy eating policy as a benchmark to create a food environment supportive of health. This article describes the healthy eating policy and its role as a benchmark in the quality improvement process. The policy, rooted in health promotion, sets a standard for healthy eating and applies to stakeholders both inside and outside of health. We explain how the policy offers nutrition but also cultural benchmarks around healthy eating, bringing practitioners throughout Nova Scotia Health together and sustaining collaborative efforts to improve upon the status quo.
