As medical officers of health across Canada reiterate their position of refraining from vaping, those in the industry are voicing a concern of misinformation.
Last week, the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health issued a statement about the rising rates of vaping among youth, as well as "the emergence of severe pulmonary illness related to vaping in the United States and now in Canada."
The statement prompted a response from Shai Bekman, the founder and CEO of DashVapes, a large manufacturer of nicotine-based vaping liquids.
His letter to provincial medical officers claims ministries have to be careful about not "being misled about the "vaping crisis.'"
"With hundreds of thousands of vaping customers in Canada and other markets, banning nicotine-based legal vaping, with its age restrictions, carefully operated scientific manufacturing, and replacing this with unfettered Black Market operations, will be a step backward," it said.
Bekman cites research from the Centre for Disease Control of patients in Wisconsin and Illinois, that showed most vaping-related lung injuries were linked to the use of illicit THC products.
"The message needs to be clear that if you are a smoker, you shouldn't be scared off of vaping because of the news reports in the United States, because they are not related to nicotine products," he said.
While the CDC report does highlight the problem of illicit products, it still recommends the general public refrain from vaping as more information comes in.
The statement by the medical officers also singles out THC.
"Consider refraining from using e-cigarettes or vaping products, particularly any products that have been purchased illegally, including any products that contain THC. Cannabis use has risks, some of which remain unknown and can have short- and long-term harms to your health, including dependence," it says.
But Darryl Tempest with the Canadian Vaping Association says the distinction should be more pronounced, arguing health agencies run the risk of an unintended consequence.
"I expect to see data coming out where smoking rates are expected to rise again, we know what that product does, it kills one in two (people)," he said. "This product has been around for over a decade and we have not seen these issues."
Tempest the biggest change has come recent marketing and allowing vaping products in corner stores and gas stations.
"Only allow them in vape shops that are age-restricted, so you need your ID the minute you walk through that door," he said, adding there should also be no brand advertising.
Ontario's ministry of health declined to make its medical officer of health available for comment.