Quebec finally launches cannabis vape sales after a long ban

The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will officially add cannabis vape pen to its product range the November 26, 2025. This puts an end to years of restrictions which had pushed a significant proportion of Quebec consumers towards unregulated alternatives.

The arrival of these new products also brings Quebec into line with almost all the other Canadian provinces, where vape pens have become one of the most popular products. fastest-growing categories on the legal cannabis market.

A response to demand and the illegal market

The SQDC's decision is the result of both sustained consumer interest and growing concern about the risks associated with illicit vaping products.

As Geneviève Giroux, vice-president of responsible marketing and supply chain at SQDC, pointed out in a press release, «We have chosen to make vaping products available in order to offer a regulated alternative.»

She explained that, although vaping carries health risks, the lack of a legal option has driven consumers towards far more dangerous products.

Data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) confirms this reality. A study conducted in 2024 revealed that 28% of cannabis consumers in Quebec were using vaping products despite the lack of regulated supply. Many reported turning to friends or family, online sources or retailers in other provinces.

By introducing a range of controlled products, SQDC aims to redirect this demand towards options whose safety and compliance have been verified.

Strict standards and limited, regulated supply

The initial launch will include 29 products, supplied by 14 producers, nine of which are based in Quebec. Consumers will find cartridges no added flavor, which can therefore only contain terpenes already present in the varieties used, and all products must comply with the Quebec's strict THC limit of 30%, which applies to all product categories.

These constraints reflect the province's highly secure approach to cannabis regulation. The products will also undergo laboratory analysis by qualified Health Canada-certified facilities, a guarantee that does not exist on the illegal market.

To go with these cartridges, SQDC will be launching two vaping batteries compatible with some twenty one-gram cartridge formats.

Preparing staff and reinforcing responsible consumption

Before the launch, all SQDC consultants, Both in-store and online retailers have undergone specialized training developed in collaboration with the French Ministry of Health and Social Services. The four-and-a-half-hour program covers types of extracts, safe use of devices, signs of dependence and risks associated with unregulated products. SQDC claims that this enables employees to «appropriately» assist customers and guide them towards safer consumption behaviors.

Although new to Quebec, the vape pen have been booming in most Canadian provinces since their legalization. Ontario, for example, has recorded a 21.6% year-on-year increase vape sales in the third quarter of 2024, rising from $63.7 million in 2021 to $77.4 million.

Disposable vapes have been growth of nearly 30% over the same period. Other provinces that have traditionally taken a restrictive stance are also changing their minds.’Prince Edward Island will also be introducing vape pens this month.