Harm reduction note / October 2, 2026
Harm Reduction and Youth Prevention Need the Same Evidence File
Consumer Choice and Harm Reduction Network says Alberta should stop treating adult harm reduction and youth prevention as separate evidence files.
The prevention file is real
The July 2026 AHS school toolkit says youth should not vape and recommends school policies, student education, restorative practices, quit-support information, and mental-health supports, according to the AHS school toolkit. That is serious prevention work.
The adult file is also real
The same toolkit reports that among people aged 25 and older, 27.6% said they vaped to reduce, quit, or avoid returning to smoking, based on the 2022 Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey cited by AHS. Adult harm reduction should be measured, not dismissed.
One evidence file
Alberta can protect youth without pretending adult substitution, legal access, and illegal supply do not exist.