WaxPen: what parents need to know

In Québec, the WaxPen refers to a vape containing liquid cannabis. It’s good to know that elsewhere, this term is used to describe a device made for using cannabis in wax form. Cannabis is a psychoactive substance, i.e. it has a direct effect on the nervous system. For example, cannabis use can alter thoughts, mood and behaviours.

The main reason given by young people is to reduce their level of stress. For pleasure, out of curiosity and to fit in are other common reasons for teen use of cannabis.

In Québec, all age groups must respect the laws regulating the products contained in vapes. The sale of cannabis vapes is not authorized in the province. It is also legally forbidden to sell vaping products, regardless of what substance the vape contains, to minors or to adults who intend to give the product to a minor person. It’s important to know that in Québec :

• Only cannabis from the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) is legal.
• Since 2020, only people 21 years of age or more may buy cannabis
• The maximum concentration of THC, the active substance in cannabis, is 30%.

Other Canadian provinces legally sell products with a very high concentration of  cannabis, such as vaping liquids. These liquids can be two to three times more concentrated than those sold at the SQDC.

It’s difficult to identify the substance used by just looking at the vape. Teens therefore sometimes use the same vape to use cannabis as the one they use for nicotine. Lastly, the WaxPen does not release the characteristic odour of cannabis smoked in a joint or tobacco smoke, which makes it difficult to identify the substance used. For more information on nicotine vaping, see our  Info Sheet on the topic .

Using a WaxPen involves many risks.

1. The risks related to cannabis

Cannabis addiction is more frequent in people who began using it during adolescence, since their brain is still developing. Cannabis use can affect:

• Learning;
• Memory;
• Attention span;
• Decision making;
• Response time;
• Mental health.

Using cannabis every week is also associated with academic problems.  Using high concentrations of cannabis is also associated with heart problems and toxic psychoses.

1. The risks related to vaping

While vaping, chemical substances are inhaled into the lungs and the respiratory system can be affected by this, for example, onset of:

• Coughing;
• Feeling out of breath;
• Mucous in the respiratory tract.

The effects of vaping on the body in the intermediate and long-term are still not well understood.  However, that doesn’t mean that the WaxPen is safe. Remember that it took several decades to show that cigarettes caused cancer. Given the uncertainty, it’s preferrable to take a cautious approach by abstaining from using cannabis vaping products, whether from a legal or an illegal source. The ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux has issued a  warning against using cannabis vaping products (French only). To learn more, watch this  video on communicating with your teen about the WaxPe n (French only). To discuss the WaxPen with your teenager aged 14 and over, watch the following clips:

• Composition of the WaxPen (French only)
• Effects of the WaxPen (French only)
• Cycle of addiction (French only)
• Types of psychoactive substances and law of effect (French only)
• Alternatives to the WaxPen and withdrawal (French only)