Regions — Nicotine Science and Policy

Quick links to detailed datasheets for Canada at gsthr.org

Smoking in Canada

In Canada, smoking is allowed and tobacco products are regulated. Under these regulations, cigarettes can be sold, purchased online, used, and bought from vending machines. The importation of cigarettes for trade is permitted with a trade license. Health warnings are required on cigarette packaging, the minimum legal age for sales is 18 years, and there are legal restrictions on smoking in public places. Cigarettes are subject to an excise tax value of 54.47% and a total taxation rate of 63.34%. Available data show that smoking remains a significant public health issue in Canada. In 2024, there were approximately 3.5 million current smokers aged 15 years and older. This shows that the adult current smoking prevalence was 10.6% in 2024, with 13.1% among males and 8.1% among females. In comparison, this prevalence was 11.4% in 2022. For reference, the number of daily smokers was approximately 3.5 million in 2017 which shows that the adult daily tobacco smoking prevalence was 11.6%, with 19.1% among males and 13.4% among females. In 2021, smoking led to 34,171 deaths in Canada, including 20,700 deaths among males and 13,471 among females. This indicates that smoking accounted for 11% of all deaths in 2021 in the country, including 12.8% of male deaths and 9.04% of female deaths.

September 10, 2024 by financialpost.com

Opinion: Nicotine pouches are helping me quit smoking. Ottawa shouldn’t ban them

Over the last six months I’ve been using nicotine pouches to try to get away from cigarettes. I’ve managed to go from smoking as many as 16 cigarettes a day to just one or two, all because of nicotine pouches. I am sure other people have experienced similar benefits from pouches. Unfortunately, federal Health Minister Mark Holland has decided to seriously restrict access to pouches, which is going to make it harder for thousands of people like me to quit. In the name of protecting kids from nicotine pouches, Ottawa has decided to limit the flavours available to just mint or menthol and ban the fruit flavours that were previously legal and approved by Health Canada.

September 05, 2024 by dcjournal.com

Plummeting Smoking Rates Mean a Paradigm Shift for Nicotine

In every gas station and convenience store, a new category of addictive products is flying off shelves. This new thorn in the side of public health advocates is tobacco nicotine pouches. These pouches are made of wood pulp and salt, filled with nicotine, and flavors placed under the upper lip to give the user a buzzing sensation. What do we make of this new nicotine rush and what it means for society? As our smoking rate declines to an all-time low of just 11 percent, it means we’re in for a paradigm shift in how we view nicotine. And we should welcome it.

September 03, 2024 by torontosun.com

OPINION: Ottawa’s anti-science war on safer nicotine alternatives

Over the last 30 years, Health Canada has created new rules and regulations, with little evidence that they would reduce smoking. Reducing smoking rates is a good policy outcome, but the policies were not working. Higher taxes, and new packaging forced many Canadians to the cheaper contraband market. After years of stagnation, we’ve seen smoking rates fall to 10% in 2020. While anti-tobacco advocates would claim their measures are finally working, the drop-off happened with the availability of less harmful alternatives like vaping and nicotine pouches. These products have played a crucial role in helping people quit smoking and reduce their overall tobacco use.

August 30, 2024 by ahra.info

Canada’s Nicotine Pouch Ban Is ‘Deadly Error Defying Science’, Say Health Experts

Nicotine pouches are proven to be significantly safer alternatives to combustible cigarettes and are assisting millions of smokers worldwide to quit their habit. They have played a major role in the success of Sweden, which is on the brink of becoming the first country to achieve official smoke-free status.

But, from today, smokers across Canada will be banned from buying these lifesaving products over the counter. It will also be illegal to buy pouches with flavours that have been shown to help smokers kick their deadly addiction.

August 26, 2024 by vaping360.com

Canadian Health Minister Dictates New Nicotine Pouch Restrictions

Health Minister Mark Holland will ban flavored nicotine pouch sales, seen as a response to potential health risks similar to the vaping epidemic. Imperial Tobacco Canada will have to remove certain Zonnic pouch flavors from most retail outlets, limiting sales to pharmacies. The minister's recent powers allow him to overrule health product regulations, escalating conflicts with tobacco companies. Criticized for restricting smoking cessation tools, Holland remains firm on his anti-nicotine stance, calling vaping and nicotine products a danger to children. The controversial move aims to prevent another public health crisis.