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.
Read articles from Canada
March 30, 2022 by globalnews.ca
Court to rule on motion to allow sale of flavoured e cigarettes in New Brunswick
A New Brunswick judge has reserved his decision on a motion to suspend the province’s ban on flavoured e-cigarettes.
Judge Terrance Morrison of the Court of Queen’s Bench heard arguments in a Burton, N.B., courtroom Tuesday and will deliver his decision on Thursday.
The province has banned e-cigarette flavours, except for tobacco flavour, since last September, but some store owners want to be able to resume sales pending their full court challenge.
March 27, 2022 by regulatorwatch.com
For “All Canadians” | Did Health Canada Miss the Mark on Vaping Regs? | RegWatch
Health Canada’s authority to regulate vaping products rests in the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, and the regulator recently kicked off the first official review of the three-year-old legislation. With the specter of teen vaping all-pervasive and a possible flavour ban around the corner: Is Health Canada failing its mission to protect the health of “all Canadians?” Today on RegWatch, we are joined by David Lévesque, national vaping activist and founding partner at Digital Smoke Supplies. Get a full rundown of the most pernicious aspects of the TVPA and learn how you can have your say with an easy-to-use website that streamlines submissions to Health Canada.
March 24, 2022 by globenewswire.com
Canadian Vaping Association: The Government of Canada opens consultation on the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act
In 2018, the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) was amended to protect youth and non-smokers. The amended act recognised that vaping was significantly less harmful than smoking, and smokers that switched to vaping could reduce their exposure to thousands of chemicals. The Act introduced robust measures to protect youth through various labelling and promotion regulations, with the support of the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) who previously advocated for a ban on national advertising.
March 22, 2022 by thestar.com
World Health Organization ‘likely’ to reject Canadian-developed COVID vaccine over tobacco ties, official says
The World Health Organization will “very likely” reject the only Canadian-developed COVID-19 vaccine for use globally because of its ties to tobacco giant Philip Morris International, a top WHO official said Wednesday.
Health Canada greenlit the dose made by Quebec-based Medicago less than a month ago. The vaccine, which is manufactured using a cousin of a tobacco plant — one the company has stressed cannot be smoked — was found to be 71 per cent effective against symptomatic COVID in trials.
March 11, 2022 by regulatorwatch.com
Punted? | Provinces Could Have Final Say on Flavour Bans | RegWatch
It’s been nine months since Health Canada released details of its proposed nationwide ban on flavours in nicotine vaping products and there is still no word on whether the regulator intends to pull the trigger on what many believe could be a disaster for public health. Joining us today for a special issue update edition of RegWatch is Dr. Mark Tyndall, renowned infectious disease specialist and harm reduction advocate. Learn why he thinks the flavour ban could be losing steam at the federal level and how the provinces might step in.
February 28, 2022 by regulatorwatch.com
Tax Trouble | Canadian Vape Industry Facing New Excise Tax | RegWatch
The Canadian government announced last year it would introduce a new excise tax on nicotine vaping products in 2022.
The tax is based on e-liquid volume and not a measure of nicotine content, which is a relief for many. However, the tax could still prove punitive for many smokers seeking to quit.
Joining us today to talk about the troubles of this new tax is Ian Irvine, Professor of Economics at Concordia University and Research Fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute.
February 13, 2022 by regulatorwatch.com
Case Crumbles | Losing Logic Behind Flavour Bans | RegWatch
According to a new report, “The Case for Flavours,” by prominent tobacco harm reduction researcher Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, flavour bans effectively equate to a form of prohibition, which would fuel the growth of a massive black market and spur a deadly rise in cigarette smoking.
In this episode of RegWatch, hear Dr. Farsalinos discuss his multidimensional review of the use of flavours in nicotine vapes and learn what he recommends regulators should do instead of banning flavours.
January 20, 2022 by eurekalert.org
Despite COVID-19, most young Canadian adults aren’t smoking or drinking more
Long lines in front of liquor and pot outlets, telecommuting workers worrying about their mental health, young parents trying to cope with home schooling—for two years now, the news has been full of people struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
But have social isolation, financial difficulties and psychological distress really resulted in an increase in the use of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes and e-cigarettes, as news reports suggest?
In general, no, except among the less educated and socially isolated, according to a Canadian-led study published in The Lancet Regional Health—Americas.
January 07, 2022 by cbc.ca
Tobacco or no-go: N.W.T. to ban most flavoured vapes
The N.W.T. is on track to ban most flavoured vape products in the territory starting this March.
Advocates say this will help keep kids from getting addicted to nicotine but people working in the industry say their sales are already highly regulated to keep their products away from children, and the new law might force them to close for good.
Under the territorial government's proposed amendment to the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, only flavourless or tobacco-flavoured vape products would be allowed to be sold in the N.W.T.
December 22, 2021 by regulatorwatch.com
Risky Regs | Flavour Bans Push Vaping into Black Market | RegWatch
Banning or restricting flavours drastically reduces the appeal of vaping for adults too. And for the over one million adult Canadians who rely on safer nicotine products, a ban on flavours could mean a return to smoking.
Even Health Canada admits to this possible consequence of a national flavour ban.
Joining us today on RegWatch is Daniel David, president of VITA, the Vaping Industry Trade Association of Canada, to discuss the intended and unintended consequences of the proposed flavour ban.