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
December 21, 2021 by capitalcurrent.ca
Health Canada’s proposed ban on flavoured vapes has opponents decrying impact on former smokers
The smell of cotton candy and blue raspberry wafted outside the Château Laurier in late November as Canada’s 44th parliament opened its first session nearby — and no, there wasn’t a fair in town to celebrate.
Instead, dozens of vapers [...] were gathered to express their discontent about Health Canada’s push to ban aromatically sweet varieties of vape pods for consumer purchase.
In June 2021, Health Canada made known its intentions to regulate the sale of flavoured vape products, looking to narrow the variety of fruity and sweet vape options down to plain tobacco and mint/menthol.
December 17, 2021 by cbc.ca
University of Waterloo in Ontario part of global study on impact of e-cigarette rules
The University of Waterloo will take part in a five-year study on e-cigarettes to determine the impact of regulations in different parts of the world. "It's extraordinarily important for us to understand the factors that are driving people to smoke, and what we can do through policies and regulations to reduce that amount globally," said Geoffrey Fong, a professor of psychology and public health at the Ontario university. The news comes after New Zealand announced it will outlaw smoking for its next generation. People 14 and under will never be able to legally buy tobacco.
December 15, 2021 by oyston.com
An open letter to the New Brunswick Medical Association about vaping
The New Brunswick Medical Association (NBMA) recently published “Physicians pleased with new restrictions on vaping products“.
As a physician, I would l like to make it clear that I am NOT pleased with New Brunswick’s ban on flavoured vaping products. This is an open letter I have written to the NMBA, the Canadian Cancer Society; the New Brunswick Lung Association; and Dr. Kerrie Luck, Ph.D. and Dr. Jeff Steeves, Past President, New Brunswick Medical Society: [...]
December 09, 2021 by globalnews.ca
University of Waterloo to help conduct $10-million study of e-cigarettes
The University of Waterloo says it will be one of several schools from around the globe taking part in a $10-million study on e-cigarettes and other new nicotine products.
“Understanding the use of these products among both youth and adults is critical to understanding which policies are the most effective in decreasing tobacco use and curbing youth uptake of e-cigarettes,” said professor David Hammond, who is leading a youth study in the area.
November 18, 2021 by globalnews.ca
Court of Appeal upholds Quebec law restricting advertising of vaping products
Anti-tobacco groups on Tuesday praised a decision by Quebec’s highest court upholding the province’s right to subject vaping products to the same laws governing tobacco.
In a unanimous decision published Monday, the panel of three Court of Appeal judges reversed the parts of a 2019 lower court decision that struck down some provisions of the Tobacco Control Act pertaining to vaping products – known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes.
October 28, 2021 by news-medical.net
Gradual nicotine reduction key to helping e-cigarette users quit, shows study
New research from UBC Okanagan shows that gradual nicotine reduction is key to helping e-cigarette users quit. "Vaping has become a popular global phenomenon, with more than 40 million users worldwide. Despite this growth in popularity, many current vapers admit they want to quit, particularly young Canadians. In fact, over 60 per cent of youth-;ages 15 to 19-;who vape reported trying to quit in the last year. Our study is the first to use the social media forum, Reddit, to find out how they are breaking this habit and how they can be best supported." Dr. Laura Struik, [...] lead researcher of the study
October 20, 2021 by cbc.ca
The National Canadian teens vaping at pre-pandemic levels, new data suggests
New data suggests teen vaping has returned to pre-pandemic levels in Canada, raising concerns that a new generation is becoming addicted to nicotine and Health Canada is not acting quickly enough to curb it.
October 13, 2021 by filtermag.org
Health Canada Is Poised to Take a Disastrous Wrong Turn on Vaping
The Canadian government recently consulted on its proposals for regulating—read:banning—flavors used in vaping products. Its supposed justifications include a perceived increase in youth vaping exposing young people to harm, and the notion that vaping is a “gateway” into cigarette smoking.
Both concerns are flawed to say the least, as is Health Canada’s claim that banning all flavors except tobacco and menthol is any kind of solution. According to Statistics Canada, teen smoking has been falling more rapidly than in previous years and is now at a record low. [...]
October 05, 2021 by youtube.com
Youth Access to E-Cigarettes: Regulatory Options and Online Sales Test Shop
This webinar explores theory, evidence, and options for youth access regulatory policies including minimum age 21, retail licensing, enforcement, outlet density, and social sources that may be important considerations in Canada. The results of an internet test shop study are also presented. The goal is to provide an overview of the context of youth access to e-cigarettes in Canada, assess the evidence for a range of policy options, and discuss the feasibility of implementation in jurisdictions across Canada.
September 23, 2021 by regulatorwatch.com
Fatal Assumption | Spurious Cost-Benefit Analysis Drives Risky Flavour Ban
With Canada’s general election now over and the federal Liberals returned to power, the future for nicotine vaping in Canada appears bleak.
Without political intervention, it’s likely nothing could stop Health Canada from implementing its proposed flavour ban, which is certain to decimate the industry.
Joining us today on RegWatch is Clive Bates, tobacco control policy expert and former Director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK). He issues a blistering critique of Health Canada’s cost-benefit analysis, which the regulator is using to justify its dangerous new policy.