PAPAIOANNOY: Safer nicotine products are not going away — Canada needs to face reality
June 01, 2026 by westernstandard.news
PAPAIOANNOY: Safer nicotine products are not going away — Canada needs to face reality
Canada’s approach to safer nicotine products is criticised for relying on restrictions while smoking rates remain a serious public health concern. Sweden is presented as evidence that access to smoke-free alternatives can help drive smoking down towards historically low levels. Heavy restrictions on vaping and nicotine pouches risk pushing consumers towards illicit markets instead of encouraging them to switch away from cigarettes. A stronger harm reduction strategy would focus on the difference between combustible tobacco and lower-risk nicotine products. Canada is urged to accept that safer nicotine alternatives are not disappearing and to regulate them in a way that protects consumers while supporting smokers who want to quit.
10.60% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 3.5 million current smokers in Canada 13.10% of men are current smokers but only 8.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
