Canada is cracking down on nicotine pouches. Photo credit: ITCAN
Health Canada is implementing nationwide restrictions on the sale of nicotine pouches to prevent them from being accessed by young people.
The new regulations include a ban on flavors other than mint or menthol; require sales to be limited to behind-the-counter in pharmacies and sold only by a pharmacist or an individual working under the supervision of a pharmacist; and impose strict advertising rules. After a six-month grace period, manufacturers will be required to update their packaging to include nicotine addiction warnings and ensure that the design does not appeal to children.
“The action our government is taking will keep these products available for adults who need them to quit smoking while making sure they don’t get into the hands of youth for recreational use,” said Mark Holland, minister of health.
Despite the federal emphasis on protecting youth, the new regulations surprisingly fail to include age restrictions on these products. Instead, they concentrate on limiting sales to pharmacies, effectively shutting out Canada’s convenience retailers.
The only nicotine pouch authorized for sale in Canada is Imperial Tobacco Canada’s (ITCAN) Zonnic.
In an August 28 statement, Eric Gagnon, ITCAN vice president, corporate and regulatory affairs, said, “Today is a devastating day for Canadians who wish to quit smoking. In an extreme abuse of power, the minister of health, Mark Holland, has unilaterally imposed new rules on our smoking cessation product, Zonnic”. “These rules do not apply to any other smoking cessation product and singling-out Zonnic is a personal attack on our company by minister Holland and will only make it more difficult for adult smokers to quit.”
“We will, of course, comply with the new order and have instructed our convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores partners to remove Zonnic. We will support our pharmacy partners diligently as they are now on the front line of smoking cessation counseling,” concluded Gagnon.