Latest news with #QuebecCoalitionforTobaccoControl
Cision Canada
31-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY: Some twenty Quebec groups call for major investment in prevention drawn from provincial tobacco-settlement windfall Français
MONTREAL, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - On this World No Tobacco Day, close to twenty Quebec health groups are calling on the Quebec government to take a small proportion of the financial benefits it will draw from the settlement ending all litigation faced by the three largest cigarette manufacturers (including Quebec's claim), and to invest that amount in the tobacco control budget. More specifically, the groups are asking that 2.7% of the $6.6 billion that the province will collect – the equivalent of $30 million – be invested in government initiatives aimed at accelerating the fight against smoking, improving support for smokers who want to quit, reverse the youth vaping crisis, and better combat the illegal sale of vaping products, as specified in this recent letter to the Quebec government, signed by five provincial anti-smoking groups. According to Flory Doucas, co-director and spokesperson for the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, " the fight against smoking is far from over, and unless this battle is accelerated, smoking will continue to monopolize a huge proportion of Quebec healthcare resources. Tobacco kills over 36 Quebec smokers every day, as smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the province. Meanwhile, public health workers, schools officials and government inspectors are overwhelmed by the vaping phenomenon, with new cohorts of young people continuously falling into the nicotine addiction trap. "Despite the financial compensation for victims and the injection of substantial funds into provincial coffers, the settlement negotiated and approved by Quebec and the other creditors has significant shortcomings, as it fails to include a single measure to force the industry to change its ways." In fact, the settlement endorsed by Quebec and the other provinces grants Big Tobacco total and complete immunity for their decades of dishonest and irresponsible marketing of tobacco products – in exchange for payments spread out over the next two or three decades. It even prevents the new ' Cy-près ' foundation (with assets of one billion dollars) from funding smoking prevention or cessation interventions, stating that these "fall within the purview of the Provinces and Territories" [ 9.3 1 ]. "Given that payments to provinces, including Quebec, will come from current and future smokers, the agreement raises a potential conflict between the government's desire for revenue and its primary responsibility to protect the public. By investing part of the funds to fight the use of these harmful products, the government would counter the appearance or existence of such a conflict," explains David Raynaud, Senior Manager, Quebec - Public Interest Advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society. "The agreement doesn't include any measures to prevent or minimise further harm. It even stipulates that the industry must maintain its usual commercial operations, which includes recruiting new consumers of tobacco and vaping products, resulting in new victims and new healthcare costs. It would be immoral for the government to collect these billions without dedicating a substantial amount to prevent additional harm and costs," he adds. The settlement protects the vaping market The settlement exempts revenues from the sale of vaping and heated tobacco products from all financial obligations. "This extraordinary exemption allows for the continued aggressive expansion of the recreational nicotine market, inevitably leading to new consumers becoming addicted to nicotine and exposing them to new health risks," adds Marc-André Parenteau, Senior Advisor, Government Affairs and Advocacy at Heart & Stroke. "In our view, the government's primary responsibility is to do everything in its power to stop the suffering and loss of life caused by harmful and unnecessary products from a profit-driven industry. Without new investments to better protect the public from the nicotine industry, the popularity of its traditional and novel products will continue to harm the health and well-being of Quebecers while generating additional healthcare costs," concludes Ms. Doucas. SOURCE Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control Information: Flory Doucas, Spokesperson, Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, 514-515-6780; Fatou Thiam, Communications Manager for Quebec and Francophone Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, 514-229-0671; Maryse Bégin, Cœur & Stroke, [email protected]. 514 669-6297
Global News
27-05-2025
- Health
- Global News
Ban flavoured vapes now, anti-smoking groups urge Carney's government
Several tobacco control organizations are renewing their calls on the federal government to put a ban on flavoured vaping products as a new Parliament begins and a new health minister settles into their role. That comes as data over recent years has shown half of Canadian young adults have tried vaping, and after previous health minister Mark Holland took aim at the tobacco industry during the previous Parliament, telling it to 'stay the hell away from our kids.' Action on Smoking and Health, the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control and Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada called on Health Minister Marjorie Michel to finalize regulations first put forward in 2021 that would prohibit flavours, except for tobacco, mint and menthol, from being added to e-cigarettes. However, the group said it wants those regulations further strengthened to prohibit all but tobacco flavours and for it to happen in Michel's first 100 days in office. Story continues below advertisement 'Let's be clear, we're not calling for a ban on all vaping products, but only for a ban on flavoured versions that make them interesting and highly appealing to youth,' said Flory Doucas, co-director of the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control. Flavoured vaping products have been a topic of discussion among governments for years and the regulations noted by the groups was a promise made by Ottawa in 2021. Three years later, no such restrictions exist on a national level, but the promise has remained amid a broader federal push to crack down on the sale and appeal of new forms of nicotine for youth, including a ban on flavoured nicotine pouches put in place last year. 'We cannot afford for this government to sit on its hands or take the same laissez-faire approach to the tobacco and nicotine industry as its predecessor,' Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke Canada, said in a press release. 3:31 Easy access to vape devices for B.C. students Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, went on to criticize tobacco companies. Story continues below advertisement 'Tobacco and nicotine companies are driving the youth vaping epidemic and they can't be trusted,' Hagen said Monday morning. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Canada's three largest tobacco companies recently conceded to a $32-billion penalty to provincial governments for decades of deceptive marketing behaviour. Despite this penalty, it's still business as usual for the industry.' That $32.5-billion settlement was approved by an Ontario judge in March and would see provinces, territories and former smokers compensated by JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. In October 2024, a spokesperson for then-minister of mental health and addictions minister Ya'ara Saks said the commitment remains, but that the delay was in part due to wanting to ensure a national framework works. Saks' office pointed to jurisdictions like Quebec, where it said the province's ban on flavoured vapes led to an accessible illicit market, adding that other jurisdictions' own plans would inform 'future action.' Quebec's ban prohibits the sale of any vape except for tobacco flavour and those that have no flavour or aroma. 1:36 Toxic metals in vapes linked with major health problems in youth, study finds Global News reached out to Michel's office for an update on the government's stance but did not hear back by publication. Story continues below advertisement Imperial Tobacco Canada's vice-president of corporate and regulatory affairs, Eric Gagnon, on Monday told reporters that the company's stance is similar to the groups in terms of prohibiting anyone underage from vaping. He said it also supports the federal government's regulations to limit flavours to tobacco, mint and menthol and wants to see further restrictions, including on the size and volume of devices and addressing the 'growing online market.' 1:53 Canadian teens have highest vaping rates globally The company also said in a release that any regulations must be reviewed from an 'evidence-based scientific perspective.' Gagnon added that any regulations must be accompanied by enforcement, something he criticized the anti-tobacco groups for missing. 'Unfortunately, the health groups that spoke before believe their job is done once new regulation is introduced without any concern about the illegal market taking over,' he said. Story continues below advertisement The Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey released by Statistics Canada in September 2023 showed that nearly half of young adults aged 20-24 and one-third of 15- to 19-year-olds have tried vaping at least once. It also showed that almost 40 per cent of those 15 and older who vaped in the previous 30 days from when the survey was conducted said they had never smoked previously.
