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One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers Français
One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers Français

Cision Canada

time7 hours ago

  • Health
  • Cision Canada

One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers Français

MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2025 /CNW/ - One year ago this week, the former federal government issued a Ministerial Order banning ZONNIC—the only nicotine pouch approved by Health Canada as a smoking cessation product—from convenience store shelves nationwide, restricting its sale to behind pharmacy counters. The policy, presented as a public health measure, has clearly backfired. Overnight, access of ZONNIC immediately dropped. While sales of ZONNIC dropped, the purchase of cigarettes jumped by 2.8% and over the last year, more than 500 million illegal and unregulated pouches have been sold on the black market. "The government targeted the only legal, regulated nicotine pouch product in the country, and opened the door to a thriving illicit market," said Eric Gagnon, Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada (Imperial). "ZONNIC wasn't the problem. It was and is the solution for many Canadian smokers." The consequences have been swift and concerning: Illicit sales have exploded. Unregulated pouches, many with significantly higher nicotine levels than the legal limit, are now flooding the market and e-commerce platforms, easily accessible to youth and adults alike. Smokers are left behind. In rural and remote regions, where pharmacies are few and far between, adult smokers who once relied on ZONNIC to quit now face unnecessary barriers. Pharmacists overburdened. Pharmacists play an integral part in many smokers quitting journey, but instead of spending time on crucial patient care, health professionals are now faced with additional, significantly higher unnecessary administrative burdens. This policy has also dealt a blow to this country's small business economy, affecting many of Canada's 200,000 convenience retail jobs and threatening the small businesses that rely on regulated nicotine product sales to stay competitive. Health Canada approved ZONNIC as a natural health product and cessation tool. CAMH recognized its value as a fast-acting NRT. It was widely available where adult smokers were already shopping, and it was working. In stores where ZONNIC was sold, cigarette sales dropped by double digits. That progress has now been slowed down. Instead of protecting Canadians, the Order punished innovation, rewarded non-compliance, and made it more difficult and complicated for those trying to quit. ZONNIC remains the only nicotine pouch that meets national safety and quality standards — but access has been made more cumbersome for many Canadian smokers. Imperial is aligned with Health Canada's ambition of achieving less than 5% smoking incidence by 2035. Yet, to achieve that, innovative cessation tools like ZONNIC need to be widely and seamlessly accessible at the front counter of pharmacies AND in places where smokers buy their cigarettes. "We are ready to find joint solutions with the Minister of Health so that the burden on the already over-stretched pharmacists can be reduced and especially to help as many adult smokers as possible to quit for good", said Eric Gagnon. Canadians deserve better. They deserve public health policy rooted in evidence, one that helps them quit, not one that sets them back. About Imperial Tobacco Canada Imperial Tobacco Canada is the leading tobacco and nicotine company in Canada, part of the global BAT group. Our mission at BAT is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by promoting a Smokeless World. We envision a future where smokeless products replace cigarettes, encouraging smokers to make a Switch to Better. Imperial is committed to advancing THR through transparency, innovation, and collaboration. One such initiative is Omni™, a platform developed by our parent company BAT, to support education and stakeholder engagement around THR. Omni™ serves as a dynamic resource for those working toward a smoke-free future. SOURCE Imperial Tobacco Canada

One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers
One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers

Associated Press

time7 hours ago

  • Business
  • Associated Press

One Year Later: Ottawa's Nicotine Replacement Therapy Strategy Fuels Illicit Market, Underserves Smokers

MONTREAL, Aug. 19, 2025 /CNW/ - One year ago this week, the former federal government issued a Ministerial Order banning ZONNIC—the only nicotine pouch approved by Health Canada as a smoking cessation product—from convenience store shelves nationwide, restricting its sale to behind pharmacy counters. The policy, presented as a public health measure, has clearly backfired. Overnight, access of ZONNIC immediately dropped. While sales of ZONNIC dropped, the purchase of cigarettes jumped by 2.8% and over the last year, more than 500 million illegal and unregulated pouches have been sold on the black market. 'The government targeted the only legal, regulated nicotine pouch product in the country, and opened the door to a thriving illicit market,' said Eric Gagnon, Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada (Imperial). 'ZONNIC wasn't the problem. It was and is the solution for many Canadian smokers.' The consequences have been swift and concerning: This policy has also dealt a blow to this country's small business economy, affecting many of Canada's 200,000 convenience retail jobs and threatening the small businesses that rely on regulated nicotine product sales to stay competitive. Health Canada approved ZONNIC as a natural health product and cessation tool. CAMH recognized its value as a fast-acting NRT. It was widely available where adult smokers were already shopping, and it was working. In stores where ZONNIC was sold, cigarette sales dropped by double digits. That progress has now been slowed down. Instead of protecting Canadians, the Order punished innovation, rewarded non-compliance, and made it more difficult and complicated for those trying to quit. ZONNIC remains the only nicotine pouch that meets national safety and quality standards — but access has been made more cumbersome for many Canadian smokers. Imperial is aligned with Health Canada's ambition of achieving less than 5% smoking incidence by 2035. Yet, to achieve that, innovative cessation tools like ZONNIC need to be widely and seamlessly accessible at the front counter of pharmacies AND in places where smokers buy their cigarettes. 'We are ready to find joint solutions with the Minister of Health so that the burden on the already over-stretched pharmacists can be reduced and especially to help as many adult smokers as possible to quit for good', said Eric Gagnon. Canadians deserve better. They deserve public health policy rooted in evidence, one that helps them quit, not one that sets them back. About Imperial Tobacco Canada Imperial Tobacco Canada is the leading tobacco and nicotine company in Canada, part of the global BAT group. Our mission at BAT is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by promoting a Smokeless World. We envision a future where smokeless products replace cigarettes, encouraging smokers to make a Switch to Better. Imperial is committed to advancing THR through transparency, innovation, and collaboration. One such initiative is Omni™, a platform developed by our parent company BAT, to support education and stakeholder engagement around THR. Omni™ serves as a dynamic resource for those working toward a smoke-free future. SOURCE Imperial Tobacco Canada

Opinion: Pharmacist advocates for easier access to Health Canada-approved nicotine pouch
Opinion: Pharmacist advocates for easier access to Health Canada-approved nicotine pouch

Calgary Herald

time09-08-2025

  • Health
  • Calgary Herald

Opinion: Pharmacist advocates for easier access to Health Canada-approved nicotine pouch

Article content As a pharmacist, I take my individual patients' health seriously. I've dedicated my career to helping people make safer, healthier choices. Lately, I've felt the need to speak up, not just as a health-care professional, but as someone who works directly with smokers trying — often desperately — to quit. Article content Last week, Manitoba pharmacists were quoted in a media article saying no pharmacist is feeling frustrated that people must access the only Health Canada-approved NRT nicotine pouch (ZONNIC) from pharmacists. Article content Article content Article content That doesn't reflect my sentiment, or that of many of my colleagues. Many pharmacists don't understand or agree with the federal ministerial order that singled out the only Health Canada-approved nicotine pouch, requiring it to be sold only by a pharmacist from behind the counter. Article content Article content ZONNIC is a legitimate stop-smoking product. It's approved by Health Canada as a nicotine replacement therapy, just like gums, lozenges and patches. It contains the same ingredient — nicotine — used to reduce cravings and feelings of withdrawal when a person cuts back or stops smoking. Most people attempt to quit smoking several times before they are successful. Having a wider range of NRT products available means people who smoke have more options to help them quit. Article content Widespread availability of a variety of NRT products is also crucial to achieving Canada's tobacco strategy (five per cent or less of the population smoking by the year 2035). Article content Article content As pharmacists, we understand that new and innovative products need to be adequately researched and tested before being offered for sale to the public. The nicotine pouch ZONNIC met all the clinical and regulatory requirements for it to be classified as a natural health product. It is much safer than any other nicotine pouch, as it is the only one that has been through the regulatory approval process with Health Canada. Article content All other nicotine pouches are illegal products, many of them being sold in higher strengths, youth-attractive packaging and flavours, and with no oversight on ingredients or age verification. These potentially dangerous, unregulated nicotine pouches are easier to purchase than the legally approved ones, and that isn't right. Article content Limiting access to regulated products has unintended consequences. It encourages people to seek out unregulated products that may not be properly age-verified and have not been vetted by Health Canada.

A Smokeless Canada is Within Reach -- Let's Talk Facts Français
A Smokeless Canada is Within Reach -- Let's Talk Facts Français

Cision Canada

time31-05-2025

  • Business
  • Cision Canada

A Smokeless Canada is Within Reach -- Let's Talk Facts Français

MONTREAL, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - On World No Tobacco Day, Imperial Tobacco Canada (Imperial) is calling on government, health advocates, and all Canadians to embrace harm reduction as a key strategy to achieve a smokeless Canada in the next decade. Despite years of public health efforts, approximately 11 percent of Canadian adults continue to smoke cigarettes — a figure that has remained relatively unchanged in recent years and which underscores the need to reevaluate the existing tobacco control approach and champion harm reduction as a key strategy to decrease smoking rates in Canada more quickly. At Imperial, the goal is clear: to help adults quit smoking or switch to less harmful alternatives. Similar to Health Canada's and Canadian health groups' goal of a Smoke Free Canada, Imperial is focused on reducing smoking rates to below 5% by 2035. But to do that adult smokers need a world where harm reduction is understood and supported. "For years, nicotine has been misunderstood, largely because its use was predominantly through the act of cigarette smoking." said Frank Silva, President and CEO of Imperial. "We need people to understand that nicotine, while addictive, does not cause cancer and is not the cause of smoking related diseases. By offering adult smokers access to less harmful alternatives that deliver nicotine without combustion, we can, in fact, significantly reduce the health impact on the Canadian Society." To that end, and to demonstrate our seriousness about reducing smoking in Canada, Imperial became the first company, in 2023, to launch a Health Canada approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) product in the form of a nicotine pouch, called ZONNIC, to help smokers quit. A product that shortly after its introduction, was pulled from shelves by an unprecedented Ministerial Order and put behind the counter at pharmacies. "Restricting access to a Health Canada approved cessation tool contradicts the fundamental principle of harm reduction," said Silva. "ZONNIC was licensed by Health Canada following a three-year approval process and is now held to stricter standards than all other similar NRTs like gums and lozenges. The evidence shows that if you want to help smokers quit, make cessation alternatives available where cigarettes are sold. The discrimination of the Ministerial Order has now created two major public health issues. It has reduced the amount of time pharmacists have to provide front-line care for all Canadians. It has created another flourishing illegal nicotine market in Canada, where unregulated and unsafe products are available with zero regulatory oversight and underage prevention. Both seriously undermining public health progress. On this World No Tobacco Day, Imperial is committed to unmask the myths and the rhetoric by focusing on the irrefutable weight of evidence from leading health organizations around the world. "The only way we can truly help adults quit, is by embracing harm reduction and making approved products such as ZONNIC available where smokers buy their cigarettes." Silva concluded. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Japan, that have embraced this opportunity and implemented supportive policies are now recording the lowest smoking rates in their history. Imperial supports efforts to ensure that safer choices are available to those who need them. A smokeless Canada is possible, but only if we embrace the full range of solutions available. About Imperial Tobacco Canada Imperial Tobacco Canada is the leading tobacco and nicotine company in Canada, part of the global BAT group. Our mission at BAT is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by promoting a Smokeless World. We envision a future where smokeless products replace cigarettes, encouraging smokers to make a Switch to Better. Imperial is committed to advancing THR through transparency, innovation, and collaboration. One such initiative is Omni™, a platform developed by our parent company BAT, to support education and stakeholder engagement around THR. Omni™ serves as a dynamic resource for those working toward a smoke-free future.

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