A fresh set of Health Canada regulations that require warning labels on individual cigarettes is set to come into effect Tuesday.
The move, announced earlier this year, makes Canada the first country in the world to take that step in the ongoing effort to help smokers kick the habit and deter potential puffers from picking it up.
The wording on every cigarette, written in English and French on the paper around the filter, ranges from warnings about harming children and damaging organs to causing impotence and leukemia. 害羞草研究所淧oison in every puff,害羞草研究所� cautions one.
The labels will dissuade teens leaning toward taking up the habit and push nicotine-dependent parents looking to fight it, predicted Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society.
害羞草研究所淔or youth who experiment by 害羞草研究所榖orrowing害羞草研究所� a cigarette from a friend, it害羞草研究所檚 going to mean they will see the cigarettes 害羞草研究所� even if they may not see the package 害羞草研究所� where the warnings appear,害羞草研究所� he said in a telephone interview. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to prompt discussion, including by smokers during smoke breaks: 害羞草研究所榃hat warning have you got today?害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淥ften it害羞草研究所檚 kids who are urging their parents to quit, and this provides new information and messaging,害羞草研究所� Cunningham said.
Dozens of studies in Canada and elsewhere show the effectiveness of printing warnings on each cigarette, he noted.
Tobacco use continues to be one of Canada害羞草研究所檚 most significant public health problems and is the country害羞草研究所檚 leading preventable cause of disease and premature death, then-health minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a May 31 statement announcing the new warning labels.
Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship are banned in Canada and warnings on cigarette packs have existed since 1972.
In 2001, Canada became the first country to require tobacco companies to print pictorial warnings on the outside of cigarette packages and include inserts with health-promoting messages.
More than 130 countries have followed suit, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Not all smokers view the escalating warnings favourably.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think that will really change much. A lot of people will continue to smoke,害羞草研究所� said Giovany Lincourt. 害羞草研究所淲hen I see a photo of a black lung, it hits me, but I still continue because it害羞草研究所檚 a bad habit.害羞草研究所�
The 40-year-old Montrealer, who sampled his first cigarette at age 16, said still higher taxes would make a better deterrent. A pack of 25 typically costs between $11 and $16, depending on the brand and province.
害羞草研究所淚t hurts the wallet, because it costs $400, $500 a month,害羞草研究所� Lincourt said.
Organizations funded by tobacco companies have opposed the push toward stronger messaging, including the latest step.
The National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco warned in June that cheaper, colourful black-market packs free of health warnings 害羞草研究所� federal rules ban packaging that includes brand colours or trademarks 害羞草研究所� attract young smokers and funnel more money to organized crime.
Much of the coalition害羞草研究所檚 funding comes from the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers Council, made up of three of the biggest cigarette companies active in Canada: Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc., Imperial Tobacco Canada and JTI-Macdonald Corp.
While big tax hikes or outright sales bans would indeed benefit the black market, gradual price boosts and more strident messaging can bring down smoking rates, Cunningham said.
害羞草研究所淭he only real reason that they can oppose something is because it害羞草研究所檚 going to have a reduction in sales 害羞草研究所� and that is exactly the point,害羞草研究所� he said of the manufacturers.
King-size cigarettes will be the first to feature the warnings and will be sold in stores by the end of July 2024, followed by regular-size cigarettes and little cigars with tipping paper and tubes by the end of April 2025, Health Canada said in May. Blunt statements, including 害羞草研究所淭obacco smoke harms children害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淐igarettes cause cancer,害羞草研究所� will be among the first six messages.
A second set of six is expected to be printed on cigarettes in 2026.
The Canadian Cancer Society and other advocacy groups are calling for a comprehensive strategy of beefed-up taxation, legislation and programming to bring down smoking rates 害羞草研究所� Health Canada害羞草研究所檚 goal is less than five per cent of the 15-plus population by 2035. Price promotions and flavoured products 害羞草研究所� allowed in some provinces 害羞草研究所� should be banned, Cunningham said.
In May, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Association and the Heart and Stroke Foundation published an open letter to premiers of all 10 provinces saying they should push for efforts to reduce smoking during settlement negotiations with three major tobacco companies that they sued years ago to recoup health-care costs.
Provinces are collectively seeking $500 billion in damages, and the three advocacy groups said at least 10 per cent of the money from a settlement should go toward smoking cessation efforts.
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