Tobacco companies will be forced to add warning labels to individual cigarettes as part of a new proposal designed to discourage smoking, Mental Health and Addiction Secretary Carolyn Bennett said on Friday. “Poison in every puff” is one of the suggested warnings that should appear on individual cigarettes. The move will make Canada the first country in the world to impose warning labels on individual cigarettes, a move that has been hailed by experts as a smoking cessation as an important step in reducing tobacco use in Canada. “This kind of warning obviously attracts attention and will reinforce people’s decision to do something about their nicotine addiction,” said Andrew Pipe, a clinical scientist at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and former president of the Heart and Brain Foundation. Putting a warning on individual cigarettes is also an important way to ensure young people see the message, as they often start borrowing a cigarette from an older sibling or friend and may not see graphic warning labels on the packaging, Rob Cunningham said. Senior Policy Analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society. “These messages will reach every smoker with every puff,” Mr Cunningham said. Other changes proposed by the government include new graphic warning labels on packages that will be rotated over time to maintain innovation and effectiveness, and a new warning label on the side of packages containing information on the toxic components of cigarettes. The new federal proposals are open for a consultation period, after which they could be changed to reflect what was heard during that period. The final regulations are expected to be published early next year. Canada was the first country to introduce graphic warning labels on cigarette packs in 2001. In 2019, the federal government also enacted new simple packaging rules that prohibit tobacco companies from using logos, images or brand colors on packages. Smoking rates have dropped significantly in recent decades, mainly due to warning labels and a number of other public health measures and awareness campaigns. According to the Statistics Canada, current smoking rates were 13 percent in 2020, the lowest ever reported. In 1965, the smoking rate was about 50 percent. However, tobacco remains the leading cause of death, with nearly 50,000 Canadians dying each year as a result of smoking-related illness. And tens of thousands more live with debilitating chronic diseases. So more work needs to be done, Dr. Pipe said, such as trying to recoup health care costs from the tobacco industry. Mr Cunningham said the government should continue this work, creating a comprehensive tobacco control strategy that could include further restrictions on tobacco promotion and higher taxes, among other measures. The Morning and Afternoon Newsletters are compiled by Globe editors, giving you a brief overview of the day’s most important headlines. Register today.
