These labels would be printed on the tipping paper of individual cigarettes, small cigars, tubes, and other tobacco products, which is the outermost paper of the filter section. The instructions would be written in both English and French.
Digital Desk: Canada has issued a legislation that will soon
mandate health warnings to be put on individual cigarettes, making it the first
country to do so as it tries to cut tobacco smoking to less than 5% by 2035.
"Tobacco smoke harms children." "Cigarettes cause
leukaemia." "Poison is in every puff."- Such health warnings
would soon be posted on every cigarette sold in Canada.
"The new Tobacco Products Appearance, Packaging, and Labelling
Regulations will be part of the Government of Canada's continued efforts to
help adults who smoke quit, protect youth and non-tobacco users from nicotine
addiction, and further reduce the appeal of tobacco," Canadian health
officials said in a news release on Wednesday.
These labels would be printed
on the tipping paper of individual cigarettes, small cigars, tubes, and other
tobacco products, which is the outermost paper of the filter section. The
instructions would be written in both English and French.
Can be used to discourage
smoking
Officials feel that such a
programme would make it practically impossible for smokers to disregard health
warnings.
"The new Tobacco
Products Appearance, Packaging, and Labelling Regulations will be part of the
Government of Canada's ongoing efforts to help adults who smoke quit, protect
youth and non-tobacco users from nicotine addiction, and further reduce the appeal
of tobacco," the statement read.
The new restrictions would go into force on
August 1, but the official stated that they will be implemented in stages.
Retailers selling tobacco product packages
must include the new warnings by the end of April 2024; king-size cigarettes
must include the warnings by the end of July 2024, followed by regular-sized
cigarettes and other products by the end of April 2025, according to the news
release.
A welcome move
The move was applauded by health organisations such as the
Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Lung Association, and Heart and Stroke
Foundation, among others.
"It's going to mean that there's going to be a warning with
every cigarette, every puff, and it's going to be there during every smoke
break," Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer
Society, told CTV News Channel.
The three national health organisations released an open
statement on Monday urging Canada's premiers to fight for smoking-reduction
efforts amid settlement negotiations with big tobacco corporations.
