Canada Implements New Regulations for Nicotine Pouches
Montreal, QC – The Government of Canada has announced significant changes to the regulations governing the sale of nicotine pouches that will reduce access points for Canadian smokers, reduce flavours and change packaging. Effective on August 28th, all nicotine pouch products will be required to be sold exclusively behind pharmacy counters, ensuring tighter control and supervision of these products. GN Canada understands the importance of keeping nicotine products out of the hands of youth but also values reduced risk products and their purpose.
As our products are Traditional SNUS and White SNUS, manufactured in Sweden where national smoking rates have dipped below 4%, GN Canada takes pride in distributing a pouch product that abides by regulations set forth in the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act.
Canadian Smokers need and deserve an alternative when NRT products are not efficient. Over 40,000 smokers die annually due to tobacco death and disease. With a pragmatic approach we can work with regulators in obtaining the national strategy of 5% of smokers by 2035. Robust regulatory actions against products that have the potential to reduce harm and lower smoking rates may be needed, however, it must be done properly. With a reduction in access points and the removal of online sales it removes the ability of many Canadians in obtaining harm reduction products.
Our SNUS products are available across the country in locations that can sell tobacco products, Canadians can access them freely whether they are getting gas, a snack, or while grocery shopping on the way home from work. Canada can look at what Sweden has done and succeeded in with reducing death and disease from combustible tobacco products and allow for products that have the ability to reduce these harms more readily available.
GN Canada supports the addition of an age requirement of 18 when purchasing nicotine products and understands the importance of health warnings that denote the addictive nature of nicotine. We believe that all Canadians deserve to make an informed decision when choosing a product that will navigate them away from combustible cigarettes.
We are available to discuss the measures Sweden has taken to reduce smoking prevalence and invite Health Canada and their team to learn more about SNUS and how it can be used in Canada to reach their goal of 5% of smokers by 2035.
Meshaila Sinnis
Director of Operations and Regulatory Affairs
GN Canada
meshaila @ gn-canada.com