BRITISH COLUMBIA MAKES IT HARDER FOR SMOKERS TO QUIT

Imperial Tobacco Canada responds to restriction of ZONNIC sales in British Columbia

MONTREAL, Feb. 7, 2024 /CNW/ - Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN) firmly agrees that minors should not be able to purchase nicotine products. That said, the company is extremely disappointed that the Government of British Columbia is making it more difficult for smokers to access a product that can help them quit smoking.

"Let me be clear, we agree that kids should not be able to purchase ZONNIC or any product that contains nicotine. Claiming that youth can access ZONNIC in BC is completely inaccurate. We have gone above and beyond ensuring the product is behind the counter in convenience stores and gas stations and is sold after proper age-verification," said Eric Gagnon, Vice-President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada.

It is unfortunate that the Government of British Columbia is making smoking cessation more difficult for adult smokers by limiting the places that ZONNIC can be purchased. ZONNIC, a product that has been authorized for sale by Health Canada as a natural health product after a two-year review, is designed explicitly to aid adults in their journey to quit smoking.

"It is mindboggling that the only cessation product in BC that is currently stored behind the counter in convenience stores with retailers requiring age-verification is being targeted by today's announcement," said Mr. Gagnon. "If today's announcement was truly about protecting youth against nicotine, we question why Premier Eby isn't putting the same restrictions on the other cessation products that contain nicotine and are available over the counter without proof-of-age," said Mr. Gagnon.

In addition, if Premier Eby is so concerned about youth getting access to nicotine products, he should focus his efforts on websites that are selling illegal nicotine pouches in the province. "We urge the Government of British Columbia to reconsider this decision immediately as health policy should not be driven by anti-tobacco lobbyists who oppose everything we do," said Mr. Gagnon. "ZONNIC has the potential to support the government of British Columbia's objective of reducing smoking incidence and this should not be prevented only because we also sell cigarettes," he concluded.

About Imperial Tobacco Canada
Imperial Tobacco Canada is Canada's leading tobacco and vaping products company and is part of the world's most international tobacco group: BAT. BAT is a global multi-category consumer goods business, operating in over 180 markets. Our vision is to build A Better Tomorrowtm by reducing the health impact of our business through offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less risky products for our consumers.

SOURCE Imperial Tobacco Canada