SEMAINE POUR UN QUÉBEC SANS TABAC: LET'S REDEFINE THE TOBACCO CONTROL STRATEGY TOGETHER
Acceptance of innovative smoking cessation tools is key to helping reduce smoking rates in Quebec.
MONTREAL, Jan. 18, 2024 /CNW/ - In recognition of the annual Semaine pour un Québec sans tabac, Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN) is asking Quebec's anti-tobacco lobby groups to reconsider their approach to smoke-free products and recognize the role these products play in effectively helping smokers switch to less harmful alternatives.
"The acceptance of less risky alternatives to cigarettes have proven their potential to make a real difference,'' said Eric Gagnon, Vice-President Corporate and Regulatory Affairs of Imperial Tobacco Canada. "We're doing our part by offering a portfolio of less risky products to smokers who want to quit, but we're constantly hitting a brick wall."
Every industry evolves. Fast food has put healthier meals on their menu, automobile manufacturers are marketing green cars, and ITCAN is now commercializing a cessation product.
The tobacco control community in Quebec is stuck in the past. They reject new ideas and innovative less harmful products. In the last year, they successfully obtained a ban of all vaping flavours in Quebec. This is despite clear evidence that vaping products are an effective tool to help adult smokers quit smoking, and the crucial role that flavours play in making this switch.
The consequences of this ban are extremely worrisome. Since the ban came into force, the Quebec vapour market has turned into the Wild West. As clearly demonstrated by recent media reports, retailers are circumventing the laws by offering mix-your-own flavour shots which poses serious risks to consumers. Online sales of illegal flavoured products in Quebec have also skyrocketed. The need for enforcement is crucial, otherwise the intention of the law, which is to protect youth, will fail and many unintended consequences will continue to emerge.
The same groups also have been very vocal about ITCAN's new cessation product that was recently authorized for sale by Health Canada and is already helping many Canadians in their quitting journey. Their recent actions seem to be driven by a one-track-minded anti-industry approach versus one that has the benefit of public health at its core.
"If we truly want to reduce smoking rates in Quebec, working together will yield better results than continuously rejecting innovation and advancement. It's time for them to join us in 2024 and recognize that a tobacco company can also play a role in reducing smoking," said Mr. Gagnon. "We all agree that we have to keep tobacco and nicotine products out of the hands of youth. Reducing the number of smoke-free alternatives available on the market will not reduce smoking rates in Quebec. Let's face it, if anti-smoking organizations worked with us instead of against us, the Semaine pour un Québec sans tabac might soon no longer be required."
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.
Our strong foundations, together with our capacity for cutting-edge innovation, are a platform for us to build more sustainable products for our adult consumers, and a more sustainable business for our colleagues, shareholders, and communities.
SOURCE Imperial Tobacco Canada
News published on and distributed by:
