Cigarettes in Canada get a new look to help deter smoking
Taking the warning from just the box, cigarettes in Canada now advertise a pointed message.
“It’s going to reach smokers, but also for youth who may experiment by obtaining a cigarette from a friend, they may not see that health warning on the package, but they’re going to see the health warning right on the cigarette,” said Canadian Cancer Society senior policy analyst, Rob Cunningham.
Written in both English and French, smokers will now find one of six warnings stamped on each filter including:
- tobacco smoke harms children
- cigarettes cause cancer
- cigarettes cause impotence
- cigarettes cause leukemia
- poison in every puff
- cigarettes damage your organs
“It’s going to make the cigarette less attractive, less cool for kids with their peer group and also many kids discourage their parents from smoking, urge them to quit and so these cigarette butts, in an ash tray, with the warnings will provide more information for kids when they have those discussions with their parents,” said Cunningham.
The new warning labels come into effect in stages across Canada.
Tobacco manufactures had until April 30 to ensure every king-size cigarette produced has the new health warning and by January 31, 2025, all regular-size cigarettes produced need them.
As for retailers, they have a bit more time. King-size cigarettes without the new labels can still be sold until July 31 and regular-size cigarettes without the new labels can be sold until April 30, 2025.
However, those familiar with tobacco aren’t convinced these new regulations are going to make a difference for everyone.
“For kids, it probably would be a good deterrent,” said Nathalie Lemire.
“For me, I’ve been a smoker since I was 12, sadly. I’ve made several attempts to quit smoking for my health and I’m still smoking at 48, so those messages for me have not clued in and probably never will.”
She says, while the new images and messages won’t work for her, she did notice them.
“I was in the hospital for a long time, going back into the stores and asking for a pack of cigarettes and seeing one of them was like a preemie baby and I just kind of looked twice like, ‘Oh my god.’ They’re more disturbing than they used to be because we got used to the pictures of the lungs or the emphysema or the guy with a hole in his throat, I remember that from years ago,” she said.
“They’re disturbing. They may work for some people, for me it won't. For kids, I think deterring the kids from smoking, if I could have done that as a child, I wouldn’t be smoking now probably.”
Liam Berry hasn’t seen the new packaging yet since he quit smoking tobacco cigarettes, but he still isn’t convinced they will be effective, especially because tobacco products have always had warnings and they never deterred him in the past.
“I don’t know if it’s worth the time, it’s not probably worth the money that goes into it,” he said.
“I can understand the need for that. They’re just trying to make some type of deterrent for it, it makes sense that people are informed, but I didn’t care when I was smoking tobacco cigarettes.”
These new rules came into effect on August 1, 2023, making Canada the first country in the world to require companies to print a warning on each individual cigarette.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, more than 45,000 Canadian deaths are due to smoking tobacco each year and about 75 per cent of lung cancer deaths are due to smoking tobacco across the country.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers have rested their defence in the former U.S. president's New York hush money trial, bringing the case one step closer to final arguments.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Independent stores and grocery alternatives see sales boost amid Loblaw boycott
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.
London judge rejects Prince Harry's bid to add allegations against Rupert Murdoch in tabloid lawsuit
Prince Harry can't expand his privacy lawsuit against The Sun tabloid publisher to include allegations that Rupert Murdoch and some other executives were part of an effort to conceal and destroy evidence of unlawful information gathering, a London judge ruled Tuesday.