Canada is about to become the first country in the world to demand that a warning be printed on every cigarette.
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett said the measure is aimed at reaching more people, including young people, who often share cigarettes and can’t find the packaging.
A 75-day consultation period will begin on Saturday.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada welcomed the new requirements and said there was strong evidence to suggest that the messages about tobacco products have had an impact on reducing consumption.
TARGET | Liberals propose stricter regulations on tobacco products:
Liberals are proposing stricter regulations on tobacco products
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Carolyn Bennett announces proposed measures to strengthen regulations on tobacco products.
“Canada will now have the strongest health warning system for cigarettes in the world,” the foundation’s CEO, Doug Roth, said in a statement.
“These are deadly products, and these measures will help further reduce their appeal to young people and non-smokers, as well as support current smokers in their efforts to quit smoking.”
Bennett also revealed extended warnings for cigarette packs that include a longer list of health effects on smoking.
Canada has required photographic warnings since the turn of the millennium, but the images have not been updated in a decade.
Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst with the Canadian Cancer Society, noted that Canada also set a precedent in demanding photo warnings, with other countries following suit.
He said he hoped the warnings printed on his own cigarettes would also be extended internationally.