Photo Credit: Zonnic

By Sam Bennison

To Your Health

Zonnic put behind pharmacy counter to prevent a new vaping-style epidemic

Feb 20, 2024 | 12:18 PM

PRINCE GEORGE—Flavoured nicotine pouches like Zonnic were approved federally last year to help people quit smoking. However, as concerns began to grow that young people were accessing the products the Province put them behind the pharmacy counter.

“What we were hearing, especially from people such as school counselors, addiction workers, teachers, that these things (nicotine pouches) were showing up at different places and being used especially by young people,” explains Adrian Dix, B.C. minister of health.

Dix continues stating that the new legislation is a preventative measure to counter the problems that arose with flavoured vapes in 2016.

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“One of the things that happened around vaping that we didn’t want to happen in the case of these nicotine pouch products, of which Zonnic is one, but there are others, was suddenly develop a problem before we take an action,” says Dix.

These products are healthier than traditional smoking and have been shown to work for people looking to curb their nicotine addiction but for people under the age of 25 nicotine can effect their brain development specifically when it comes to regulating mood, learning, controlling attention, and impulse control.

The government does claim that the product appears to be marketed to children with their bright packaging, advertisements, and flavours. However Imperial Tobacco, the makers of Zonnic, asserts that it only markets and sells their products to adults.

If you would like to quit smoking you can join a smoking cessation program through Quitnow.ca.

“Individuals that may be addicted to commercial tobacco products or vapor products can definitely reach out,” says Lindsay Willoner, regional nursing lead, Legal Substances. “there’s cessation supports, like nicotine replacement therapies or behavioral counseling that can help people be two to three times more likely to quit or limit their consumption, whatever their end journey is.”

Youth who are addicted have access to the smoking cessation programs.

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Email: sam.bennison@pattisonmedia.com