Photo Credit: Canadian Cancer Society
To Your Health

Health Canada now requires warning labels on every cigarette

May 14, 2024 | 2:16 PM

PRINCE GEORGE— Poison in every puff, Cigarettes damage your organs, Tabacco smoke harms children. These are some of the health warnings being added to every single cigarette to deter those first picking up a cigarette and to convince those to put down their last.

Part of the reasoning behind the legislation is packaging is to ensure a conversation between parents and their children.

“If children aren’t the ones that are carrying the package or have access to the health warnings and pictorial pictures that are on the package, this new piece of legislation on every cigarette will now prompt those conversations for youth and young adults that may be experimenting or have access to a cigarette,” says Lindsay Willoner, a regional nursing lead for legal substances at Northern Health.

According to the B.C. youth adolescent survey smoking rates in youth are down to 15 per cent. However 26 per cent of the youth have vaped which is why Willoner thinks adding similar labels to vaping could help reduce that number.

“We know that vaping is not harmless and it’s intended for adult consumers,” explains Willoner. “Individuals have the right to know the potential risks and dependance associated with vapor use. So, by having clear health warnings and messaging in place ahead of time, it does help individuals make that informed decision about their health and what they’re wanting to engage with.”

The legislation will take full effect in April 2025.

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Email: sam.bennison@pattisonmedia.com

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