Canada seeks input to further reduce tobacco use
by CM staff
The second review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act seeks to assess the federal legislative response to tobacco use in Canada.
OTTAWA — The Government of Canada is committed to reducing the number of people in Canada who smoke cigarettes and use other tobacco products to less than 5 per cent of the population by 2035. Public consultations are being launched to inform the second legislative review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA).
This review of the Act’s tobacco-related provisions and operation will help to better understand how these measures can further reduce smoking in Canada. It complements the first review which focused on vaping and was tabled in Parliament in December 2022.
The review is guided in part by a discussion paper that examines the following topics:
- tobacco use in Canada;
- addressing enticements to use tobacco;
- monitoring the tobacco market;
- youth access to tobacco;
- public awareness of tobacco-related health risks;
- compliance, enforcement, and regulated parties; and
- engaging with Indigenous Peoples.
The Government of Canada is hoping to hear from a wide range of voices including health professionals, public health advocates, Indigenous peoples and people who smoke or have smoked to help inform the second legislative review of the Act.
The Government of Canada is working to address findings from the first legislative review of the TVPA, including by recently introducing Vaping Products Reporting Regulations that will help improve our understanding of the vaping product market. Together, the information gathered through these reviews will help establish a baseline assessment of the Act and further track progress towards reducing tobacco use in Canada.
Feedback on the TVPA’s tobacco-related measures can be submitted by emailing legislativereviewtvpa.revisionlegislativeltpv@hc-sc.gc.ca until November 3.
“More than 46,000 people in Canada die because of tobacco use every year; one Canadian every 11 minutes,” said Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health. “These are our friends, family members, and neighbours. Despite a decline in smoking numbers, we still have work to do, and we must do everything we can towards making Canada smoke-free. By sharing your feedback on our approach, you will help us save lives. I look forward to hearing from you.”
