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Canadians should know all of their options.
The best option is always to quit nicotine and tobacco use altogether, but smokers who choose not to quit deserve to know that alternatives exist.
Smoke-free products – such as heated tobacco products, vapes and oral nicotine products – provide nicotine, but do not burn tobacco and therefore do not generate smoke or ash. They are alternatives to cigarettes for adults who would otherwise continue smoking.
They still contain nicotine and are addictive, but, for those adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke, smoke-free alternatives provide an option that does not involve combustion – or “burning” – like smoking a cigarette does.
This eliminates the inhalation of smoke, and as a result, has the potential to significantly reduce the levels of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals caused by combustion.
Right now, Canadians are not well informed about the alternatives to smoking that are available because our laws don’t allow them to have access to information about these options or to distinguish the relative risks of one product to another. Too few Canadians know that nicotine is not the primary cause of smoking related diseases. Why is Canada lagging behind other countries instead of being a leader in helping adults leave cigarettes behind for good?
Smokers deserve better
Smoke-free alternatives offer an opportunity to move millions of smokers away from cigarettes, faster.
Our governments are there to create regulations and put people first.
Canadian adult smokers deserve access to accurate information to ensure they have the best available scientific information on all nicotine products such as heated tobacco, vaping, and nicotine pouches so they can make a fully informed choice based on the relative risk level of each product versus continued smoking.
Over ¾ of adults feel that smokers who don’t quit should have access to and information about better alternatives to continued smoking.
Over ¾ of adults feel that smokers who don’t quit should have access to and information about better alternatives to continued smoking.
62% of adult smokers said they would be more likely to switch to a better alternative if they knew why they were better than continued smoking.
62% of adult smokers said they would be more likely to switch to a better alternative if they knew why they were better than continued smoking.
Around ¾ of nicotine users believe their views should be considered when it comes to tobacco and nicotine regulations.
Around ¾ of nicotine users believe their views should be considered when it comes to tobacco and nicotine regulations.
72% think governments need to consider the role of smoke-free alternatives in making their country smoke-free.
72% think governments need to consider the role of smoke-free alternatives in making their country smoke-free.
READ MORE
A burning cigarette releases over 6,000 chemicals, many are harmful. What happens if you remove the burning?
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Nicotine is addictive and one of the reasons why people smoke, alongside factors like taste and ritual, but it is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases.
READ MORE
Smoke-free products are very different to cigarettes: they don’t burn, there’s no, or less, smell and no ash.
SEE THE STORIES
The world is Unsmoking. See how.
Povaddo conducted this online survey on behalf of PMI between Feb. 5 and 23, 2022. The survey was fielded among 44,622 general population adults aged 21 and older in 22 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States.
Regulations
Smoke-free products are intended only for current adult smokers, and it is RBH’s position that no tobacco or nicotine-containing product should ever be in the hands of a non-legal age Canadian or an adult that isn’t currently smoking or using other nicotine products.
A smoke-free future is a shared responsibility. Health Canada has started to acknowledge that not all nicotine products are the same and can play a role in helping adult smokers — Health Canada indicates that “switching completely to vaping nicotine is less harmful than continuing to smoke” — but regulations fall short of recognizing and properly regulating other smoke-free alternatives such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches.
More action needs to be taken for Health Canada to reach its tobacco reduction target. Governments must help adult smokers by openly recognizing the harm reduction potential of smoke-free products and modernizing Canadian legislation.
WHAT IS THE TOBACCO AND VAPING PRODUCTS ACT
AND WHY SHOULD IT MATTER TO YOU?
The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) is the piece of legislation that governs the use of tobacco and vaping products in Canada. But it doesn't only govern their use– it also governs their labeling, sale, and promotion. It has a direct impact on Canadian consumers and their ability to access information about tobacco and vaping products.
Because of this, the TVPA is a key piece of legislation. And right now, it falls short of recognizing and properly regulating other smoke-free alternatives such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches.
At Unsmoke, we believe that adult consumers in Canada should have access to information about their options, which would allow them to make informed decisions.
Governments can accelerate change in three key ways:
- Legalize access to accurate information to ensure that adult smokers have the best available scientific information through comparative statements on all nicotine products such as heated tobacco, vaping, and nicotine pouches so they can make a fully informed choice based on the relative risk level of each product versus continued smoking.
- Update Canada’s Tobacco and Vaping Products Regulations to account for new innovations and differing risk levels between cigarettes and smoke-free products. Regulations should differentiate cigarettes (combustible products) from smoke-free products (non-combustible products such as heated tobacco, vaping products and nicotine pouches) instead of regulating as tobacco or non-tobacco products, as is currently the case.
- Create a registration standard and notification process for new smoke-free products to ensure that only those that are scientifically substantiated and intended for adult smokers can enter the market. This will encourage continued innovation for smoke-free products, while helping to protect youth and non-nicotine users against initiation.
