Health minister slams nicotine pouches, tobacco company alleges defamation – National | 24CA News
One of Canada’s largest tobacco corporations is alleging the federal well being minister has defamed it.
On Thursday, Mark Holland slammed tobacco corporations’ advertising and marketing of nicotine pouches, saying the businesses evaded rules “in a very Machiavellian way, a very dark way” to promote tobacco.
“It would seem that their intention is to addict new young people to nicotine, which is disgusting,” he stated, mentioning the pouch flavours.
“Stop it. Stop targeting our kids, stop going after them with such a deadly product.”
Holland didn’t point out particular corporations however Health Canada has solely authorised Imperial Tobacco Canada’s nicotine pouches.
In an announcement launched on Friday, Imperial Tobacco Canada known as Holland “misinformed” and stated nicotine pouches are a “new smoking cessation product.”
“Defaming a legal company about a product that was recently authorized for sale by his ministry is not worthy of a Canadian Health minister – even one whose background is as an anti-tobacco lobbyist,” the assertion learn. Holland was as soon as the chief director of the Health and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Ontario chapter.
Imperial Tobacco Canada’s father or mother firm British American Tobacco made greater than $15 million final 12 months, in line with its 2022 annual report.
Health Canada authorised Imperial Tobacco’s flavoured nicotine pouches, known as Zonnic, on the market on Oct. 12. The firm’s press launch stated the product may assist people who smoke stop by delivering nicotine to the physique.
Users place the pouches, which don’t have tobacco leaves, between their higher lip and gum.
A 2023 article in a British medical journal notes there’s little in depth analysis and so it’s arduous to “evaluate the absolute health effects of these specific products.”
Experts warn the flavours may appeal to younger individuals – which may trigger disastrous well being penalties.
“Waiting for a whole generation to use these products before we have available epidemiology is not useful,” Cynthia Callard, govt director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, stated in November.
Imperial Tobacco’s assertion on Friday stated the minister and Imperial Tobacco have the identical purpose of lowering smoking charges.
Global News requested if the minister accepted the tobacco firm’s defamation claims. His workplace responded by saying “smoking cessation products are important, evidence-based tools for people who want to quit smoking.”
Holland stated on Thursday that Imperial Tobacco evaded rules in getting the pouches authorised. He was apologetic and stated Health Canada will take a rigorous take a look at its overview processes: “We were duped.”
Global News requested Imperial Tobacco if it was making ready authorized motion in opposition to Holland. The firm didn’t instantly reply however stated it was “eager to collaborate with the Minister” to assist educate Canadians about its merchandise, including it will welcome an apology from Holland.
“Neither the Minister nor anyone else is entitled to spread misinformation on our products or our company; this is something we will always defend,” the corporate stated within the assertion to Global News Friday.
“What we want is for the Minister to take the time to understand the product and our position as well as to think of the millions of Canadians who still smoke and who deserve a smoking cessation product that might actually help them quit.”
— with recordsdata from Katie Dangerfield and Sean Boynton
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
