Mark Holland says he wants to immediately close loopholes for nicotine replacement products like Zonnic
Canada’s health minister says he’ll seek extra authority to restrict the marketing and sale of flavoured nicotine pouches to youth, but it’s unclear exactly how he’ll do that or how quickly it will happen.
“To the tobacco companies that continue to look for ways to use loopholes to addict people to their products: Get away. Stay the hell away from our kids,” Mark Holland said while speaking to reporters in the House of Commons Wednesday.
Health Canada has also announced it will “explore legislation and regulatory options” to protect youth from the risks of nicotine replacement therapies, including pouches.
The department released a public advisory on Wednesday warning Canadians about their misuse, saying the amount of nicotine each pouch contains is usually recommended for adults who smoke 25 or more cigarettes a day.
The measures come five months after a group of national health organizations urged Ottawa to act swiftly to prevent the products from ending up in the hands of teenagers.