Canada, in a world first, proposes health warnings on individual cigarettes (updated)

JAPAN TOBACCO

10/06/2022 21:53

(New throughout, adds details and reaction)
    OTTAWA, June 10 (Reuters) - Canada is proposing that written
health warnings be printed on individual cigarettes, the first
country in the world to do so, a federal minister said on
Friday.
    In 2001, Canada broke new ground globally by requiring
picture warnings on cigarette packages. Mental Health and
Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett said the measure had become
stale for the 13% of Canadians who smoke regularly. 
    "Adding health warnings on individual tobacco products will
help ensure that these essential messages reach people,
including the youth, who often access cigarettes one at a time
in social situations sidestepping the information printed on a
package," she told a news conference.    
    Despite decades of efforts, tobacco use remains the leading
preventable cause of illness and premature death in Canada,
killing approximately 48,000 people each year, Ottawa said in a
statement.
    A 75-day public consultation period will start on June 11
and this will inform the development of the proposed new
regulations, it added.
    Other steps include extending the existing list of health
risks printed on cigarette packs.
    Rob Cunningham of the Canadian Cancer Society said the
measures should be implemented as soon as possible.
    "A warning on every cigarette simply cannot be ignored,
especially considering that there are more than 20 billion
cigarettes sold each year in Canada," he said in a statement. 
    The major vendors of tobacco products in Canada are
subsidiaries of British American Tobacco PLC  BATS.L , Philip
Morris International  PM.N  and Japan Tobacco Inc  2914.T .
    None of the three companies were immediately available for
comment.

 (Reporting by Ismail Shakil and David Ljunggren in Ottawa;
Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((ismail.shakil@tr.com; ; Tweet @ismail___s;))