Canada: Government of Canada Acts to Strengthen and Enlarge Health Warnings on Cigarette and Little Cigar Packages..

Health Minister Aglukkaq..

February 20, 2011 - On Friday February 18, 2011, the Canadian Department of Health released the full proposed set of 16 exterior health warnings, 8 interior messages, as well as 4 side panel toxic emission messages.

Background:
January 1, 2011 - Canada - warning labels on cigarette packs about to get bigger and more graphic. Canada's national Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq announced new warnings for Canada that would cover 75% of the front and back of cigarette packages. Four of the new warnings were released;

December 14, 2010 - Canada - federal govt will be releasing new warning labels by mid-January..;

December 9, 2010 - Canada - federal govt health minister, "not in bed with big tobacco..";

December 8, 2010 - Canada - millions lost in revamping cigarettes graphic warnings..;

October 28, 2010 - Canada - c-store association applauds move by govt to focus on nation's tobacco contraband problem..;

September 28, 2010 - Canada - Health Canada shelves update of graphic warning messages to concentrate on the problem of contraband tobacco..;

August 15, 2010 - Health Canada - why delay in new round of cigarette pack pictorial warnings??;

Canada in 2001 became the first country to introduce pictorial warnings warnings on tobacco packages. We reported in September 2009 that approximately nine years later Health Canada is in the process of revising these health warnings. See news brief: Graphic Warnings cigarette packs: Canada revising warnings, U.S. pictorial warnings within 4-years..

Fact Sheet: Stronger health warning messages on cigarette and little cigar packages

"The Government of Canada is moving forward on its commitment to introduce proposed new labelling requirements for cigarette and little cigar packages," said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health. "The proposed new health warnings are designed to better communicate health risks, provoke greater emotional response, and further motivate tobacco users to quit."

The proposed regulations contain new requirements for cigarette and little cigar packages sold in Canada. Key features of the proposed regulations were originally announced by Minister Aglukkaq on December 30th. They include:

* 16 new graphic health warning messages covering 75% of the front and back of cigarette and little cigar packaging;
* 8 new health information messages on the inside of the pack that are enhanced with colour and graphics;
* subject to provincial and territorial agreement, a new, pan-Canadian quitline number and web portal to inform tobacco users about the availability of smoking cessation services; and
* 4 easier-to-understand toxic emissions statements.

One individual in particular who will be featured on a warning label is Barb Tarbox..

The new health warning messages highlight a new set of tobacco-related diseases and, for the first time, present compelling stories and "testimonials" from people who have been affected by tobacco use.

Health Canada - Proposed New Messages..

There is a 75 day consultation period that ends May 5, 2011 for the draft regulations and proposed messages. The draft regulations provide that the new warnings would be required on packages at the manufacturer/importer/distributor level on Dec. 28, 2011, and at the retailer level March 30, 2012.

Aspects of the new Canadian warning system can be found in the Reference below.

References: Government of Canada Acts to Strengthen and Enlarge Health Warnings on Cigarette and Little Cigar Packages, News Release 2011-27, 2/18/2011; Canada: look at the full proposed set of 16 exterior health warnings and the 8 interior messages, blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com, 2/19/2011.