According to new laws that came into effect on Tuesday (local time), every cigarette sold in Canada will now need to display a health warning that “cigarettes cause impotence” and “cancer,” and that there is “poison in every puff.”
The new rules, which were first introduced in May, are a first for the entire world.
Within a year, retailers are expected to make available the new individual-label king-size cigarettes, followed by regular-size cigarettes in early 2025.
What will be the warning?
The individual warning will be “virtually unavoidable and, together with updated graphic images displayed on the package, will provide a real and startling reminder of the health consequences of smoking”, Carolyn Bennett, Canada’s former addictions minister, said earlier.
The Canadian government made note of the fact that certain young individuals, who were more prone to the risk of acquiring a tobacco dependence, started smoking after receiving a single cigarette as opposed to a pack that has been labelled with health warnings.
To increase public awareness of the risks associated with tobacco smoking, Canada became the first nation to mandate graphic warnings on cigarette packs in 2000. These warnings included graphic images of damaged hearts and lungs.
Over the past two decades, smoking has been on the decline.
However, according to government statistics, cigarette smoking still claims the lives of 48,000 Canadians annually, and about half of the nation’s healthcare expenses are related to substance abuse.
Also Read: TCS onboards 44,000 freshers in FY23, honors all job offers
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK
