Conservatives to end pharmacy only rule for nicotine pouches, ‘freedom of choice’

A Conservative government would let smokers buy nicotine pouches at corner stores and gas stations, scrapping the Liberal pharmacy only rule.

“Conservatives believe adult Canadians should have freedom of choice when it comes to what legal products they use, including vapes and nicotine pouches,” a party spokesperson told the Western Standard. 

“It is also important that those trying to quit smoking should continue to have access to less harmful alternatives that have worked for them.”

Health Canada has licenced only one nicotine pouch, which is Zonnic, as a quit smoking aid.  

Last fall, the Liberal government invoked the Food and Drugs Act to restrict pouches to pharmacies, arguing it would protect youth. 

Tobacco control groups applauded the clampdown, but critics say it restricts the country’s most successful smoking-cessation product.  

The Conservative spokesperson called the policy a double standard.

“It is the height of hypocrisy that this radical Liberal government is handing out deadly taxpayer-funded opioids to those suffering from addiction while fuelling black market sales on legal products and cracking down on Canadian adults who want to access and use smoking-cessation products,” said the spokesperson.

Advocates point out that pouches deliver measured nicotine without smoke or vapour and boast quit rates that beat gums or patches in multiple international studies.

Health advocates warn that access barriers could stall Ottawa’s goal of cutting smoking to 5% of Canadians by 2035, which would make Canada a “smoke-free” country. 

So far, only Sweden has reduced smoking rates below 5%, with nicotine pouches being the main method that Swedes used to quit.

Smoking remains the country’s leading cause of preventable death, killing about 45,000 people each year.

The Liberal Party did not respond to the Western Standard’s questions.