As of Wednesday, Canadians looking to quit smoking will find nicotine pouches like ZONNIC available only in pharmacies, following a controversial Ministerial Order from Health Minister Mark Holland. The order, which targets nicotine pouches exclusively, has ignited criticism for making it harder for smokers to access these cessation products, while other smoking aids remain widely available."Today is a devastating day for Canadians who wish to quit smoking," said Eric Gagnon, Vice President of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITCAN). "In an extreme abuse of power, the Minister of Health has unilaterally imposed new rules on our smoking cessation product, ZONNIC. These rules do not apply to any other smoking cessation product and singling out ZONNIC is a personal attack on our company by Minister Holland and will only make it more difficult for adult smokers to quit."The new regulations have raised questions about the government's role in regulating consumer choices within the smoking cessation market. Gagnon pointed out that other nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) remain unaffected by the order, despite at least five meetings between a major pharmaceutical company in the NRT market and the Minister's Office following the launch of ZONNIC. ITCAN, on the other hand, was denied any such audience.Adding to the controversy, a public opinion survey conducted by Health Canada in January indicated that a well-known illegal nicotine pouch brand, not ZONNIC, was recognized by young people in Canada. Despite this, the ministerial order does not specifically address youth access to nicotine pouches, a point that Gagnon finds perplexing given the minister's stated commitment to protecting youth."Health Canada is well aware that the nicotine pouch market is already being overtaken by illicit sellers," Gagnon added. "There are already multiple active online and specialty shops selling nicotine pouches. These will not disappear with the ministerial order. In fact, illicit sales will continue to increase."Gagnon also emphasized that ITCAN has taken steps beyond the product licence requirements to ensure ZONNIC is stored behind counters and sold only after proper age verification. He expressed frustration with what he perceives as a lack of trust in responsible retailers who already handle other adult products like tobacco and alcohol.Despite their objections, ITCAN has complied with the new order and has instructed its convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery store partners to remove ZONNIC from their shelves. "We will support our pharmacy partners diligently as they are now on the front line of smoking cessation counseling," Gagnon concluded.Imperial Tobacco Canada is part of BAT, a global consumer goods company operating in over 180 markets, with a mission to create "A Better Tomorrow™" by building a smokeless world.
