Government of Canada shares findings from second Tobacco and Vaping Products Act legislative review

OTTAWA, ON, June 17, 2024 /CNW/ - More than 46,000 people in Canada die because of tobacco use every year. Through Canada's Tobacco Strategy, the Government of Canada is working to save lives and significantly reduce the number of Canadians who smoke cigarettes and use other tobacco products from the current rate of 12% to less than 5% of the population by 2035.

Today, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, tabled the results of the second legislative review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) in Parliament. This review will help to monitor the progress made in reducing tobacco use and its harms throughout the country. It complements the first review which focused on the TVPA's vaping-related provisions, tabled in Parliament in December 2022.

Overall, the results of the legislative review show that progress has been made in reducing tobacco-related death and disease in Canada. For example, youth smoking rates were at an all-time low of 1.6% in 2022. However, some communities and regions continue to have disproportionately high rates of tobacco use with some populations experiencing smoking rates of over 60%. The review identifies potential action areas including prioritizing First Nations, Inuit and Métis engagement, cooperation and reconciliation; addressing barriers to cessation; strengthening enforcement; increasing transparency; addressing industry interference; and ensuring the legislative framework is responsive to modern realities.

The Government of Canada remains committed to working collaboratively with partners and key stakeholders to protect Canadians from the harms of smoking and nicotine addiction using the best available data and evidence.

Quotes

"Strong legislation is a key part of Canada's Tobacco Strategy. The second legislative review of the TVPA offers an invaluable opportunity to refine our strategies and work towards achieving our target of less than 5% tobacco use in Canada by 2035. Despite a decline in smoking numbers, we still have more work to do to protect Canadians from the harms of smoking."

The Honourable Ya'ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"The TVPA is essential to our goal of achieving less than 5% tobacco use among Canadians by 2035 and we need everyone – health professionals, advocates and individuals – working together to achieve this goal. We look forward to leveraging the insights gathered to refine our ongoing efforts to protect Canadians, especially young people, from the harms of smoking and vaping."

The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health 

Quick Facts

• The Tobacco Act was amended in May 2018 to become the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA). The TVPA and other legislation pieces created a new legal framework for regulating vaping products. As such, the TVPA includes a set of objectives related to tobacco as well as to vaping.
• The TVPA includes a requirement for a legislative review three years after coming-into-force, and every two years thereafter. Periodic reviews provide a means to examine and respond to tobacco and/or vaping related issues that may emerge over time.
• Canada continues to be a leader in tobacco control initiatives, including becoming the first country in the world to have health warnings on individual cigarettes but we know we have to continue to develop innovative approaches to support Canadians in quitting smoking.
• Information to help Canadians quit smoking is available at Canada.ca/quitsmoking.

Associated Links
Report of the Second Legislative Review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act
Regulating tobacco and vaping products
Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA)

SOURCE Health Canada (HC)

Contacts: Yuval Daniel, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, 819-360-6927; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709