TORONTO, April 7, 2025 /CNW/ - With a federal election underway, Quit Club is calling on every party to commit to reducing smoking in Canada—because quitting smoking is hard enough without losing the products that help.
Quit Club is calling on every federal party to:
- Create a new $50M Quit For Life fund to help smokers quit cigarettes for good
- Put Canadians trying to quit first by consulting us and developing a new Pan-Canadian Kick the Nic Strategy
- Restore nicotine replacement therapy access everywhere cigarettes are purchased
"This is about fairness," Asha Stone, Quit Club's Community Lead, said. "We're not asking for anything crazy. We just want dedicated support and access to the products that helped us get off cigarettes. If our leaders are serious about reducing smoking in Canada, they'll fix this."
Last summer, the federal government banned the sale of nicotine pouches in convenience stores through a Ministerial Order. The decision blindsided former smokers and people trying to quit, many of whom relied on the newly approved products to stay off cigarettes.
"Pouches helped me quit after years of failing with gum and patches," added Stone. "Taking them away didn't stop smoking—it just made quitting harder."
In many communities, especially rural and lower-income ones, the corner store is where people buy groceries, pick up prescriptions, and—until recently—grab what they need to stay smoke-free. Clerks are already trained to check ID for cigarettes, booze, and nicotine products like gum and lozenges. They know how to keep adult products out of kids' hands.
"This ban was supposed to protect youth—but all it did was hurt adults trying to quit," said Stone. "We should be making safer alternatives easier to get, not harder."
Let's commit to eliminating smoking in Canada!
About Quit Club
Quit Club is a grassroots community of former smokers and people trying to quit. We speak up for access to safer, smoke-free alternatives that help people stay off cigarettes for good.
SOURCE Quit Club
Media Contact: Asha Stone, Quit Club Community Lead, [email protected]
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