June 10, 2009

New legislation cracks down on tobacco marketing aimed at kids

OTTAWA – Children and youth will soon have better protection against the unethical tobacco marketing practices that target young people, said local Member of Parliament Guy Lauzon.

“Our government is taking action to target companies that create tobacco products specifically aimed to appeal to children,” said Lauzon. “Using fruit flavours and sugar to entice kids to smoke is despicable and must not continue.”

Following through on their 2008 election commitment, the Conservative government has tabled new legislation in the House of Commons to amend the Tobacco Act.

Amendments include:

• Forbidding the use of additives and sugars designed to create fruit or candy flavours in tobacco products such as cigars, cigarillos, cigarettes and blunt wraps.
• Ending the persistence of cheap single or ‘kiddy-packs’ of cigarillos and blunt wraps by ensuring that they be sold in packs of no less than twenty .
• Removing provisions of the Tobacco Act which allows tobacco advertising in publications with an adult readership of at least 85 percent. Recently, tobacco companies have been exploiting this loophole to get around tobacco advertising restrictions.

“These amendments have received widespread praise from Canadian doctors and anti-tobacco advocates,” said Lauzon. “By taking these actions, our government is working to make tobacco products less affordable, less accessible and less appealing for children and youth.”