Health Canada has announced a groundbreaking initiative to discourage smoking by printing warnings directly onto individual cigarettes. The Canadian government aims to reduce the number of smokers to below 5% of the population by 2035 through this measure.
Previously, warning labels were only printed on cigarette packets. However, Canada is the first country in the world to implement such extensive warnings directly on each cigarette. The initiative covers little cigars and other tobacco products as well.
Following a public consultation period, Canada’s health minister, Carolyn Bennett, revealed the new measure. She stated that the country was committed to go beyond the existing warning labels. Bennett also added in a business-like tone, “We are taking action by being the first country in the world to label individual cigarettes with health warning messages.”
The initiative has received overwhelming support from several health organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Canadian Lung Association.
Since 1989, Canada has mandated warning labels on cigarette packets. However, it was one of the last countries to do so compared to the United Kingdom, which began printing warnings since the early 1970s.
This move represents a significant step in preventive healthcare, and it is an excellent example of how a government can use its regulatory powers to bring about positive change.
