e-5255 (Health)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• The use of ministerial authority to create regulations around NHPs, and by extension, nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), without evidence is a serious concern for our local businesses, and should be a concern for any retailer in Canada who sells, or wishes to sell, these products;
• Convenience stores were proactive in providing guidance to members on how to responsibly retail nicotine pouches, even though this was not a legal or regulatory requirement;
• There is no evidence to suggest that convenience stores were the source of NRTs, including nicotine pouches, for young people;
• It is hypocritical to suggest convenience stores cannot be trusted to retail NRTs to adults, while at the same time allowing the sale of age-gated products, like cigarettes, in our stores;
• Removing access to a cessation product from the place where adult users of legal tobacco purchase their products has created a barrier to the use of authorized, safe, and effective treatments for adults trying to quit smoking;
• By restricting access to pharmacies, the needs of adult consumers in rural and remote areas have been ignored, and they now face a new barrier to accessing cessation products; and
• NRT users, including minors, are able to easily go online to purchase these products - many of which are not approved by Health Canada, and are sold without taxes or duties paid.