Canada: Bill Banning Flavoured Tobacco Sparks Debate at Standing Committee Meeting

Source from:  CTV Winnipeg 06/05/2014

A bill that would ban flavoured tobacco in Manitoba is one step closer to becoming law.

The Standing Committee on Justice heard arguments for and against Bill 52 on Tuesday night.

The bill would ban all flavoured tobacco products, except chewing tobacco and menthol cigarettes. Anti-smoking advocates say those products are widely used by youth in the province.

"Tobacco products are addictive, they cause cancer and they kill. We should not allow them to be flavoured so that they taste better and are easier to consume," said Rob Cunningham of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Cunningham flew in from Ottawa to propose amendments to Bill 52 that would close the chewing tobacco and menthol loopholes.

"We have to do everything we can to protect kids from starting. And this bill, by closing the amendments, will ensure the health protection that Manitoba kids deserve and to prevent the tobacco industry from exploiting loopholes," Cunningham said.

Other anti-smoking advocates agreed.

"How much science do we need before we say this has gone on long enough? I'm urging you to totally ban all flavoured tobaccos," argued Murray Gibson with the Manitoba Tobacco Reduction Alliance.

A tobacco business says that the way Bill 52 defines flavoured tobacco is too broad. A lawyer for Thomas Hinds Tobacco Limited asked the committee to amend the definition, so that the pipe tobacco and hand-rolled cigars the store sells will be exempt.

"The proposals that we have made are intended to keep in the spirit as we understand it to be, of the act. In that we certainly do not support the notion that children should be made the target of marketing tobacco," Ken Dalton told the standing committee.

Dalton says the products sold by Thomas Hinds are high end, and appeal only to a mature audience.

Alberta and Ontario recently passed laws banning flavoured tobacco. Alberta opted for an outright ban, but Ontario allows the sale of menthol products. Enditem