Press
Release
September 10, 2009
Protecting Children should be
Senate’s priority
Health groups call for
passage of Bill C-32 before potential election call.
(Ottawa) – Canada’s major health organizations are
calling on the Senate of Canada to give priority to the
passage of Bill C-32 (Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing
Aimed at Youth Act). The legislation would stop tobacco
companies from using fruit, candy and other flavourings
in cigarettes and cigarillos and would ban tobacco ads
in publications that can be viewed by youth. C-32 was
introduced in the House of Commons by Minister of Health
Leona Aglukkaq to implement a commitment made by Prime
Minister Stephen Harper.
“Canada’s doctors are calling on Senators to pass Bill
C-32 quickly,” said Dr. Anne Doig, President of the
Canadian Medical Association. “Skyrocketing use of
flavoured tobacco products is a significant new threat
to the health of young Canadians.”
Over the past half decade, tobacco companies have
developed flavoured cigarillos as a new category of
tobacco products and have exploited loopholes in federal
tobacco laws to sell these products without the health
warnings, minimum package size or other requirements
imposed on cigarettes. Health Canada surveys show that
one in three high school aged Canadians (aged 15-19)
have used these products and that sales of these
products have increased more than 900% in six years.
Sally Brown, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Canada explained that the speed with which these
products have reached young people has alarmed health
regulators across Canada. “We thought we had
successfully protected many children from experimenting
with cigarettes only to find that they were caught by
the marketers of these colourful novelty products.”
She urged Senators to give priority to putting C-32 into
force. “Every month this bill is delayed puts the health
of the 200,000 Canadian children who use these products
at greater risk.”
“Senators should consider that these gimmicky products
act as a gateway drug to lifelong tobacco use,” said
Cynthia Callard, Executive Director of Physicians for a
Smoke-Free Canada. “The candy flavouring, the
colourful packaging, the cheap price and the mistaken
belief that these are not as harmful as cigarettes all
combine to successfully tempt young people to experiment
with smoking. For many, this experiment will prove
fatal.” Canadian researchers have found that symptoms of
tobacco addiction are seen in young people after only a
very few smoking experiences.
“Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry is working
furiously to delay or defeat this legislation, and is
engaging in classic industry disinformation campaigns”
said Rob Cunningham, a lawyer, and Senior Policy Analyst
for the Canadian Cancer Society. Cunningham, author of a
book examining the history of Canadian tobacco industry,
pointed to several past threats of companies to
retaliate to stronger tobacco laws.
He explained that the campaign against C-32 launched by
Philip Morris International in Washington D.C. is
another familiar tactic used by that company to
forestall improvements to tobacco laws. “Once again we
are seeing trade agreements thrown up in a bogus attempt
to raise confusion and doubt about the responsibility of
Canada’s government to protect the health of young
Canadians in a hope to delay passage of this bill.”
Philip Morris has previously made similar claims when
attempting, ultimately unsuccessfully, to block Canada
from adopting pictorial health warnings and from ending
the use of the terms ‘light’ and ‘mild’ on cigarette
packaging.
“Philip Morris claims that C-32 will ban burley tobacco
in Canada, raise trade issues and harm U.S. farmers are
all entirely false,” added Cunningham. “The fact
that U.S. burley exports to Canada are negligible – and
in some years so low as to be non-reportable or barely
reportable – means that Philip Morris is manufacturing a
trade concern when none exists. There is no burley
tobacco trade issue with the U.S. None.”
“The importance and urgency of this issue is reflected
in the priority it has received from the highest levels
of government and the broad support of the health
community,” explained Robert Walsh, executive director
of the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control. In
the two years since the evidence became available of the
extent to which these products had successfully targeted
young Canadians, several legislative and regulatory
proposals have been forwarded to address them, including
a 2008 election commitment by Prime Minister Harper, and
Liberal and NDP private member’s bills in provincial and
federal parliaments. Bill C-32 received unanimous
support in the House of Commons.
“We are calling on Canada’s Senators to endorse the
urgent desire of their colleagues and communities across
Canada to see this legislation in place as soon as
possible,” emphasized Melodie Tilson, Director of Policy
with the Non-Smokers’ Rights Association.
The Canadian Coalition for Action on Tobacco is a
national coalition of
health organizations. Members supporting this initiative
include: the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian
Council for Tobacco Control, the Canadian Dental
Association, , the Canadian Medical Association,
Coalition québécoise pour le contrôle du tabac, the
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Non-Smokers'
Rights Association, and Physicians for a Smoke-Free
Canada.
Contact:
Canadian Cancer Society:
Rob Cunningham (613) 565-2522 x 305
Canadian Council for Tobacco Control:
Rob Walsh (613) 567-3050 x 107
Canadian Dental Association:
Basia Vanderveen, (613) 523-1770
Canadian Medical Association:
Lucie Boileau (613) 731-8610 x 1266
Coalition québécoise pour le contrôle du tabac:
Flory Doucas (514) 598-5533
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada:
Eileen Melnick McCarthy (613) 569-4361, x 318
Non-Smokers’ Rights Association:
Melodie Tilson (613) 230-4211 x 3
Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada:
Cynthia Callard (613) 233-4878
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