OPINION: Ottawa’s anti-science war on safer nicotine alternatives

Published Sep 02, 2024  •  3 minute read

This picture taken on October 31, 2023 shows a man as he smokes a cigarette in Sundbyberg, near Stockholm. Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND /AFP via Getty Images

When Justin Trudeau was elected in 2015, there was much talk of Canada “finally ending its war on science.” Like many Liberal promises from the “sunny ways” era, they have done the opposite, especially when it comes to the science around nicotine. Instead, Health Minister Mark Holland and his predecessors cherry-picked the research, “following the science” they like and defying the inconvenient evidence they’d rather ignore.

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Last week, Holland announced a crackdown on nicotine replacement therapy. The same government that fights to provide easy access to heroin and other harmful drugs on our streets, locks up safer nicotine alternatives in a pharmacy. Apparently, convenience store staff can be trusted to ask for ID for cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or alcohol (in some provinces) but not for nicotine replacement therapy.

Nobody wants youth to pick up smoking or any nicotine addiction, and there’s much we can do to prevent that. But the reality is that some will, regardless of what we do to restrict it. Health officials who would mock and deride abstinence-alone sex education, view abstinence as the only acceptable way forward with nicotine. Age verification, cracking down on the contraband market, and most importantly, proper nicotine education, are necessary to stop youth from using nicotine. Still, Holland’s measures do not and will only harm adult tobacco users looking for alternatives.

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So-called public health experts do a disservice to Canadians by focusing on nicotine itself, rather than the method of delivery. Nicotine is not a carcinogen; it is more akin to caffeine. A stimulant that, while not entirely benign, is not a primary cause of harm in tobacco products. The real danger in tobacco use comes from burning it, which releases a host of harmful chemicals, as burning anything does.

Holland and his allies claim to have been “duped,” and paint nicotine pouches as a sinister plot to get young people addicted to nicotine. In reality, they were created to provide an alternative to improve health outcomes and prolong the lives of adults who choose to consume nicotine, like me.

While no product is completely harmless, the science behind nicotine pouches shows that they are a substantially less harmful option. I have fully embraced them and have no intention of quitting nicotine. Based on Mark Holland’s announcement last week, it is now easier for me to access chewing tobacco or cigarettes than far less harmful nicotine pouches. Vaping and nicotine pouches are not gateways to smoking, but bad public health decisions are.

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Over the last 30 years, Health Canada has created new rules and regulations, with little evidence that they would reduce smoking. Reducing smoking rates is a good policy outcome, but the policies were not working. Higher taxes, and new packaging forced many Canadians to the cheaper contraband market. 

After years of stagnation, we’ve seen smoking rates fall to 10% in 2020. While anti-tobacco advocates would claim their measures are finally working, the drop-off happened with the availability of less harmful alternatives like vaping and nicotine pouches. These products have played a crucial role in helping people quit smoking and reduce their overall tobacco use. 

By comparison, Sweden has embraced nicotine alternatives and they are close to becoming Europe’s first “smoke-free country.” Their smoking rates have declined to 5.6% with a 39.6% lower rate of death from tobacco-related disease compared to their European neighbours.

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The only “approved” nicotine pouch in Canada is a product called Zonnic, which is less well-known than brands like Zyn. Since Holland’s announcement, ads have flooded social media feeds from underground suppliers offering online orders for all types of nicotine pouches. Despite the government’s efforts, nicotine pouches of all flavours and strengths are readily available online and even in many stores across the country. This underground market only keeps revenue out of the government’s coffers and allows for potential health risks from knockoff products.

Mark Holland’s decision to restrict nicotine pouches is a step backward for public health. Instead of making it harder for Canadians to access these safer alternatives, we should be encouraging people to make the switch. By doing so, we can continue to lower smoking rates and improve the health of Canadians.

Frank Parker is a Vice President with Crestview Strategy in Ottawa.

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