An Act to amend the Tobacco Act (2009)

On October 8, 2009, Parliament passed an Act to amend the Tobacco Act. The amendments aim to protect children and youth from tobacco industry marketing practices that encourage them to use tobacco products. These marketing practices include the use of additives, such as flavourings, that contribute to making cigarettes, little cigars and blunt wraps more appealing to children and youth; the availability of little cigars and blunt wraps (sheets or tubes of tobacco) as singles, or in small-quantity "kiddy-packs"; and tobacco advertising in publications that may be viewed by children and youth.

A transition period was provided for retailers and manufacturers to adjust to some of the changes to the Tobacco Act.

Advertising

Extended restrictions on the advertising of tobacco products came into effect on October 8, 2009. The amendments removed the exception in the Tobacco Act that allowed tobacco advertising in publications that may be viewed by youth, such as daily newspapers, free entertainment weeklies and magazines.

Minimum packaging

The new legislation extends the minimum quantity provision that exists for cigarettes to little cigars and blunt wraps. Effective April 6, 2010, the retail sale, including duty-free sale, of little cigars and blunt wraps packaged in less than 20 units is no longer permitted. The affected products are:

• Little cigars containing 1.4g or less (excluding the mouthpiece or tip) of natural or reconstituted tobacco and which have a binder or binder and wrapper of natural or reconstituted tobacco;
• Blunt wraps (sheet or tube made of natural or reconstituted tobacco that is ready to be filled); and
• Cigars with cigarette filters.

Additives (including flavours)

Effective July 5, 2010, the retail sale, including duty-free sale, of cigarettes, little cigars and blunt wraps that contain any of the specified additives (including most flavouring agents) is no longer permitted. Tobacco products manufactured in Canada solely for the export market will be allowed to contain these additives. Please see the amendments for further information.

You can read the amendments on the  Parliament of Canada web site.

For more information, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions regarding the amendments.