"I think the government should be doing whatever they can to limit youth from getting addicted to nicotine, whether it's nicotine pouches, vaping products or tobacco products in general," said 29-year old Zach Laing, a former cigarette smoker who uses the pouches. "The legislation here is just taking it a little bit too far," the Edmonton man said.
Health Canada approved the pouches last summer, sold under the brand name Zonnic, to help people stop smoking, also known as cessation. The small white packets are placed between a person's cheek and gums. That method releases what doctors say is the nicotine equivalent of smoking multiple cigarettes, but without the cancer-causing chemicals.
The move has been applauded by multiple national health organizations, from the Canadian Dental Association to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They've argued that unlike other nicotine replacement therapies already on the market such as gum or patches, the pouches were being advertised and sold in a way that targeted youth including those who had never smoked before.
Some smokers argue that new restrictions on nicotine pouches are excessive and hinder their quitting efforts, while the federal government maintains that these products target youth and need to be controlled.
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