Alberta Health advocates want flavored tobacco products banned

"Sugar-coating" of tobacco products to make them more appealing to young people is unacceptable, according to health organizations in the province, who say they hope that the Alberta government will introduce legislation in the spring, which bans the sale of flavored tobacco products.

Members of the Campaign for Smoke-Free Alberta say flavored cigarillos, menthol cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and tobacco in water pipes are favored by nearly two-thirds of smokers and 18. "You take very toxic, very exciting product and make it more attractive," said Les Hagen of Action on Smoking and Health.

Legislation that would support a ban was proposed in the fall. The Bill 206, a private member's bill auspices of the Minister Lloyd MLA Dr. Richard Stark, received first reading last week. He seeks to amend the Tobacco Act to ban the sale of reduction of flavored tobacco products. 10-year-old provincial government tobacco reduction strategy, introduced in late November, aims to limit the sale of flavored tobacco between 2012 and 2015.

But after the fall legislative session adjourned this week, it is not clear how the province will approach legislation on banning or restricting flavored tobacco in the spring session, said Stark. Bart Johnson, a spokesman for Health Minister Fred Horne said that restricting sales of flavored tobacco will be "priority" for the next meeting of the legislature.

Stark said that this is an important step to curb tobacco use among young people. "These products are specifically designed and targeted at young people and trying to get young people addicted to nicotine, and therefore become smokers," he said, noting that among adult smokers, flavored tobacco accounts for only two per cent of consumption. Stark said that the work of high school students in his district was a big factor in the authors of the bill.

Lloydminster students attended the national "A Taste of ... Gone!" Canadian Cancer Society campaign against flavored tobacco by running a postcard campaign. "I have been in contact with them throughout the process, and they are just glad that they started is now part of the law," said Stark.

But as Stark and Barb Borkent, program specialist in tobacco with Lung Association of Alberta and NWT, said that there are other initiatives that can be taken to reduce youth tobacco use. Borkent said she would like to see the government follow through on educational initiatives outlined in the strategy to reduce tobacco use, including the expansion of the tobacco education programs in schools, as well as peer-led commitments. She said that peer education programs were the best practices to prevent youth tobacco use.

Source: http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Advocates+want+flavoured+tobacco+products+banned/7684652/story.html