Health Minister Restricts Nicotine Pouches to Behind the Counter, Prohibits Flavored Options

Starting next week, Health Minister Mark Holland will require Health Canada-approved nicotine pouches to be placed behind pharmacy counters as part of his efforts to limit children’s access to new nicotine products.

Holland also announced a ban on all flavors for nicotine pouches and other new nicotine products, except for mint or menthol. Additionally, he plans to impose stricter regulations on the labeling and advertising of all nicotine replacement therapies.

Last year, Imperial Tobacco’s nicotine pouch product, Zonnic, was approved by Health Canada as a smoking cessation aid, with no age restrictions on consumers. However, Holland has expressed concerns that these pouches are being used by children and young people who have never smoked, labeling it a “loophole” for tobacco companies.

Imperial Tobacco has criticized Holland’s actions, arguing that he is unfairly targeting their highly regulated product while ignoring unregulated versions that are easily accessible online. In response, Holland stated that he is exploring measures to prevent those unregulated products from entering the country.