Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Points to Opportunities to Protect Canadians from Growing Illicit Market

TORONTO, June 15, 2026 /CNW/ - Rothmans, Benson & Hedges (RBH) today reiterated its call for federal leadership to protect Canadians from illegal and non-compliant products following data released by the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU).  

"In Canada, we have increasingly seen the rise of counterfeit nicotine products originating from countries such as China in flavours and nicotine levels not manufactured or sold by companies, like us, that play by the rules. These products are entering the market through illegal channels and being sold by unauthorized parties. There are no controls on product quality, ingredients, packaging, or youth access," said Danny Fournier, Head of Illicit Trade Prevention at RBH. 

Fournier, however, highlighted positive enforcement results stemming from RBH's monitoring program that tracks popular online sales platforms, social media, meta platforms, and websites for illicit products, including tobacco, vaping products and nicotine pouches. As a result of this program, which is the only one of its kind in Canada, over 72,000 unauthorized ads have been removed from online platforms to date since 2019, including 30,000 ads for nicotine pouches. 

"We continue to actively work with federal, provincial and municipal law enforcement agencies to mitigate the importation and distribution of illicit and counterfeit nicotine products in various ways, including the successful online monitoring program. We have continuously called for increased federal leadership in tackling this increasing problem," said Fournier. 

Health Canada recently completed the third legislative review of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (2018) which exposed weaknesses and acknowledged the need for more robust compliance strategies to address online sales.  RBH has called upon Health Canada to recognize the growth of online contraband tobacco sales by organized criminal groups, as well as illicit nicotine sales.  

"Tackling illicit trade is at the heart of ensuring youth are protected and unable to access any kind of nicotine product.  I'm very proud of the work being done by our dedicated illicit trade prevention team and encourage policy makers to update current laws with evidence-based approaches that prioritize enforcement and youth protection while ensuring adult smokers have access to regulated, science-based alternatives so they do not seek them from illicit channels," concluded Milena Trentadue, Managing Director, RBH. 

About Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. 

Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. (RBH), an affiliate of Philip Morris International Inc., is one of Canada's leading tobacco and nicotine companies and is working to deliver a smoke-free future. RBH is committed to sustainability and creating a positive impact on communities, the economy, and the environment. Currently, RBH employs nearly 800 people across the country, with its headquarters in Toronto and a factory in Québec City. Discover more about the company at https://www.rbhinc.ca/ and stay updated on RBH's transformation by following Twitter and LinkedIn. 

SOURCE Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc.

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