TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2026 /CNW/ -- Two years after the federal government made quitting smoking harder, thousands of Canadians are calling on Health Minister Marjorie Michel to launch a transparent 30-day review and publish the evidence on whether the policy is meeting its stated goals.
A bizarre restriction on the sale of nicotine pouches came into force on August 28, 2024. Health Canada said it was trying to avoid creating significant barriers for adults trying to quit smoking while reducing youth use of nicotine.
"Protecting kids is non-negotiable. So is giving adults who smoke a fair chance to quit. The government promised to do both. Two years later, Ottawa should show Canadians whether it did then let provinces decide what access should look like in their own communities," stated Asha Stone, Founder of Quit Club.
This matters in a country where about 11% of Canadians still smoke. Health Canada reports that approximately 300,000 Canadians quit smoking in 2024, with nicotine-replacement therapies involved in 25% of successful cases.
Quit Club agrees Ottawa should continue to set strong national rules for product safety, and packaging. But provinces and territories should decide how approved quitting tools are accessed in their communities. A pharmacy-only model designed in Ottawa cannot reflect the realities of every province--from major cities to rural, remote and island communities.
To mark the two-year anniversary, Quit Club is releasing a film that follows one of New Brunswick members making the real 53-minute trip to a pharmacy. The assumption that pharmacy access is straightforward everywhere in Canada is totally out of touch.
"Provinces better understand their communities than Ottawa does," said Stone. "Ottawa should regulate the product and protect young people. Provinces should be able to decide how adults access it safely in their own communities."
Quit Club is asking Health Minister Marjorie Michel to:
- Review the rules within 30 days: show Canadians the evidence
- Listen to the people affected: consider provincial requests like Alberta's that have asked for greater flexibility
- Make a decision by the end of September: remove the federal pharmacy-only requirement and allow provinces and territories to determine access rules within strong national standards.
In October 2025, Minister Michel said the government would continue to base its decisions on "the science and the data." Quit Club agrees. The next step is to make that science and data public.
"Two years is long enough for assumptions to become evidence. If the rules are working, publish the results. If they are creating barriers without measurable benefit, change them," added Stone.
ABOUT QUIT CLUB
Quit Club is a community of Canadians who smoke, former smokers, and people trying to quit.
SOURCE Quit Club
Asha Stone, [email protected]
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