WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY: Some twenty Quebec groups call for major investment in prevention drawn from provincial tobacco-settlement windfall

MONTREAL, May 31, 2025 /CNW/ - On this World No Tobacco Day, close to twenty Quebec health groups are calling on the Quebec government to take a small proportion of the financial benefits it will draw from the settlement ending all litigation faced by the three largest cigarette manufacturers (including Quebec's claim), and to invest that amount in the tobacco control budget.

More specifically, the groups are asking that 2.7% of the $6.6 billion that the province will collect – the equivalent of $30 million – be invested in government initiatives aimed at

• accelerating the fight against smoking,
• improving support for smokers who want to quit,
• reverse the youth vaping crisis, and
• better combat the illegal sale of vaping products,  

as specified in this recent letter to the Quebec government, signed by five provincial anti-smoking groups.

According to Flory Doucas, co-director and spokesperson for the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, "the fight against smoking is far from over, and unless this battle is accelerated, smoking will continue to monopolize a huge proportion of Quebec healthcare resources. Tobacco kills over 36 Quebec smokers every day, as smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the province. Meanwhile, public health workers, schools officials and government inspectors are overwhelmed by the vaping phenomenon, with new cohorts of young people continuously falling into the nicotine addiction trap.

"Despite the financial compensation for victims and the injection of substantial funds into provincial coffers, the settlement negotiated and approved by Quebec and the other creditors has significant shortcomings, as it fails to include a single measure to force the industry to change its ways."

In fact, the settlement endorsed by Quebec and the other provinces grants Big Tobacco total and complete immunity for their decades of dishonest and irresponsible marketing of tobacco products – in exchange for payments spread out over the next two or three decades. It even prevents the new 'Cy-près' foundation (with assets of one billion dollars) from funding smoking prevention or cessation interventions, stating that these "fall within the purview of the Provinces and Territories" [9.3¹].

"Given that payments to provinces, including Quebec, will come from current and future smokers, the agreement raises a potential conflict between the government's desire for revenue and its primary responsibility to protect the public. By investing part of the funds to fight the use of these harmful products, the government would counter the appearance or existence of such a conflict," explains David Raynaud, Senior Manager, Quebec - Public Interest Advocacy at the Canadian Cancer Society.

"The agreement doesn't include any measures to prevent or minimise further harm. It even stipulates that the industry must maintain its usual commercial operations, which includes recruiting new consumers of tobacco and vaping products, resulting in new victims and new healthcare costs. It would be immoral for the government to collect these billions without dedicating a substantial amount to prevent additional harm and costs," he adds.

The settlement protects the vaping market

The settlement exempts revenues from the sale of vaping and heated tobacco products from all financial obligations. "This extraordinary exemption allows for the continued aggressive expansion of the recreational nicotine market, inevitably leading to new consumers becoming addicted to nicotine and exposing them to new health risks," adds Marc-André Parenteau, Senior Advisor, Government Affairs and Advocacy at Heart & Stroke.

"In our view, the government's primary responsibility is to do everything in its power to stop the suffering and loss of life caused by harmful and unnecessary products from a profit-driven industry. Without new investments to better protect the public from the nicotine industry, the popularity of its traditional and novel products will continue to harm the health and well-being of Quebecers while generating additional healthcare costs," concludes Ms. Doucas.

See appendix : Financial needs and factual highlights

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1

« What Will Be Eligible for Consideration for Support by the Cy-près Foundation: Proposals regarding research, programs and initiatives falling within the scope of the Cy-près will be received by the board of directors of the Cy-près Foundation ("Foundation Board") for consideration for financial or other support from the Cy-près Foundation. Programs and initiatives aimed at reducing or preventing tobacco use in Canada are outside of the scope of the Cy-près because they fall within the purview of the Provinces and Territories, involving policy issues and advocacy. Accordingly, such programs and initiatives will not be considered for funding or other support from the Cy-près Foundation. »

SOURCE Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control

Information: Flory Doucas, Spokesperson, Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control, 514-515-6780; Fatou Thiam, Communications Manager for Quebec and Francophone Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, 514-229-0671; Maryse Bégin, Cœur & Stroke, [email protected]. 514 669-6297