Recently, Canadian health experts urged the federal government to introduce a stricter cigarette policy, and the proposal was inspired by a similar policy that the New Zealand prime minister had shelved: people born after 2008 would be banned from buying cigarettes for life.
Andrew Pipe, a clinical scientist at the University of Ottawa's Heart Institute who specializes in smoking cessation, said New Zealand's policy deserved close attention from Health Canada, the Minister for Mental Health and Addiction.
Piper said tobacco remains the leading cause of some disease, disability and death in Canada, and is an "incredible burden" for the health care system.
"This is the perfect way to prevent a new generation of people from becoming nicotine addicts, and this requires careful consideration by the minister. Piper said in an interview.
The New Zealand government proposed the same policy in 2021, but the current prime minister, Christopher Luxon, repealed the impending policy when he took office.
However, Dr Piper said the UK was considering a similar approach.
Dr. Piper says it's a viable, pragmatic way to make a difference in the lives of young Canadians.
渥太华的卫生官员维拉·埃奇斯（Vera Etches）在11月份就联邦《烟草和电子烟产品法案》（The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act）提出了反馈意见，也表示，加拿大应该引入类似的“不吸烟世代政策”（Smoke-Free Generation Policy）。
Canada and New Zealand are similar, with both goals below five percent for smoking rates, Edges said. New Zealand's policy also aims to limit the amount of nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive levels, as well as to reduce the number of retailers allowed to sell cigarettes, Edges added.
Health Canada said it has publicly solicited public input to give Canadians an opportunity to contribute their views on topics such as reducing tobacco use in Canada. The department is analysing the submitted report and will draft the final document.
Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society, said his organization also supports New Zealand's policy, saying the vast majority of Canadians were exposed to smoking before or during their teenage years.
Rob also said that if the policy is to be implemented in Canada, it needs to include all tobacco and vaping products, and now the number of young people vaping has increased significantly and cannot be ignored.
Rob also said all provinces and territories should follow Prince Edward Island's lead by requiring shops not to sell cigarettes to people under the age of 21.
The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act currently prohibits the sale of tobacco products to people under the age of 18, although some provinces have raised the age benchmark. In Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, tobacco products can be sold to people over the age of 18, while all provinces except Prince Edward Island set the age at 19.
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