Why is the Government amending the Tobacco Act?
• A1. In September 2008, Prime Minister Harper committed to taking action on tobacco marketing practices aimed at youth. The Government is fulfilling its commitment by: • Banning the use of fruit -flavourings in little cigars, cigarettes and blunt wraps, as well as those additives that taste like candy; • Addressing the resurgence of tobacco advertising in publications that can be viewed by children and youth; and • Requiring that little cigars and blunt wraps be sold in packages of at least 20. The growing trend of fruit and other flavours (such as grape, cherry, peach, banana split, tropical punch, and chocolate) being added to little cigars and blunt wraps serves as an inducement to youth smoking. Sales of little cigars have jumped from 53 million units in 2001 to 403 million in 2007; they are the fastest growing tobacco product on the market and children and youth are smoking them.
