Allow nicotine pouch sales
Petitioners ask the Minister of Health to allow convenience stores to sell nicotine pouches again by removing the pharmacy-only restriction. The government responds that Health Canada bars retail self-selection of nicotine pouches because they lack an established history of use.
Why we would sign this petition
- Restores convenient adult access to a form of NRT the petitioners say helps relieve cravings and support quitting, making cessation aids easier to obtain.
- Allows small businesses that petitioners say responsibly sell age-restricted products to resume sales, supporting local retailers’ livelihoods.
- Expands legal, regulated availability; petitioners argue this may reduce reliance on illicit markets while preserving adult choice.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Health Canada cites youth appeal and addiction risks, so broader retail access could increase youth exposure and use.
- Nicotine pouches lack an established history of appropriate use in Canada, so restricting sales until evidence is provided is a precautionary approach.
- Wider retail sales may complicate enforcing flavour, packaging and age-restriction rules and require more oversight than pharmacy-only sales.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS: • Many adult Canadians make use of nicotine pouches as a form of nicotine replacement therapy, which can help them quit tobacco smoking by relieving cravings and withdrawal symptoms; • The Government of Canada has banned the sale of nicotine pouches from convenience stores, gas stations and online and will only allow pharmacies to sell the product behind the counter; • Small businesses including convenience stores have a proven track record of responsibly selling age-restricted products, including nicotine replacement therapies; and • This restriction takes away the freedom of choice from adult Canadians on where and how they access such products and will not prevent minors from accessing these products via the illicit market. THEREFORE: • We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to remove the restrictions on sales of nicotine pouches to only pharmacies and allow convenience stores to sell the product once again.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Health Signed by Maggie Chi Quitting smoking can be challenging, and Health Canada wants to ensure that any adult wanting to quit can access nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. At the same time, there are concerns that some NRT products, especially emerging formats like nicotine pouches, are becoming popular with youth, and that young people are particularly susceptible to nicotine’s addictive properties. Health Canada published the Supplementary Rules Respecting Nicotine Replacement Therapies Order on August 28, 2024. This Order seeks to maintain access to NRTs by adults trying to quit smoking, while also introducing measures to reduce the appeal of, access to and use of orally administered NRT products by young people. In particular, the Order included requirements related to place of sale, flavours, packaging and labelling, and advertising for NRT products, responding to public health concerns about the availability, use and marketing of certain NRT products and their potential appeal to youth. The Supplementary Rules Order incorporates the List of Nicotine Replacement Therapy Dosage Forms that may be Accessible for Self-selection by Purchasers or Consumers, a document that sets out the NRT dosage forms that can be sold on a retail basis in self-selection areas because they have an established history of appropriate use. The list currently includes gums, lozenges, inhalers and sprays. NRT dosage forms not on the list, including nicotine pouches, are those with a limited history of appropriate use in Canada. This means that these dosage forms may not be sold in self-selection areas in retail settings including convenience stores. Over time, Health Canada may add an NRT dosage form to the list based on evidence submitted by any applicant or interested party to support its history of appropriate use.