Allow nicotine pouches sales
Petitioners ask the Minister of Health to lift the restriction limiting nicotine pouch sales to pharmacies and to allow convenience stores to sell nicotine pouches again. The government responds that Health Canada’s Supplementary Rules bar nicotine pouches from retail self-selection, reserving sales to pharmacies until evidence supports adding them to the approved list.
Why we would sign this petition
- Restores convenient retail access for adults using nicotine pouches as NRT, which the petitioners say helps relieve cravings and supports quitting.
- Allows small businesses to resume lawful sales; petitioners note convenience stores have experience responsibly selling age-restricted products.
- Removes a pharmacy-only constraint that petitioners say limits adult choice and may push purchases to illicit sources rather than prevent youth access.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Broader retail availability could increase youth exposure and appeal, echoing the government’s concern about new nicotine pouch formats gaining popularity with young people.
- Health Canada excluded pouches from self-selection due to limited evidence of appropriate use in Canada, so more data may be needed before wider retail sales.
- Keeping sales in pharmacies supports stricter controls on flavours, packaging and advertising and may be a more precautionary way to limit uptake among youth.
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. • 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 NRT products. At the same time, however, 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.