Imperial Tobacco Canada - Regulation

The manufacture, sale and use of tobacco and vaping products are subject to over 300 laws and regulations nationwide enacted at the federal, provincial and municipal level.

At the federal level, legislation distinguishes between vaping and smoking and regulates the products differently based on their different risk profiles.

Like any legal business, we believe we have a role to play in the regulatory process. We take that role seriously, and we want to be part of discussions. We speak out regularly on issues that affect our company, industry and its stakeholders, and aim to contribute constructively and transparently to the public policy debates around tobacco and nicotine products.

Learn more about our principles and standards.

New Category product regulation

The New Category market, which includes a range of reduced risk products is relatively new and regulation is still in its early stages.

Globally, there is a variety of attitudes towards these products amongst regulators, ranging from those who aim to encourage the take up of less risky products to those who adopt a prohibitionist stance.

We believe that the societal gains of reduced-harm products are best realized when regulations afford the opportunity for adult smokers to become aware of and readily access less harmful alternatives.

The UK provides an example of what can happen with the support of regulators and public health bodies. As reported by British media and shown in government survey data, the smoking incidence went down in England as the number of smokers transitioning to vaping as a way to quit increased. Expert opinion on the reduced-risk potential of Vapour Products, by groups including Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians, has led the government to adopt a progressive approach to regulation that encourages smokers to migrate to these less risky products.

We are not against the regulation of new categories. Instead, we actively engage with stakeholders to advocate for proportionate regulation that puts consumer safety and harm reduction at its core.