NDP introduces bill to ban flavoured cigarettes

Nickel Belt MPP and NDP health critic France Gélinas introduced a bill Wednesday that will require chain restaurants to clearly list calorie information next to menu items and ban all flavoured tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco.

The Healthy Decisions Made Easy Act, combines two previously introduced bills. American jurisdictions, including New York City, California, Seattle, and Philadelphia, have passed legislation similar to the bill's restaurant portion.

“This bill will give consumers the information they need to make healthier choices and will encourage restaurants to provide healthier options,” Gélinas said in a release. “Consumers already get this information when they go to the grocery store, and they have the right to the same information when they go to a restaurant. It is simply common sense.”

Gélinas said flavoured tobacco products should be banned because they are marketed to young people.

“These sorts of products appeal to few adults; their intended market is young people; the flavours appeal to them and the packaging makes them easy to hide from parents,” said Gélinas.

“They’re priced so that it’s easy for teens to buy one, just to try it, and then get hooked. Most teens wouldn’t spend $8 on a pack of cigarettes if they’ve never smoked, but might spend $1 just to try one. It makes tobacco extremely accessible.”