MP takes 2nd shot to restrict flavoured tobacco products

The NDP health critic relaunched a private member's bill Thursday to strengthen regulations over cigars, cigarillos, and flavoured products.

Judy Wasylycia-Leis says she's concerned that products with tastes like mint and berry are aimed at young people.

Her bill was welcomed by anti-smoking advocates. "Loopholes in the current law have allowed tobacco companies to mask a deadly and addictive product in candy flavouring, to package it in bright colours, to price it like a candy bar and to induce one-third of Canadian teenagers to give it a try," Dr. Robert Ouellet, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said in a news release.

Sales of cigarillos have grown to 403 million units in 2007 from 53 million in 2001, the release said, citing Health Canada data.

Wasylycia-Leis said she asked young people in Winnipeg about the flavoured products, "and every time we did, they said, 'Oh, yeah, those are great. I love them.'"

She may have the backing of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In September, he said the government would ban the use of flavours and additives that make tobacco products more appealing to children.

"These products are packaged as a candy, and this is totally unacceptable," he said. "This can't continue."

Wasylycia-Leis is concerned about flavoured cigarillos that are sold individually, and wants to ensure there is a minimum of 20 in a package, with large warning labels about the dangers of smoking.

She unveiled a draft a bill to tighten labelling, packaging and the sale of flavoured tobacco products in March 2008.

It received first reading in June, but died when the Oct. 14 election was called.