Convenience store giants fight Health Canada’s nicotine pouch rules
Global News
Convenience store firms across Canada are taking the federal government to court to overturn regulations that restrict the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies.
Convenience store firms that operate thousands of outlets across Canada are taking the federal government to court to overturn regulations that restrict the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies.
Mac’s Convenience Stores Inc. and Couche-Tard Inc., both subsidiaries of Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., claim in an application in Federal Court that Health Canada’s rules restricting the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies are unfair and unconstitutional.
Parkland Corp., which operates gas station convenience stores under the On the Run brand, claims in its own court application that the limit to pharmacy-only sales will increase demand for illegal products “that youth already have access to, and will continue to have access to through the contraband market.”
Parkland claims illegal nicotine replacement therapy products “are more dangerous than regulated” products, and the rules will “have the effect of increasing — not decreasing — the risk of injury to health.”
Mac’s and Couche Tard’s application makes a similar argument, that since the minister didn’t ban sales of the products to minors, mandating that they be sold at pharmacies will “at best, perpetuate identified risks of injury to health” for those who buy other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, or it could aggravate the risks for those who turn to the black market for their product.
Only one nicotine pouch product has been approved for sale by Health Canada, Imperial Tobacco’s Zonnic pouches.
The pouch is a small bag that contains nicotine used in the mouth and Health Canada says Zonnic is a form of nicotine replacement therapy, which can help a person quit smoking by temporarily relieving cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Mac’s Convenience Stores and Couche Tard’s Montreal-based legal team said their client would not comment on the court case.
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