Cigarettes sold in Canada are about to look extremely different

Starting this summer, smokers will notice something different about cigarettes.

A new federal regulation will make Canada the first country to require health warnings to be printed on individual cigarettes. The move is part of the government’s efforts to help adults quit smoking and reduce the appeal of tobacco.

"Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada, and these important new measures will protect youth and support current smokers in their efforts to quit," said Doug Roth, CEO of the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

So what changes can be expected?

The warning will appear on tipping paper, cigarette tubes, and other tobacco products, making it "virtually impossible to avoid health warnings altogether." The changes will first appear on king-size cigarettes and are set to come into force starting August 1 this year and will be implemented in phases until next year.

New warning on cigarettes from Health Canada.

It's part of the government's efforts to "protect youth and non-tobacco users from nicotine addiction." By doing so, the government hopes to reach its target to reach less than 5 per cent tobacco use by 2035.

By April 2024, tobacco packaging will have new health-related messages, and the government is planning a "periodic rotation of messages."

Every year, 46,000 people in Canada die from tobacco use, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

In addition, Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, said packages will display graphic images as a "startling reminder of the health consequences of smoking."

"We will continue to do whatever it takes to help more people in Canada, especially young people, live healthier, tobacco-free lives," she said.