International health experts condemn Canadian e-cigarette tax hike

22 April, Stockholm – International health experts have criticised the Canadian Ministry of Finance’s move to increase tax on e-cigarettes. 

Under the proposal, which was announced as part of the federal budget, e-cigarette taxes are set to increase by 12% from July 2024 onwards.

This move flies in the face of the approach adopted by Sweden, which has made alternative products more accessible and affordable by taxing them on a risk-proportionate basis. This was further reflected in a recent move by Swedish authorities to reduce the tax on snus even further.

Sweden is on the cusp of becoming smoke free, with smoking rates only just above 5%. This is largely down to the availability of alternative products, such as e-cigarettes. In comparison, Canada has a smoking rate of 12%.

Commenting on the proposed changes, the leader of Smoke Free Sweden, Dr Delon Human, said:

“Increasing taxes on e-cigarettes flies in the face of what Sweden has achieved. If Canadian authorities are serious about saving lives, they should follow Sweden’s lead and ensure that less harmful alternatives are more accessible and affordable to smokers.”

“Restricting access to e-cigarettes will simply condemn many smokers to stick with cigarettes and sentence them to an unnecessarily premature death.”

**********

Contact

Smoke Free Sweden

Jessica Perkins 

info@smokefreesweden.org

www.smokefreesweden.org 

 

About Smoke Free Sweden

 

Smoke Free Sweden is a movement that encourages other countries to follow the Swedish experience when it comes to Tobacco Harm Reduction. Sweden is about to become the first ‘smoke free’ European country, with a smoking rate of below 5 percent. This remarkable achievement can be attributed to Sweden’s open attitude towards alternative products.

 

For more information on Sweden’s successful approach to becoming a smoke free nation, please visit www.smokefreesweden.org.