Smokers in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) can expect to pay more to feed their habit after the territorial government decided to hike taxes on tobacco products. The tax on loose tobacco will rise by almost 74%, making a gram of loose tobacco increase by 21 cents. This means a 200-gram tin will now cost $94.60, up from $54.40. The tax on cigarettes is also set to rise by 13%, making for an additional four cents per cigarette and an extra 34.4 cents per pack.
N.W.T. Department of Finance spokesman, Matthew Mallon, said that the tax hike was designed to encourage residents to change their behaviour and give up tobacco use. He added that the additional revenue would go toward funding programs and services. This hike means that the territory once again has the highest tobacco tax rate in the country.
According to the N.W.T. government’s health promotions officer, Denzie Hurst, there is evidence that backs this approach of increasing taxes and pricing to reduce tobacco use. She said that this was the single most effective and cost-effective strategy in ensuring that not only smokers would end the habit to save money, but also discourage young people from starting down the same path. She is urging those who need help to take advantage of government resources like nicotine replacement therapy and counselling.
Meanwhile, in Alberta, there is pushback from a vaping advocacy group against an opinion piece published by an associate professor from the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. In the article, the authors criticise the provincial government for not doing enough to curb vaping which is said to lead young people into becoming smokers. The piece highlights how vapers are at greater risk of contracting and becoming sick from Covid-19. It also notes how the province is the only one yet to introduce effective legislation against teen vaping, with the health minister having previously stated that the issue would be a priority for the government.
The vaping advocacy group, Rights4Vapers, is however promoting the view that vaping helps people get off cigarettes. The group is also seeking support to save flavours. Health Canada has noted that flavours are a contributor to the appeal that vaping holds amongst young people. It notes that this demographic is highly susceptible to the negative effects of nicotine. Rights4Vapers however contends that even adults enjoy flavours and abolishing them would discourage them from switching from cigarettes.
The advocacy group argues that vaping enables those that are addicted to nicotine to have access to it without the toxins that come from cigarettes and other tobacco products. They have said that increasing taxes and regulations will make vaping less accessible and encourage more people to return to smoking. The 2022 federal budget does include a new tax on vaping products that is due to come into effect on October 1, 2022.
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