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P.E.I. to Raise Legal Age for Nicotine Pouches
6 May
Summary
- Prince Edward Island plans to raise the legal age for nicotine pouches.
- Current legislation allows 18-year-olds to purchase nicotine pouches.
- The province is also considering raising the cannabis age to 21.
Prince Edward Island is planning legislative changes this fall to raise the legal age for purchasing nicotine pouches to 21. This action addresses concerns raised in the legislature regarding the increasing recreational use of these products by youth. Currently, individuals aged 18 can legally buy nicotine pouches, creating a gap in age restrictions compared to tobacco and vaping products, which have a legal purchase age of 21.
Health and Wellness Minister Cory Deagle stated that the province aims to align all nicotine product regulations, potentially including cannabis, which currently has a legal age of 19. This broader approach seeks to safeguard adolescents whose brains are still developing. The minister noted that Zonnic, a popular nicotine pouch brand, is often acquired by 18-year-olds and then distributed to underage individuals, highlighting a need to curb youth nicotine addiction.
Imperial Tobacco Canada's Zonnic is the sole nicotine pouch authorized by Health Canada, intended as a smoking cessation tool. However, due to rising youth popularity, Health Canada implemented new measures in August 2024, restricting sales to pharmacies and requiring them to be kept behind the counter. Despite these federal actions, provincial legislation is deemed necessary to comprehensively address the issue on Prince Edward Island.
