CNN
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“Tobacco smoke harms children.” “Cigarettes cause leukemia.” “Poison in every puff.”

Those are among the many messages that can quickly seem – in English and French – on cigarettes in Canada. The nation announced Wednesday it would require well being warnings to be printed immediately on each particular person cigarette – the primary nation on this planet to take action.

“The new Tobacco Products Appearance, Packaging and Labelling Regulations will be part of the Government of Canada’s continued efforts to help adults who smoke to quit, to protect youth and non-tobacco users from nicotine addiction, and to further reduce the appeal of tobacco,” Canadian well being officers stated in a information launch.

The labels on particular person cigarettes will make it “virtually impossible” for people who smoke to keep away from warnings, well being officers stated.

The new requirement is a “world precedent-setting measure that will reach every person who smokes with every puff,” stated Rob Cunningham, a senior coverage analyst on the Canadian Cancer Society.

The regulation is a part of the nation’s objective to drop its nationwide tobacco use to lower than 5% by 2035.

It will likely be accompanied by different measures geared toward lowering the variety of people who smoke within the nation, together with the strengthening of well being messages on tobacco product packages, well being officers said.

“Tobacco use continues to be one of Canada’s most significant public health problems, and is the country’s leading preventable cause of disease and premature death,” Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos stated in a statement. “Our government is using every evidence-based tool at our disposal to help protect the health of Canadians, especially young people.”

The new guidelines go into impact August 1, however will likely be applied in phases: Retailers who promote tobacco product packages should function the brand new warnings by the top of April 2024; king-size cigarettes will first function the person warnings by the top of July 2024; adopted by regular-sized cigarettes and different merchandise by the top of April 2025, the news release stated.