Stakeholder engagement session: Health Canada’s work to address risks of youth appeal and access to nicotine replacement therapies – June 19, 2024
Subject(s):
Health Canada hosted a stakeholder engagement session regarding the department's work to address risks of youth appeal and access to nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs).
Date:
June 19, 2024
Participants:
Health Canada
- Stephen Norman, Director General, Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD), Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB)
- Kelly Robinson, Director General, Marketed Health Products Directorate (MHPD), HPFB
- Roxanne Lewis, A/Associate Director General, NNHPD, HPFB
- Lisa Lange, Director, NNHPD, HPFB
- Hamida Rahim, Director, MHPD, HPFB
- Maggie Graham, A/Director, NNHPD, HPFB
- David K Lee, Chief Regulatory Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister's Office, HPFB
- Policy Analyst, Office of Policy and Strategic Planning, Tobacco Control Directorate, Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch (Secretariat)
Industry representatives
- Aaron Skelton, President, Canadian Health Food Association
- Ashley Cornell, Director, Regulatory Affairs and Policy, Canadian Health Food Association
- Michael Graydon, Chief Executive Officer Food, Health, and Consumer Products of Canada
- Gerry Harrington, SVP Consumer Health, Food, Health, and Consumer Products of Canada
- Diane Brisbois, President & CEO, Retail Council of Canada
- Avery Bruenjes, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Retail Council of Canada
- Sara MacIntyre, VP of Western Canada, Convenience Industry Council of Canada (Sara MacIntyre)*
- Anne Kothawala, Présidente et Chef de la direction, Canadian Convenience Stores Associations*
- Jeff Brownlee, Vice-président des communications et des relations avec les intervenants, Canadian Convenience Stores Association*
- Lisa Stilborn, Vice President, Public Affairs, Canadian Fuels Association*
- Helen Bennet, Director Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Fuels Association*
- Garth Nazareth, Government Relations Advisor, Canadian Fuels Association*
- Darren McDougall, President, Canadian Energy Marketers Association
- Andrew Mackay, Vice President, Retail, Canadian Energy Marketers Association
- Colm O'Shea, House of Horvath*
- Hillary Orr, Director & Head of Regulatory, Kenvue (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Éric Gagnon, Vice-President Legal and External Affairs, Imperial Tobacco (Nicoventures) (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)*
- Ralf Wittenberg, Commercial Director, Nicotine Reduced Risk Products
- Adam Miltenberger, Director, Operations, Lucy Goods, Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Ryan Tanakit, VP, Product, Lucy Goods, Inc.
- Samy Hamdouche, Chief Operating Officer, Lucy Goods, Inc.
- Kristian Uggerhøj, CEO, Alkalon A/S (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Umesh Kumar, Director, Business Development CellChem Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Ali Khamesan, Vice President Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Euro-Pharm International Canada Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Anjali Newman, Regulatory Affairs OTC & Operations Lead, Haleon (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Amanda Wong, Head R&D, Haleon (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Operations, Nutricede Inc. (Nutrameltz) (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Suresh Kolla, President & CEO, Nutricede Inc. (Nutrameltz) (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Jonathan Bonin, Sales Manager, Canadian Pharmaceutical, Quimica Canada Limited (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Sheila Fera, Teva Canada Limited (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Mathi Mathivanan, Teva Canada Limited (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Max Cunningham, CEO, Sesh Products Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Jesse Evans, Regulatory Affairs Supervisor-International and Monograph Products, Perrigo International, Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Nick Gallagher, Manager Global Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Perrigo International, Inc. (Manufacturers with Marketed NRTs)
- Kyle Britton, Vice President, Marketing, ReCreation Marketing (Licence Holders with no Marketed NRT Products)*
- Dennis Christopher Howard, Counsel, Swisher
- P. K. Singh, President, Global Business, JB Pharma
- Fertin Pharma A/S (Licence Holders with no Marketed NRT Products)*
- Nicotine BRST Canada (Licence Holders with no Marketed NRT Products)
- Rogue Holdings, LLC (Licence Holders with no Marketed NRT Products)*
- Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (Licence Holders with no Marketed NRT Products)
- Matthew Hanson, CFA, Black Buffalo Inc. (manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications)
- Jasmine Odlin, Director of Government and Corporate Affairs, Nuvona (formerly National Smokeless Tobacco Company Ltd.) (manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications)*
- Kory McDonald, Head of External Affairs, Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. (Philip Morris International) (manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications)*
- Kerb (manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications)
- Matt Howe, Alpha (manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications)*
- Nick Tarbine, self-employed
- Benjamin Jacuk
- Angel Sunanqi
- 14309669 Canada Inc. manufacturers with pending product or site licence applications
- Patrick Masaad, Commissioner, Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) (Advertising Preclearance Agencies)
- Jennifer Carroll, Director of Communications, Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board (PAAB) (Advertising Preclearance Agencies)
- Ruta Rozentals, Director, Clearance Services, Advertising Standards (Advertising Preclearance Agencies)
- Jennifer Bate, President & CEO, Advertising Standards (Advertising Preclearance Agencies)
- Jonathan Albanese, Nic-Hit International Inc.
- Anna Haine, Director Canadian Clearances, Extreme Reach
- Daniel More, President, Brigham Enterprises*
- Rob Hoffman, Director, Government and Stakeholder Relations, Canadian Fuels Association*
- Kate Harrison, Vice Chair, Summa Strategies*
- Dexter L'Amarca, President & Owner, NaturalSci Regulatory Consulting Corp
*Indicates affiliations with the tobacco industry.
Introduction:
Health Canada's Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) held a stakeholder engagement session to seek feedback on proposed policy measures to address risks of youth appeal and access to NRTs. Participants included representatives from industry associations, retail associations, natural health product licence holders and advertising pre-clearance agencies.
HPFB reminded participants that this meeting is subject to disclosure as per HC's Openness and Transparency policies. As per this policy, HPFB stated that it would be making a record of the meeting publicly available. The handling of information and privacy notice was mentioned and acknowledged.
Health Canada also referred to Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), to protect public health policies from the interests of the tobacco industry.
Subjects:
Health Canada welcomed participants and gave a presentation on policy proposals being considered to reduce access and appeal of NRTs to youth while maintaining access for adults trying to quit smoking. Topics of discussion included point of sale, flavours, packaging and labelling, advertising and promotion, implementation, and cost-benefit analysis.
Participants shared feedback regarding place of sale restrictions and suggested NRTs should remain accessible by adults who smoke in places where cigarettes are sold. Participants also shared concerns regarding short transition timelines for labelling and packaging changes which could lead to product waste and environmental impacts. They also noted that there should be consideration for transition timelines at both the manufacturing level and retail level.
Conclusion:
The meeting was then concluded.
Documents:
- Agenda
- Health Canada presentation