Canada banning sales of flavoured nicotine pouches in convenience stores, gas stations

Starting next week, the federal government will impose new restrictions on nicotine pouches to make it illegal to sell them anywhere but from behind a pharmacy counter.

Beginning August 28, the pouches, which go by the brand name Zonnicwill be completely banned from convenience store and gas station shelves. Berry Frost and Tropic Breeze flavours will be recalled and only menthol and mint-flavoured pouches will be allowed in pharmacies.

«All the stuff that's clearly designed to target youth — it's over,» Health Minister Mark Holland told CBC News on Thursday.

Ottawa has been promising to crack down on sales of nicotine pouches for nearly 10 months. National health groups have warned about the risk of teenagers using them and becoming addicted to nicotine.

«It has been so deeply disturbing to see so many young people becoming addicted to these nicotine pouches who've never had any interaction with cigarettes,» Holland said.

Holland has accused Imperial Tobacco, the cigarette manufacturer that makes the pouches, of using a loophole in Canadian law to get approval from Health Canada.

«We were duped,» Holland told CBC News last November.

The federal government passed legislation this June giving the health minister more powers to unilaterally restrict sales, advertising, manufacturing and importation of products that are harmful or are not being used as intended.

«We never know what hole they'll slither out of next to try to attack our children,» Holland said, referring to tobacco companies.

The federal government says it will give Imperial Tobacco six months to make changes to its packaging and advertising. The new containers must include an addiction warning on the front label. Any advertising that could be appealing to youth must