Tobacco labels

Introduction:

I have an explicit reason for writing this article on Tobacco. I quit smoking over 30 years ago and never had one craving for a cigarette in all of those years. If my wife had quit smoking when I did I am sure she would have been alive today. My wife died in June 2000 of lung cancer.

The following list covers a few references to tobacco out of the CBCs radio archives and CBC's radio program " Assignment" by host Bill McNeil and guest tobacco expert John Fitzgerald dated September 4, 1961. On this radio program CBC host Mr. Fitzgerald stated Canadian tobacco makes a fine cigarette,Canadians prefer a home grown product, and tobacco is a big business in Canada. Host Bill McNeil asked Mr. Fitzgerald " Do you think cancer is really caused by tobacco?" Mr. Fitzgerald's response " There does seem to be cancer causing agents in cigarette smoke". He cautioned against smoking if you have a family history of cancer.Mr. Fitzgerald was asked why it was so hard to quit smoking and he said" It'd like food, it's company. It placates your nerves, and it gives you something to do with your hands.

For smokers one will notice Canada's warning labels have not changed in 10 years regardless of being pushed to update the labels as they are inexpensive. and lose their impact if not up dated on a regular basis.

Health Canada is not willing to go forward at this time to update warning labels on cigarettes which with out a doubt creates a possibility of increasing smoking and smoking related illnesses. One has to conclude the lack of updating by Health Canada means there would be an increase in smoking which ultimately means more tax revenue for the government.

Ottawa clearly stated it needs more time to determine the impact new labels would have.The government then should be asked how much time do they need considering the impact of labels was started in 2006.

Every province in Canada approved new labels but were told Ottawa had no intentions of moving ahead at this time.

Having written all of these things about tobacco and the federal government sitting on the fence for 10 years unable to update the warning labels on cigarettes and yet Canada has new labels but to bring them out appears to be a political decision. The government seems to be more interested in prioritizing contraband cigarettes over warning labels by highlighting their anti tobacco measures and say nothing about cigarette warning labels.

The longer Canada waits to put new warning labels on cigarettes will cost more smoker's lives. Many countries have warning labels on their cigarettes and are constantly changing them but it should be noted there is no country running the same label for 10 years.

Here are a few interesting facts about tobacco;

Years ago authorities denounced tobacco as the " Indian Vice"

Roman Catholics faced excommunication if they used tobacco

King James 1 (1562- 1621) of England levied a huge import tax on tobacco to discourage its use

The Russian Czar decreed that repeat users of tobacco would be sentenced to death

During the second world war the home front was pushing the citizens to send cigarettes over seas to the soldiers as an act of patriotism.

Hundreds of years later cigarettes are still a topic of discussion