What We’re Advocating for Right Now
Commercial tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Manitoba, with over 1,500 Manitobans dying each year from tobacco-related illnesses.
26% of youth in grades 10-12 and 7% in grades 7-9 use vaping products, putting them at risk of nicotine addiction and future tobacco use.
The economic burden is also significant, costing Manitoba an estimated $368 million in 2020 due to healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
MANTRA, alongside the Manitoba Lung Association, Heart & Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, and Pharmacists Manitoba, has developed a set of evidence-based policy recommendations to address these issues.
The complete policy recommendations can be viewed and downloaded here.
Publish and implement a comprehensive Tobacco and Youth Vaping Reduction Strategy.
Building on the 2022 Tobacco Summit Framework, Manitoba must establish a Commercial Tobacco and Youth Vaping Prevention and Reduction Strategy. This strategy should include:
Prevention initiatives that educate and empower youth.
Resources to help communities and healthcare providers support cessation.
Long-term funding to ensure sustainable impact.
A commitment to equity by addressing health disparities.
Comprehensive tobacco control strategies have been proven to reduce smoking rates and prevent uptake among youth. Without a coordinated approach, progress in reducing tobacco use risks being stalled or reversed.
Expand access to nicotine cessation medications and support.
Quitting smoking is difficult, and many people attempt multiple times before succeeding. However, Manitoba’s current cessation support programs are too restrictive, underfunded, and confusing for many who need help.
We recommend:
Including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as a Part 1 benefit under Manitoba Pharmacare.
Increasing coverage to at least 24 weeks per year.
Currently, Quebec, Alberta, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories offer 24-week coverage. Providing increased access to effective quitting aids will improve health outcomes and reduce the long-term costs associated with tobacco-related illnesses.
Raise the minimum age of tobacco and vaping product sales to 21.
Youth obtain tobacco and vaping products primarily through social sources, such as older friends. Raising the legal age to 21 will reduce access and lower the likelihood of nicotine addiction.
Evidence shows that increasing the minimum age to 21:
Reduces smoking rates by 25% among youth aged 15-17 and 15% among those aged 18-19.
Delays nicotine exposure, protecting brain development.
Helps prevent lifelong addiction.
PEI has already raised the minimum age to 21, and 88% of Manitobans support doing the same, according to a 2023 Heart & Stroke poll.
Implement a Cost Recovery Fee on tobacco companies.
Tobacco use is the only legal consumer activity that leads to death when used as intended. While taxpayers currently bear the costs of tobacco-related healthcare, tobacco companies should be held accountable for the harm their products cause.
We propose implementing a cost recovery fee based on market share, requiring manufacturers to contribute to the cost of Manitoba’s tobacco and vaping prevention and reduction programs. Similar fees exist for environmental polluters, and the federal government is implementing a tobacco cost recovery framework nationwide. This would ensure sustainable funding for cessation and prevention efforts without additional taxpayer burden.
Allocate Tobacco Settlement funds to public health measures.
The Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) settlement provides compensation to provincial governments for tobacco-related healthcare costs, but fails to include measures that will reduce tobacco use in the future.
We urge the Manitoba Government to dedicate settlement funds to:
Tobacco prevention efforts to stop people from starting to smoke.
Public awareness campaigns to highlight the dangers of smoking and vaping.
Expanded cessation programs to help smokers quit for good.
Without targeted public health investments, Manitoba risks missing a critical opportunity to reduce the long-term harm caused by tobacco use.
A blueprint for a healthier Manitoba.
Tobacco use and youth vaping remain major public health challenges in Manitoba, but these entirely preventable issues can be addressed through policy action. By adopting these five recommendations, the Manitoba Government can lead the way in reducing tobacco and vaping use, protecting youth, and improving long-term health outcomes.
Together, we can create a future where Manitobans are free from the harms of commercial tobacco and nicotine addiction.