Canada rolling out 13 new graphic cigarette warnings by August 1

Canada is rolling out a fourth set of graphic cigarette package warnings beginning August 1, featuring 13 new images designed to alert smokers to tobacco-related health risks.

The new warnings include images such as bloody urine, gangrene, and visible tongue cancer signs. According to regulations, health warnings must cover 75 per cent of the packages' primary display area, with messages in both English and French.

The initiative is part of Canada's Tobacco Strategy, which aims to reduce smoking to less than five per cent of the population by 2035. Health Canada's latest progress report suggested the country is on track to meet this goal—tobacco use was estimated at 13 per cent in 2024, down from 29 per cent in 2001.

Health advocates support the new packaging. Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society, noted that graphic images cut through the noise and make warnings more memorable and impactful. "Rotating to a new set is important to keep warnings fresh and avoid them from becoming stale," he said.

Foram Patel, a senior policy specialist at the Heart & Stroke Foundation, emphasized that including risks such as heart disease and stroke helps raise awareness about the wide range of health consequences linked to smoking. Health experts say graphic labels should be paired with other tobacco-control measures to increase effectiveness.