Three national health organizations want Canada's premiers to push for initiatives to reduce smoking during settlement negotiations with major tobacco companies, years after provinces sued to recoup health-care costs.
In an open letter, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Lung Association and Heart and Stroke Foundation say governments should make cutting tobacco use a top priority in talks that began four years ago as part of the provinces' lawsuits seeking a collective $500 billion in damages.
Before the letter was released, a spokeswoman for the B.C. Ministry of Attorney General said she could not comment on any plans the province may have to introduce measures to reduce tobacco use following a settlement. She cited confidentiality obligations due to a court-ordered mediation after the tobacco companies filed for creditor protection in 2019.
Rob Cunningham, a lawyer and senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society, said the tobacco firms can only get out of bankruptcy protection in a settlement agreed to by all provinces, giving governments leverage to negotiate strict measures. While the territories did not file lawsuits, they are being represented in the negotiations by a consortium of law firms working on behalf of six of the provinces -- British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
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