As a firm specializing in International Trade and related regulatory issues, we have noticed a marked increase in recent inquiries regarding the new regulatory requirements for Nicotine Pouches. This uptick coincides with Health Canada’s recent announcement effectively restricting the sale of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (“NRTs”), including Nicotine Pouches, to pharmacies – and the need to understand how comprehensive these apply to current business, and what options there are for moving forward.
Tax & Trade Blog
As we wrote here, Canada’s rules taxing Vaping Products were first enacted in 2018, with the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (“TVPA”), continue to involve, with a number of provinces and territories now getting into the taxing game. While the TVPA sets out a regulatory framework for manufacturers, importers, retailers and any other business involved in the vaping industry, the provincial rules center largely on ensuring their allocation of the taxes from this new found source of tax income!
The Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) has recently released some new Guidance on how all of these taxes are supposed to work together, but the policy goal of this (i.e., taxing something that in many eyes is meant to be an alternative to an incredibly-bad-for-your-health smoking habit) remains suspect.