3 Essential Tobacco and Nicotine Stories for Health Policy Professionals

Media monitoring of Canadian print publications reveals three essential stories on tobacco, cigarettes, vaping, and nicotine — a press review that every health policy professional needs. This media intelligence report covers news on tobacco and nicotine, from surging youth nicotine pouch use to pharmacist-led policy advocacy, all grounded in Press Monitor's tracking of Canadian publications.

1. CAMH Survey Reveals Nicotine Pouch Surge Among Ontario Students

The Standard (st. Catharines) reports that a 2025 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health shows youth drug use continuing a decades-long decline. The survey found 5.8 per cent of students in grades 7 through 12 reported using a nicotine pouch at least once in the previous year, rising to 11.7 per cent among Grade 12 students. The report calls for more research into which brands and nicotine strengths students are using and how they are accessing these products.

Why it matters: A major CAMH survey shows youth drug use declining overall, but nicotine pouch use tells a different story — demanding immediate policy attention.

Key detail: 5.8% of students in grades 7–12 reported using a nicotine pouch in the past year, rising to 11.7% among Grade 12 students. The data prompts calls for research into which brands and nicotine strengths students are using and how they access these products.

Source: The Standard (St. Catharines), Todd Prochnau

Next step: Health Canada and provincial regulators should prioritize investigating the authorization status of nicotine pouch products reaching youth.

2. Todd Prochnau Urges Protection of Youth Smoking Decline

The Standard (st. Catharines) reports that Todd Prochnau, founder of the Canadian Pharmacists' Coalition for Responsible Policy, says youth cigarette smoking is extraordinarily low in Canada and should be protected as a policy success. Prochnau says the next objective should be to keep youth nicotine use moving downward by preventing youth access, enforcing rules against unauthorized products and sellers, and gathering information about emerging youth use.

Why it matters: Canadian cigarette smoking among youth has reached historic lows — a public health triumph that Todd Prochnau says must be protected through smarter policy.

Key detail: Prochnau, founder of the Canadian Pharmacists' Coalition for Responsible Policy, calls for continued reduction of youth nicotine use while preserving adult cessation options, tighter enforcement against unauthorized retailers, and tracking of emerging consumption sources.

Source: The Standard (St. Catharines)

Next step: Policymakers should balance protecting youth with maintaining access to legitimate cessation tools for adults.

3. Non-Profit Housing Capital Gains Exemption Proposed

The Standard reports that the federal government can create a level playing field for not-for-profits through capital gains tax exemptions on real estate sales to accredited non-profit housing developers, municipalities, and Crown corporations. The article also addresses youth cigarette smoking and the need to enforce rules against unauthorized nicotine products while ensuring adults have access to legitimate cessation options.

Why it matters: A new proposal for capital gains tax exemptions on real estate sales to accredited non-profit housing developers could reshape Canada's housing landscape — while also touching on tobacco regulation.

Key detail: The federal government can create a level playing field for not-for-profits through capital gains exemptions, with the article also addressing youth cigarette smoking and the need to enforce rules against unauthorized nicotine products.

Source: The Standard (St. Catharines), Adam Mongrain, Mike Moffatt, Todd Prochnau

Next step: Stakeholders in both housing and public health should monitor how these policy tracks intersect.

Closing: As nicotine pouch use rises among youth despite declining smoking rates, will Canadian regulators act before the next survey cycle? Follow print media monitoring through Press Monitor for ongoing updates.