Pharmacies only?
My choice is being put out.
By restricting nicotine pouch sales to pharmacies only, federal regulations have created an unnecessary barrier for those seeking to reduce the risks associated with smoking or to quit altogether. This decision does not reflect real consumer behaviour: smokers and former smokers look for alternatives where they already buy their cigarettes—namely in convenience stores, tobacconists, and other neighbourhood retailers.
If this decision has affected you,
we want to hear your story.
Share your experience and help us show that access to nicotine pouches matters to you.
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Sentiment Analysis
Your testimonials
I find it absolutely crazy that I can go to any alcohol, cannabis or vape store and buy any flavour in any strength of my choosing but I can’t buy nicotine pouches unless I can make it to a pharmacy. Here’s to hoping one near by stocks them and I don’t need to call 10 different ones to see if they have any.
- Tim Speare
Alberta
I work in construction. I work long shifts and by the time I get off pharmacies are often closed. Because of nicotine pouches, I haven’t had a cigarette in almost 2 years. But because I have to get them at pharmacies I have to stock deposit them on my day off or send my wife to get them, which is difficult because we have three kids in school and have afterschool activities. I can buy cotton candy or strawberry ice vapes at a 7-Eleven, but I need a pharmacist to hand me nicotine pouches? It doesn’t make sense.
- Wayne Lodge
Alberta
Pouches are hard to access with busy work schedules.
- William Pettit
British Columbia
Government needs to make pouches more accessible, I quit smoking 2 years ago with pouches. Can we please become a forward thinking nation.
- Raymond Reddington
Alberta
I’ve been vaping/smoking for 15 years and finally was able to quit vaping and cigarettes with nicotine pouches. Unfortunately after the switch to drugstores it has been very difficult after I found myself vaping again because I have to drive an extra 15 minutes just to get to the drugstore and wait in a extremely slow line while people get their medications. It is insane that this new rule even exists as they are less addictive since there’s no lung craving. It doesn’t make sense why this extra difficulty when they’ve finally found a way to help quit. I don’t need a doctor or a pharmacists, it's my own personal choice to be healthy and I’m well aware. Please stop making people’s lives more difficult for no reason.
- Travis Nolan
Ontario
I had started using pouches to quit vaping. Was doing quite well with it aswell. Until they banned the sale of them at gas stations and convenience stores. And now if I’m out of pouches before work and the pharmacy is closed but the convenience store is open. You know what they do have OTHER than nicotine pouches. Vapes and cigarettes… so long story short I’m now back on vaping because I don’t have easy access to nicotine pouches.
- Travis Irvine
Alberta
I wanted to quick chewing tobacco. when nicotine pouches came out, they were the answer.It made it so easy to quit. Now it makes no sense to me why I can go to any gas station and buy chewing tobacco.But I can't buy nicotine pouches.Wish are way safer alternative.I really wish this law would change.
- Ryley Winterholt
Saskatchewan
I stopped smoking and vaping with pouches I discovered em in mexico and I didn't smoked since so I think it's time we bring em in canada
- Vincent Audet
Quebec
These shouldn’t be so hard to find!
- Steven O'Dell
New-Brunswick
I need better access to pouches or I will almost certainly fall back to smoking or vaping at some point.
- Karen McCallum
Saskatchewan
The liberal government banning pouches has taken away our rights to have a choice in what nicotine intake we prefer, all because pouches aren’t taxed to death like tobacco is. The government says “if we don’t get a cut of the sales we don’t want anyone to have it”! Makes sense right? Here you can have the cancer causing tobacco at literally every store, pouches? Those evil things we don’t get any money from? Heck no!!
- Dawson MacDonald
Nova Scotia
The Liberal government has suppressed our right to choose our nicotine product of choice, has caused financial harm to plenty of small businesses in my area because of these restrictions, while vapes and cigarettes are completely available everywhere. It does not make sense.
- Woll Cherry
Living in a remote community, I am forced to use “grey market” options for pouches, often receiving Chinese knockoffs that contain unknown contents. The nearest three pharmacies don't wish to stock the pouches, so I am left without other options. I was able to quit smoking the day I received some in the mail from two packs a day to zero instantly. Far safer than vapes or other alternatives. I would like the freedom to choose safely from a variety of options.
- Sean McInroy
Nicotine pouches were the sole reason I was able to quit smoking and vaping and get my addiction under control. They allowed me to better regulate my nicotine intake and avoid damage to my lungs.
- Harrison Sprung
Only thing that helps me quit vaping. Everyone already orders it online, but that shipping time delay causes me to revert back to vaping, which is a terrible delivery mechanism for nicotine for health and for quitting, while pouches offer a clean, cancer-free, easy way to take nicotine and also stop nicotine by gradual reduction.
- Ansh Suri
I need pouches to quit smoking!!!!!!!
- Noah Daigle
Pouches have saved my life. I had a zero success rate quitting tobacco. The first time I tried nicotine pouches, I didn’t know if they were for me, but I continued & now I’m 8 months smoke-free. The hardest part I find is getting them over the weekends. When I finish my work shift, medical offices are closed for the day. Leaving me to hope I don’t walk next door to a convenience store for cigarettes.
- Grant Campbell
Chewed tobacco for 17 years; these pouches allowed me to stop. Only being available at the pharmacy hinders availability, and now pharmacies try to lecture about abuse, yet no one gets lectured about cigarettes, weed or alcohol. Makes zero sense.
- Matthew Warren
I find it asinine knowing that nicotine gum and patches are on the shelf, but the pouches that actually work are behind the pharmacy counter with, in most cases, a pharmacist who can arbitrarily say you can only buy one can at a time, and yet other pharmacists will sell a whole roll/box/log of them.
- Eric Tackberry
Does this decision affect you?
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Share your experience and help us show that access to nicotine pouches matters to you.