The Health Minister of British Columbia has called for a ban on all flavored tobacco throughout Canada, which would expand the country’s prohibition that currently covers the use of youth-oriented flavorings in cigarettes and small cigars under 1.4 grams.

In a statement issued on February 26, Terry Lake said that “in November 2013 and again in February 2014, I wrote to the federal government to encourage an enhanced ban on flavored tobacco products. We cannot let these sweet flavors soften the harshness of tobacco. Flavored tobacco can become a gateway for a young person to become dependent on or addicted to nicotine.”

Lake cited an increase in the number of tobacco manufacturers that are creating flavored cigars just above that weight, circumventing the rule. He feels that the way to counteract this is to put a nationwide ban on all flavored tobacco, regardless of the size or format.

British Columbia is the first province to make such a request of the federal government, but Lake has encouraged his counterparts in other provinces to echo his call for a ban.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.