Statement from Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane

CANADA, March 12 - Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane issued the following statement on the resolution of tobacco litigation:

“I am pleased to announce a resolution in an effort to recover money for our health system from tobacco companies that have sold cigarettes in Canada.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and a major risk factor for chronic diseases.

All provinces and territories sought to recover healthcare costs related to tobacco use. This litigation dealt with alleged deceitful practices and other wrongdoing by the tobacco companies from the 1950s to the 1980s. Those practices resulted in extraordinary costs to our healthcare system.

The Chief Justice of Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice approved a plan that constitutes the largest resolution of its kind in Canadian history.

Under this plan, the tobacco companies will be required to pay a total of $32.5 billion, which should result in the Province of Prince Edward Island receiving $168 million for the recovery of health care costs. Of this amount, we anticipate receiving $40 million upfront, with the remainder distributed over the next 15 to 20 years.

This plan builds on the work being done here in Prince Edward Island and across the country to reduce the number of Canadians who smoke. Through concerted actions, we’ve cut the smoking rate by more than half over the past 20 years - from over 25 per cent to 11 per cent today.

We continue to take action by expanding public education on the dangers of smoking, strengthening programs to help Islanders quit smoking, increasing access to treatment and screening programs, enforcing restrictions on where smoking is permitted, and banning tobacco advertising and marketing.

If you want to quit or cut back on tobacco or nicotine use, support is available. The Smoker’s Helpline offers free, personalized coaching and resources, while the PEI Smoking Cessation Program provides access to free nicotine replacement therapies—such as gum, lozenges, patches, and inhalers—as well as prescription medications to help you become nicotine-free.”

Media contact:
Autumn Tremere
Department of Health and Wellness
agtremere@gov.pe.ca