As provinces set to get smoking lawsuit cash, advocates seek more mitigation efforts
Anti-smoking Advocates Push for Investment in Tobacco-Reduction Strategies
MONTREAL — Anti-smoking advocates are calling on provinces and territories to prioritize public health programs with the money received from a landmark tobacco settlement set to begin initial payouts on Friday.
Historic Tobacco Settlement
In March, an Ontario judge approved a $32.5-billion plan that mandates three major tobacco companies to compensate provinces, territories, and former smokers for smoking-related health costs. The settlement, proposed in October 2024 after years of mediation, involves JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd.
Investing in Prevention
As compensation starts flowing, advocates like Les Hagen from the Association for Action on Smoking and Health emphasize the importance of using the funds for tobacco-reduction strategies. Hagen points out that the settlement lacks remedial actions, allowing tobacco to be sold and marketed in Canada without further restrictions.
He urges provinces to reinvest a small portion of the initial payments into prevention strategies, citing the potential impact it could have in deterring youth from smoking.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite a decline in the number of smokers in Canada, there are still approximately four million tobacco users in the country, with 46,000 Canadians dying from tobacco-related illnesses annually. Public health advocates stress the need for new measures to curb the industry’s recruitment of new customers and protect future generations from tobacco companies’ predatory practices.
Landmark Settlement Details
The settlement will allocate about $24 billion to provinces and territories over two decades, with additional funds going to plaintiffs in Quebec lawsuits, Canadian smokers not involved in the lawsuits, and a foundation dedicated to fighting tobacco-related diseases.
Legal Fees and Approval
Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz recently approved $909 million in legal fees for class-action lawyers involved in the tobacco litigation. While the fee amount is unprecedented in Canadian legal history, Morawetz deemed it reasonable given the complexity and significance of the case.
Conclusion
Despite the monumental tobacco settlement, concerns persist about the lack of smoking-reduction measures included. Advocates continue to push for proactive investments in public health to combat smoking and protect future generations from the harms of tobacco.
This article was originally published on Aug. 27, 2025, by Sidhartha Banerjee from The Canadian Press.
