Canada to ban sale of cigarettes labelled light or mild

Canada is to outlaw cigarettes from being labelled light or mild.

The Government says the terms mislead the public into a "false sense of security."

Canadian Health Minister Allan Rock says he expects the tobacco industry to challenge the legislation, which could be introduced this fall.

"Let them argue for their right to deceive," Rock told about 500 members of the Canadian Medical Association at their annual meeting in Quebec City.

"They've continued to mislead the public for decades. Labelling cigarettes as 'light' and 'mild' offers smokers a false sense of security," he said.

Rock says the so-called light or mild cigarettes are just as "lethal" as regular cigarettes.

Michel Descoteaux, of Imperial Tobacco Canada, has said the terms light and ultra-light are not misleading because they accurately describe comparative tar levels.

But documents obtained through court proceedings in recent years show that the industry has long been aware that low-tar cigarettes may keep smokers from quitting.

"We have evidence of virtually no quitting among smokers of these brands," says a 1978 document.

"There are indications that the advent of ultra low tar cigarettes has actually retained some potential smokers in the cigarette market by offering them a viable alternative," it added.