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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has built her reputation on asserting provincial jurisdiction in areas where provinces hold constitutional authority — and kicking out the feds. 

But one area in which Alberta has not yet done that is in the war on nicotine. 

The federal government under Justin Trudeau — and now Mark Carney — has imposed strict limits on nicotine pouches, products often used by smokers seeking to quit cigarettes. Under current regulations, nicotine pouches can only be obtained from pharmacies, and only one at a time. Meanwhile, cigarettes and substances such as marijuana remain readily available for purchase at local retailers.

So Ezra Levant put the question to Alberta Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services Adriana LaGrange: Would the government of Alberta consider asserting provincial jurisdiction and bring in a made-in-Alberta regulatory scheme for nicotine pouches? 

Minister LaGrange acknowledged the frustrations faced by adults who rely on nicotine pouches, such as Zyn, to reduce or quit smoking under the current federal system.

“The current process, which is having nicotine pouches within pharmacies, is really to protect our youth. And so while the intention is really good and honourable, I do think that adults probably would like to have more access to those pouches,” she said. 

Although reiterating her concern about the possibility of products like Zyn being made more available to youth, she noted that she would be willing to discuss the issue with her federal counterpart and “see what the options are for Alberta.” 

Still, the question remains: Why does the Liberal government continue to make smoking cessation aids less accessible than cigarettes themselves?