Health Minister “Not In Bed With Big Tobacco”

Leona Aglukkaq blames Facebook, Twitter for delaying roll-out of new cigarette warning labels.

It’s been six years since the government first conceived of a simple new plan to deter Canadians from smoking: make warning labels bigger. Studies show the familiar images of gum and heart disease on cigarette packs are losing their effect and need to be increased in size. But the plan has never been implemented and Thursday it was reported that the tobacco industry had intensely lobbied the government on the issue. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq defended the delay yesterday, saying the initiative had not been shelved but that her ministry was looking for a way to incorporate a social networking component. She denied the industry was influencing her and promised to unveil a new anti-smoking program within weeks.