It wouldn't be Canada Day without legions of red-and-white Maple Leaf flags being waved with patriotic gusto, fireworks displays lighting up the sky and musical celebrations across the country. "Here we have a tobacco company using the theme of Canadian pride and Canada Day to sell cigarettes — and that is wrong," said Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society. Cynthia Callard, executive director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, called the apparent Canada Day marketing measure less than a month after Philpott's announcement "a very provocative action" she likened to trying "to poke a stick in the eye of the government." Cunningham contends the tobacco company is using the product's cardboard wrapper as an advertising vehicle before new regulations mandating plain packaging for cigarettes come into effect. "They're linking this brand with this day and a Canadian culture and a kind of attitude," Callard said.

Source: CBC News July 01, 2016 13:04 UTC