EDMONTON — The Alberta government is banning the sale of menthol tobacco.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says stores in the province will be allowed to sell menthol flavoured tobacco until the end of September in order to clear their stock, but after that it will be illegal.
The move by the new NDP government removes an exemption that the previous Progressive Conservative government granted for menthol when it passed legislation in 2013 that banned flavoured tobacco.
That legislation comes into effect on Monday.
Hoffman says about one-third of all youth smokers in the province smoke menthol, compared to just four per cent of adult smokers.
She says removing the exemption for menthol will make smoking less attractive for youth.
