The Stigma Doesn’t Help Us Quit
How this comedian nailed it!
I was sent a video on Instagram today. And comedian Ryan Belleville nailed it.
There’s something strange that happens when you tell people you smoke. Or that you used to smoke. Or that you’ve switched to something else.
Suddenly, you’re not just a person anymore, you’re a problem to be judged, corrected, or looked down on.
When I watched this clip from Ryan’s stand up act, I thought he f*&king nailed it. No sugarcoating. He said the part out loud that everyone recognizes but few will admit. this isn’t about concern anymore. It’s about disgust.
Policy advisors, social media coordinators, and spokespeople for organizations like the Cancer Society, ASH, Heart and Stroke, Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, The CBC, Coalition du Tabac, the Ottawa Heart Model, and The University of Waterloo . many of which receive government funding, have played a role in shaping a culture that fuels hostility toward people who smoke. And now, that same approach is being extended to anyone who uses nicotine, whether it’s pouches, vapes, or cigarettes, deepening the stigma across the board. Why? Because, for many of these organizations their reputations and careers have been built on messaging rooted in fear and the stigmatization of smoking, and they’ve become comfortable with that approach. They spent decades vilifying an addiction that continues to kill 48 000 Canadians every year and no one has said anything to them about it.
Why are we funding organizations that build their campaigns around shame and stigmatization. Why are we giving them space and why are we allowing them to tell our story? Why are we rewarding the leaders of these organization with awards and some of the highest honours that a Canadian receive? Does all of Canada hate smoking that much that bullying and shaming are tactics that deserve accolades?
When someone quits smoking, or is trying to quit by using a lower-risk option. The stigma doesn’t disappear. It just gets transferred. These days, you can’t even say you’re smoke-free because of a vape or a pouch without the eye rolls. Without someone telling you you’ve made it worse, or that you’ve “just switched one habit for another.” You’re met with lectures. With misinformation. With the inevitable “popcorn lung” talking point.
And if you happen to be the Minister of Health in this country? You get doxxed for smoking. You’re shamed, judged, and treated as if you’re incapable of making sound decisions for Canadians, all because you enjoy a dart or two.
I say to these people SHUT THE F*&K UP! Because you are not helping.
Shame doesn’t create progress or change. Disgust and judgment don’t build trust. When these tactics are used in the name of public health, they don’t motivate people; they push them into silence. People become less willing to ask questions, less open to exploring different options, and less honest about where they are at.
Quitting smoking isn’t a straight line. It’s messy, it’s personal, and it doesn’t have to be miserable. It’s okay to quit smoking in a way that works for you, even if that means using a vape or a pouch. But people are hesitant to say that out loud. There’s a reluctance to recognize these options as progress, because the tobacco control word has built a culture around the idea that quitting only counts if it’s painful. If you’re not quitting their way, then somehow, you’re not quitting at all. And that is wrong.
If we want a smoke free world, then we need to open our mind to innovation, to relearn what we have been taught about nicotine and celebrate everyone person that has found a way to stop smoking and support those that still do.
Have your voice join our campaign and send a letter to the Minister of Health to get pouches back on the shelves of retail. www.unlockthepouch.ca