Canada has extended the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS) for another year to evaluate recent initiatives and develop a long term strategy, the Health Ministry announced.

Extending funding for FTCS will further efforts to control contraband tobacco and monitor implementation of new health warnings on packages of cigarettes and cigarillos, Health Canada said in a March statement. Smoking rates in Canada dropped from 22 per cent in 2001 to 18 per cent in 2009, representing about 500,000 fewer smokers.